Tony grew up in Hounslow, where his father ran a bicycle shop. He was the eldest of 4 children, with 2 sisters, Stella and Doreen, and a brother, Ivor. He joined the sea cadets, and even though he hadn't learned to swim, he wanted to do his National Service in the Navy. To make sure of this, he signed up before he was called up. By doing so, he committed to 12 years service, which didn't please his Dad too much. He found himself press-ganged into the submarine service, which turned out not to be voluntary as he had believed. He took it on the chin, however, especially since it was worth an extra half-crown a day. During his years in the Navy Tony visited many places; Bermuda, Norway, Malta to name a few. He spent 6 weeks under water at one point during the cold war. On the surface he was often sea-sick but fared better in the murky depths. He was still in the Navy when he met Barbara and they married in 1956. When he left to continue his career ashore, the family moved to Basingstoke