An Ordinary Man of Carrick

An Ordinary Man of Carrick tells the true story of four siblings - Matt, Bobby, Ruby and Billy – who hailed from a quiet corner of Ayrshire steeped in the stories of Robert Burns and The Bruce, who resolutely served their nation during the Second World War.

Scots Guardsman Matt fought in North Africa, Anzio and through Italy to the Gothic Line, where the catastrophic wounds he sustained tested the courage of comrades and the lifesaving advances of wartime medicine. Bobby, a Motor Torpedo Boat gunner, supported the Sicily landings, dropped commandos behind enemy lines and witnessed the Bari Harbour disaster.

Ruby’s service in the Auxiliary Territorial Service and Billy’s work with the Royal Army Service Corps reveal the often overlooked contribution of those who served on the Home Front - in uniform, in vital support roles and within hard-pressed communities.

Drawing on archival research, regimental diaries, naval records and family testimony, An Ordinary Man of Carrick uncovers fascinating events, from RAF Turnberry’s secret Bouncing Bomb trials to Matt’s eyewitness account of the eruption of Vesuvius.

Part memoir and part military history, this book is a tribute to ordinary men and women whose lives were reshaped by extraordinary events. At a time when toxic masculinity casts a dark shadow, it offers a timely reminder that true brotherhood and sisterhood, rooted in loyalty, courage and compassion, can withstand any evil. It will appeal to readers who enjoy Second World War history, British social history, family memoir and tales of bravery and resilience.