Mick joined the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion in September 1964 from his home in Lancaster and went on to serve with the 1st Battalion Irish Guards.

He was just 18 years of age when he was killed on action on 20th April 1967 whilst serving in Aden.

Mick was the platoon signaller when his platoon set a night ambush in the Radfan. Instead of the small section of local insurgents his platoon expected to attack, they encountered a far greater force of regular soldiers of the Egyptian Army and insurgents at Company strength. There were a total of four Irish Guardsmen killed that night.