As A child I grew up in Middlesbrough Yorkshire UK my local ice cream van was a chap called Sandy Rea the farther of Chris Rea the singer some may know.
Many thought that Chris would follow in his fathers footsteps into the ice cream business rather than a life in music.
Apparently, it was said that he wished to join the army and travel, the week the army recruitment team came to Chris’s school it happened to be the Royal Artillery. Chris filled in all the forms his parents gave permission, and he started the path of entry for a life in the army.
However, after passing all required testing including practical exercises, he was called to the original recruitment sergeant’s office only to be told he was to be denied entry in the British army. The sergeant explained that even though their Colonel was well renowned for his laconic sense of humor even he thought they could hardly have a new recruit called Gunner Rea.
Chris has given lots of great songs over the years driving home for Christmas being one and my favorite Steel River. The link has some historical pictures of life around Middlesbrough.
ChrisRea - Steel River (Tribute to Teesside's industrial heritage "SteelRiver")
Cheers.
