Gary David Bingley ... DoB 28th February 1958 ~ KIA 28th May 1982.

2nd Battialion The Parachute Regiment

Gary David Bingley Born 28.2.58 ~ KIA 28.5.82

Gary David Bingley was born in Tottenham, North London on 28th February 1958 the eldest of five children. He always boasted to being a Cockney no matter where life took him albeit the sound of the Bow bells in Cheapside to Tottenham is a slight stretch! He was proud to be a Londoner by birth and supported Spurs all his life.

His family moved to Coventry when Gary was a child but he neither took on a Midlands accent nor ever thought of himself as anything other than a Londoner. Gary didn’t do well at school although he was blessed with a good intellect looking after his siblings took up much of his time from a young age as both his parents worked. He left home at 16 and joined up as a boy in junior leaders as he found himself without a home and his dream of becoming a professional footballer was replaced with that of being a Paratrooper. 

Joseph White remembers passing out with Gary known then as AKA Gaz to his mates in Oct 1975 in 416 recruit platoon as a 17 year old ready to take on the world. 

His first tour of Ireland was a four month tour in early 1977 and it was during his R & R on this tour that he met his wife Jayney whom he married after a whirlwind romance that spanned a mere four months whereby they saw each other for a mere three weeks! In fact as Gaz left for the Berlin 1977-79 tour in May his first letter arrived four days containing the proposal. He was married on 9th July 1977 and was joined by his wife for the Berlin tour. They had a daughter born in Berlin in July 1978 but sadly lost three others and hadn’t been able to add to their family up until his death. Gaz & his wife having had a marriage by special license had planned to renew their vows on their fifth wedding anniversary but sadly he was killed just six weeks short of this.
This personal thought from his wife Jay
Tribute to Gary David Bingley MM

To the Parachute Regiment hierarchy he was 24347663 Lcpl Gary David Bingley, to his mates he was Gaz, Bing, Bingley, etc but to me, he was my husband, the father of my child and remains to this day one of only two people who have ever loved me unconditionally and with all his heart. His favourite colour was purple, his favourite dinner was pork chops, cabbage mashed potato and gravy, his collar size was 15ish depending on how many pork chops he had eaten and how much football he played on top of his Para training! I have never seen a church so packed as it was the day of his funeral and it was and honour albeit a fight to get his body returned home so that he could have the cremation he wanted and be laid to rest in the ‘Shot’. An unusual mix of being both capricious and sagacious he was admired by many. For most of us we have people who like us and those who don’t but I never actually met a person that didn’t like Gary. He was a ‘Star’ admired for his skills as a soldier, his skills as a footballer, his sense of humour and many other qualities. The memories I have are not just for those things but for the man who made a snow man with his daughter, the man who loved to eat those pork chops, the man who loved Jacques Cousteau, who called me Girlie and so many other things.

One of the saddest days of my life was to receive the MM on his behalf granted posthumously and he will remain in many hearts as an amazing soul who gave his life for his country doing that which he believed in so strongly. In mine he remains my husband, my soul mate and my best friend.

To his mates and comrades Gaz was the eternal joker always upbeat and up for a laugh with the sense of humour that could lift the lowest of spirits. He was remembered as a rare combination of amazing humourist and professional soldier with a large dose of footballer thrown in. He played for both battalion and combined services teams in Berlin where he was able to enjoy both his passions of parachuting and football. 

His wife remembers him with more facets to his nature. A Pisces by birth Gaz was also a romantic and deeply sensitive. He loved cooking and was also a family man with a love of nature. He loved the sea and Jacques Cousteau in particular. He would always come back from his travels with souvenirs & one of his favourite places 2 Para went on exercise was Kenya in Nov 1981. He loved life and he lived it to the full.

ManyThanks to Gary Holmes-Reilly

After the Berlin tour he did his second tour of Ireland 1979-1981 an 18 month tour where the battalion were based in Ballykinlar. The battalion then went back to their ‘home’ of Aldershot in 1981 where he lived with his family until the Falklands took over from the proposed Belize tour. His famous last words as he prepared to leave to board the Norland were ‘Ive waited 6 years for this’. 

During his career in the army and his time in 2 Para Gaz was in A, B & D company and so was a well known character to many. At the time 2 Para set sail for the Falklands Gaz was in 11 platoon D company. Gaz was killed at Goose Green as David Benest recalls.

"The enemy was now very close to 11 Platoon. They began to move forward out of the stream bed onto a rise. In the lead, Lance Corporal Gary Bingley came directly onto an enemy bunker. It was too late to take cover. He opened fire on the enemy but was shot and killed at point blank range. Grayling, his gunner, continued to fire into the bunker. He too was hit in the backside by a deflected bullet. Corporal Harley, Bingley’s section commander, went forward and took the bunker"

Gaz received the Military Medal for his part in Goose Green as did both Baz Grayling and Tom Harley making it three MMs in one platoon heroic actions indeed. Sadly for Gaz it was his wife that was to collect his MM awarded posthumously a day that remains both a deeply sad but also a deeply proud occasion etched onto the memories of a very special man. He is remembered by many and missed by all. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them ...

