Proud army veteran gives backing to Poppy Appeal
HE has gone from travelling the world by submarine to travelling Scotland ensuring railway safety is first class.
Sean Murphy joined the forces at 16 and worked for the Army and then the Navy with an impressive career as a submariner.
Now aged 50, Sean works for ScotRail as a Field Trainer, ensuring the health and safety of his colleagues.
But his new job is a world away from his military career, which saw him based or seeing action in the Falklands, Bahrain, Muscat, Afghanistan, Singapore, South Africa, Australia and Egypt - among others.
The dad of three boys signed up to the Army at the age of 16 but a year later joined the Navy and became an IT specialist, working on submarines.
At one point in his career he was the number three on the nuclear firing signal chain– which meant that if it came time to set off Britian’s nuclear weapons, Sean would have been involved.
After a full career, Sean’s time to leave came six years ago and adjusting to civilian life was not easy.
He said: “From my house you can walk to the south gate of Faslane so to sit every morning and see all my friends who I had worked with for 20 years walk past my house and not join them, it was the loneliest time of my life.”
Sean joined ScotRail after applying to work as a train cleaner, a job he describes as “immensely satisfying”.
He said: “I needed to work and the one thing the Navy teaches you is that you are no better than anyone else, you are no worse than anyone else – we are all the same.”
While working, Sean put himself through health and safety training and when the Field Trainer job came up, he was a shoo-in.
Sean, who is heavily involved in charity work and runs a veteran’s breakfast club, is backing this year’s Poppy Appeal.
Last year was the first the ScotRail Alliance supported the Poppyscotland campaign nationally, raising £57,892.49 for Poppyscotland.
This year, collection tins will be placed at all staffed stations, and poppies will be for sale at all ScotRail booking offices.
Sean said: “The purpose of the poppy is not just remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“Those who are alive need support, need a little lift in life.
“Wearing the poppy is an act of respect but it also helps make sure all those who served get the help they need.”