Steve Warren-Smith

I left Saint Kentigern in August 1978, just before ‘school cert’ as my family emigrated to England. I started my 5th form again at The King’s School, Canterbury in Kent and continued with my music studies and sport as well.

All these pursuits went well and I was lucky enough to gain a scholarship to Oxford University (Worcester College), studying Geography, from 1982-85. Again I kept up with sport and music as well as the academic side of things, and also joined the University Air Squadron and learnt to fly with the RAF, which opened up a new set of opportunities. Having watched aircraft from Ardmore doing aerobatics over my house in Cockle Bay, I was always fascinated by aviation, but never thought I could do it myself. Wrong!

I joined the RAF as an officer in September 1985 and went through flying training eventually qualifying as a Tornado GR1 pilot and was posted to RAF Bruggen in (West) Germany, as it was then, at the front line of the Cold War. But the world shifted and we ended up flying from Bahrain during the first Gulf War as part of Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein's forces in 1991.

On my return I was posted to fly the Hawk, teaching Forward Air Control to all NATO forces and left the RAF in 1994, although I stayed on in the Territorial Army (the reserves), doing the same job for another five years as part of 5 Airborne Brigade. However, my full time job was still flying as I trained as a commercial pilot and now fly 747s for British Airways, getting as far as Sydney but sadly not New Zealand. In my spare time I have become heavily involved in sailing, being Commodore of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight, now my home, the National Chairman of my class and competing in National and European events.

If I have any advice for current students it is to get involved in anything and everything that interests you. As a 15 year old, you can do and be anything, but as you get older, doors close. Keep as many of them open, do as much as you can, volunteer, get stuck in. Reading the Piper shows me that Saint Kentigern offers so much to its pupils. Seize as many opportunities as possible.

Speaking of pipers, I still have my old chanter and one day may buy the whole animal when I have mastered it! I accord my thanks to John Bayfield who inspired my love of music that opened so many doors for me in my life.