A PORT man has risen up through the ranks of the army in a ‘major’ way – and the Tele has joined him on every step of the journey.

Robert Crawford, a former pupil of Clune Park Primary School and Port Glasgow High, was only 16 when he signed up as a junior leader.

Now, at the age of 46 and after 30 years of service, he has been promoted to the role of major in the Royal Logistic Corps.

His sister Jane Crawford, pictured, who lives in Rowan Court in Port Glasgow, wanted to share his success with the Tele as she has been sending her brother copies of the newspaper for the past 30 years while he served all over the world.

She said: “I’m so proud of him.

“He’s a brilliant person and is so hard working.

“He can’t sit at peace for two minutes, he’s always on the go.

“Despite his success though, when he comes home to visit he’s just a normal boy.

“He loves his Greenock Telegraph and I always need to make sure a copy is posted off to him, no matter where he is posted in the world.

“I’ve been sending him copies of the Tele since he was 16, so he’ll get a lovely surprise when he reads this one.”

Jane, 50, says that their late parents Pearl and Andrew would have been so proud of their son’s achievements

She added: “The only thing Robert regrets is that my mum and dad never saw him progress at each stage of his career. My dad was there for most of it, he died five years ago, but my mum didn’t see much.

“It would’ve been great for them to witness what he has gone on to achieve.”

Jane says Robert’s wife Angela and his 15-year-old son Cameron, who attends military school in Dunblane, are equally proud of him.

She said: “They came to visit me recently, which was lovely.

“My son Andrew is also very proud of his uncle, as well as my other brother Andrew, who lives in Belfast.”

Robert, who grew up in Kelburn Terrace, is presently based in Holland for the next six months until he returns to Andover, where he is currently stationed.