After serving for 21 years in the RUC William Clegg has released his story of life in the frontline as a serving officer in his début book, Crime, Comedy and Combat.
From his earliest memories, through to joining the force in 1978 in Enniskillen William’s heartfelt telling of his and his colleagues experiences during some of the darkest days in Northern Ireland’s history.
William regards himself as privileged to have worked in and survived the challenges inherent in high risk, hostile, urban and rural environments throughout the province.
Now living in Indonesia he said the book was a way to explain his experiences.
“It is an anthology for people of all ages of how life changed for a young person prior to, during and subsequent to joining the RUC,” he explained. It is about how ‘we’ were during that bleak period, how we coped at that time and how the incidents and emotions resonate to this day.
“I feel that anyone, whether security services or others, will have a feel of true events, episodes, characters and emotions personally experienced by me.
Tina Calder of publishers Excalibur Press said that it was a privilege to bring William’s tale to the public.
“As we now live in relatively peaceful times we forget the horrors that were part of daily life,” she said. “William has been able to encapsulate the experiences of so many RUC officers who had the daily job of a police officer dealing with crime, whilst also under constant threat.
“No matter your allegiances this is the human story of that time, told compassionately.”
In Crime, Comedy & Combat William tells his story for people of all ages, how a young person’s life changed during the Troubles, joining the RUC, and the incidents and emotions that coloured his life.
Crime, Comedy and Combat, published by Excalibur Press is available from Amazon and excaliburpress.co.uk
About the book
Crime, Comedy and Combat is the story of the life of an RUC officer who served for more than 20 years during some of the darkest days of the Troubles. From the horror faced through to coping through humour, it is an anthology that reveals what life really was like for officers in the front line
About the author
Upon leaving school at 18, William Clegg trained briefly in underwater construction before entering Enniskillen Royal Ulster Constabulary Training Depot as a recruit in March 1978.
William regards himself as privileged to have worked in and survived the challenges inherent in high risk, hostile, urban and rural environments throughout the province of Northern Ireland together with the training department, where his influences are still felt and resonate to this very day.
He was born in Co Down and returns frequently to spend time with his son. William also occupies himself with scuba diving, motorcycling, reading, and enjoying memories with those survivors who can still remember.
Dust Jacket
More than 20 years in the RUC coloured William Clegg’s life in more ways than one. Recalling the tragedies and the coping mechanisms for a generation of officers, William tells his story in anthology for people of all ages, how a life changed for a young person’s life during the Troubles, joining the RUC, and the incidents and emotions that coloured that life.
From his earliest memories through to life after the RUC William’s story hits to the heart of the issues faced by a generation of serving officers, packed with the horrors and the humour that was the day-to-day experience during the darkest days.
