Richard Gough, a Veteran of the Falklands War and the British Fleets Youngest Weapons Director Release a New Book About Growing Up Gay in the Royal Navy

Being launched at the 2004 London Book Fair, Kitbags & Queers is the true story of Richard Gough, who was the Royal Navys youngest weapon director and served his country in the Falklands War and the Gulf. Throughout Richards service career it was illegal under military law to be a homosexual man. Being caught would have ended his career and possibly brought imprisonment for his crime.

London, UK (PRWEB) March 8, 2004 -- At a time when the British Royal Navy continues with its struggle to modernise a book about the true story of life for a Gay man in the last few decades of the Twentieth Century is launched at the 2004 London Book Fair.

Richard Gough served with the Royal Navy from the age of sixteen leaving his hometown of Falmouth, Cornwall for a life of adventure. At only 23 years of age he battled to survive alongside his shipmates on board the ill-fated frigate HMS Ardent that was savagely bombed and sunk by the Argentine Air Force on the 21 May 1982 during the recapture of the Falkland Islands. Although the Royal Navy gave Richard a medal for his part in the Falklands war they would, at the time, have gladly taken it away from him and slammed him in jail if he was caught loving a man. This was a constant battle Richard had to fight and it was ironic that his real enemy during his service to Britain was in reality the very job he loved.

The book Kitbags & Queers: Growing up gay in the Twentieth Century Royal Navy by Richard SJ Gough is published by Red BlackSmith Books in partnership with Global Book Publisher. More details can be found at www.redblacksmith.com.

About the author:
Richard Gough joined the Royal Navy in 1975 at the age of sixteen. One of six children he was the first of his family to join the navy. In a career spanning seventeen years Richard travelled the world serving on a total of six Royal Navy warships. His service career led him to see combat in the Falklands conflict in 1982 as well as protecting British shipping from the Iran and Iraq Tanker wars in the Persian Gulf. Richard now lives in the East End of London with his partner Iain.

Kitbags & Queers by Richard SJ Gough
ISBN: 0974629103
Available retail from Amazon.com and Redblacksmith.com

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