Below are comments from Gary's mates

"Gary was a constant professional and had a great sense of humour he was a good mate, and is sadly missed" ~ Steve ‘Digger’ Anderton.

“I was Gaz's section commander on the fateful day of 28th May 1982. We had been fighting through a position when Gaz said he was moving forward to the high ground to try and locate were the enemy fire was coming from, as he reached the crest he just about fell into their bunker, within a split second he was engaging with the enemy in a close quarter fire. He and his No 2 Baz Grayling destroyed the position killing the enemy. It was one of the most heroic deeds I have ever seen.” ~ Tom Harley

‘Gary was a very good sportsman, a very good Paratrooper and a very Good Bloke’ ~ Alyn Evans

“I served with Gaz in A Coy joining in 76 and after joining the Sigs Pl in Berlin, I was usually attached to A Coy, where Gaz was at the time before he was promoted to D Coy as a LCpl. I remember him most for his good sense of humour, good looks and dodgy 'tash” ~ Stu Russell

‘Machine Gun Bingley. Excellent soldier, excellent bloke, excellent friend. Sadly missed and often thought about.
What can you say about "Machine Gun" Bingley. Excellent soldier, terribly good looking, brilliant sense of humour, strangely infectious "hiccupy" type of laughter and a cheeky sod to boot. I remember I was his section commander in B Coy. He took the mickey out of Prince Charles to his face in front of the CO/ADJ and RSM, for receiving his wings having only done four jumps. "Of course your highness, WE have to do EIGHT jumps to get OUR wings......." Great bloke. Proud to have been his mate. ~ Pete ‘Stubbo’ Stubbs

“I knew Gaz between 1977 - 1980, in Berlin and Ballykinler. Gaz was a great guy and always had a smile on his face, he loved to play football and I think if he hadn’t have joined the army he would have been playing in the big league, although he was in the big league in 2 Para and had many comrades that miss him.” ~ Andy Haslam

“Gaz was an all-round nice guy, great footballer, part of the 2 Para family, a true airborne warrior! Always missed.” ~ Nigel Dixon

“Gaz, great sense of humour” ~ Ian Taylor

I played football at battalion level with Gaz. always smiling, up for a laugh, great memories and a brill bloke. ~ Brian ‘Spike’ Robinson

I passed out with Gaz with 416 recruit pl. in Oct 75 when we were both seventeen and a half. He'd arrived from junior leaders whereas I’d been in junior parachute coy. We got on straightaway. We used to joke on about going to live in Canada with the Mohicans when we left the Army, and every time we walked passed each other in the battalion lines we used to do this stupid hand signal to each other where we would strike the chest firstly with a clenched fist, then the flat palm of the hand, then swing the arm out to the side at the same time saying KINGATCHKUK!! Don’t know why, but we did it all the time. We went to 2 Para together and were both in D coy down south. He was a brilliant bloke and I was shocked when he was killed. I will never forget him. ~ Joseph White 

Whilst on the Norland, Gaz said to me (a fresh faced 19yr old) lets see who’s tash is best at the end of all this . I have never shaved my top lip since that day. A thoroughly great guy well liked and well respected. I was in Gazs section 1 section 11 platoon D Company ~ Phil Francom

“I remember Bing thing for that mad dance he used to do at the disco in Ballykinler, and chasing me round the block with a bloody gurkha knife~ nut case. A bloody good bloke.” ~ Rich Colquhoun

"A fine man whose generosity of spirit was in no way compromised by his appalling dancing" ~ Gary Steele

“Gaz was one of the good guys, a good soldier, a good drinker and a good laugh. R.I.P” ~ Tom Oates

“Great bloke, great friend, great footballer, looked up to him as a great paratrooper RIP” ~ Tony John

‘Gaz was a good mate of mine we used to laugh Gaz Bingley and Gaz Bradford ---- Bradford and Bingley RIP Mate God only takes the best.’ ~ Brad Bradford

‘Gaz set the tone for how we fought our war! His bravery and determination showed the rest of us the way forward and showed the argies what they were up against. A true airborne warrior.’ ~ Fitz Osbourne

‘Loveable Rogue’ ~ Bow Collington

‘A good airborne warrior, good soldier and excellent paratrooper - a man who lead by example’ ~ Steve ‘Hank’ Hood

‘He was a good strong honest man who we all respected greatly’ ~ Les Standish

‘A superb, immaculate, focused man who, had things been different would have made WOI very quickly & possibly even a commission later. A friend, a soldier, a man sadly gone far too soon. ~ David 'SOAPY' Soane BEM

