PA MediaTwo Glasgow neighbours who went to the same school have found themselves serving side-by-side as soldiers in the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Martin Stirling, 26, and Jamie Simpson, 21, whose families live on the same street in Maryhill, are today living just doors apart once again in Glencorse barracks near Edinburgh.
The pair were also recently deployed to the Middle East, where they were based together for three months.
They are both fusiliers in 2nd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland (2Scots).
PA MediaFus Simpson said: “He’s my forever neighbour – seemingly no matter where we are in the world.
“Martin’s friends with my older brother, so I’ve always known him, whether it was through school or playing football together.
“At home, I could virtually see into his house from my window, so yeah, it’s fair to say he’s a familiar face.”
Both men went to Cadder Primary School and Cleveland Secondary.
Fus Simpson is the younger of the two men but he was the first to join the British Army.
After leaving school, Fus Stirling studied sports coaching at college and worked in Asda before deciding to sign up.
Fus Simpson said: “I signed up as soon as I left school. I’ve always known it was what I wanted to do, so that was me away.
“Then, one day when I was back home washing my car, Martin came and asked me about Army life and what it was like.
“I told him all about it – how I enjoyed the training, the travel, the skills it taught me, and offered to help him with the process if he was wanting to enrol.
“I even gave him a lift up to the barracks – a 6am pick-up’s not too bad when you’re only up the road.
“It didn’t take long after that – and when he passed his training, he was posted to my battalion.”
Fus Stirling joined up two years after his neighbour enlisted.
Fus Stirling said: “I’ve been in the regiment for three years now and I’m forging my own path, but it’s still nice to have a piece of back home always around the corner.
“It’s funny how you can be on a mission on the other side of the world, but you have someone there who you can chat to about your old maths teacher.”
The families of both soldiers still live in the same houses the men grew up in.
Fus Simpson said: “Our return times from deployment are normally different, so one of us will get home first and be spotted by the others’ parents while they’re out walking the dog. We always stop for a catch-up.
“They find it nice to hear how the other one is getting on first-hand – it’s reassuring for them.
“Us being neighbours is definitely beneficial for them too.”
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