‘Gaza was, and still is, a respected Airborne Soldier of the highest calibre and it was an honour to serve with him.’ ~ Ron Webster

“ Gaz epitomised everything a paratrooper aspired to be. Professional, courageous, fun and a true leader. A man apart, an Emperor” ~ Tony Banks

A Man who Loved a Good Laugh. Never Miserable ~ Duncan ‘Duke’ Allan

I first met Gaz on posting to 10 Plt D coy, 2 Para back in 1980 after being posted to Northern Ireland as a very (17) young crow. Took a bit of flack as the new boy but Gaz as a lance jack( in 11 Plt) told me to take it on the chin, soldier on and look forwards. 31 years later I left the Army (Dec 2010) and never forgot his words. RIP Gaz ~ Fergy Ferguson

Invented by Mean Smith and and sung to Wild Thing
"Bing Thing you make my Ring Sting" That amused Gaz no end. From me "The Man, the Tash, The Legend..... ~ Steve Taylor

‘He was a great bloke and a very good soldier’ ~ Pete Maddocks

‘Gaza was, and still is, a respected Airborne Soldier of the highest calibre and it was an honour to serve with him’ ~ Ron Webster

‘I along with Stew Mercer and Digger painted the outside of your windows white one night in the drunken belief that you and Gaz would get up in the morning and think it had been snowing. Remember his great sense of humour!’ ~ Ian ‘Swet’ Petty

I recall Gaz all too well form our time together in B Company 2 PARA in Forkhill SF base back in 1979/80 – always ebullient, a company ‘character’ ~ David Benest

‘The enemy was now very close to 11 Platoon. They began to move forward out of the stream bed onto a rise. In the lead, Lance Corporal Gary Bingley came directly onto an enemy bunker. It was too late to take cover. He opened fire on the enemy but was shot and killed at point blank range. Grayling, his gunner, continued to fire into the bunker. He too was hit in the backside by a deflected bullet. Corporal Harley, Bingley’s section commander, went forward and took the bunker..’ ~ David Benest

‘Gaz was a good bloke and one of the lads, Gaz Bingley R.I.P’ ~ David ‘Sparky’ Evans

‘RIP Gaz a true warrior, on and off the football pitch’ ~ Selwyn ‘Taff’ Loxton

‘Gaz was a funny lad and when I was in his company felt safe and part of the family’ ~ Stephen Harris

‘Gaz, was a very brave Man, the last words I heard from him say in the final moments of his life. 
I am moving 5 yards forwards, sadly it was the last I heard him say.’~ Mike Robbins

‘Just one of the best, missed even to this day as are all the rest, r.i.p mate,,,acko’ ~ Alan Atkinson

‘I was better at football than Gaz,as I always told him ,but he made the team I didnt. R.I.P. GAZ.’ ~ Trevor Caudwell

‘I remember sitting in my trench on Sussex Mountains watching A Coy start the advance Tab through B Coy's position for the battle of Goose Green. Two figures past me that I took great comfort in knowing they were in "my team". One was Steve Prior, the other was Gaz Bingley. I used to run with Gaz in Berlin, an all round good bloke who you could not dislike even if you wanted to. I suppose I was a little jealous of the two of them, both could be considered as a true representation of "A real Paratrooper" and both with the looks that women melt for. Still to this day I can clearly see that mental picture of them passing through my position and wishing them both good luck. They say "shit happens" in this case it did. See you in Valhalla lads.’ ~ Graham Eve

‘Gaz Bingley, what a great man served in same company, B Company whilst in Berlin and he was a sad loss to us all and The Parachute Regiment. I know he will never ever be forgotten. We had some good times together.’ ~ John Gartshore

‘Always remember Gaz as one of the battalion characters, likeable, humurous good soldier as they saying goes “we shall remember them” ‘ ~ Kevin Sisson

‘Gaz, instilled confidence in us all, he had an air of self belief which was reassuring in particular to a crow like me at the time when the shit hit the fan, he stood his ground, he knew his stuff and was a good all round guy, he will never far from our thoughts..’~ Wayne ‘Taff’ Rees 11 Plt D-Company

‘Gaz Bingley, all round good egg. Funny, talented and a real professional; a Paratroopers Para. ~ Colin ‘Del’ Delaney D Coy Class of 82.

‘Gaz was a good lad pleasure knowing him and playing footie with him. RIP mucker.’ ~ Alan Scott

‘Alround sound bloke, what more can be said.......’ ~ Stephen Airzee

‘Played football with Gaz in Berlin really good bloke....always had a smile on his face ~ Paul Thurston

‘A real trooper.........says it all’ ~ Alan Walker

"Whilst drinking from the well, dont forget those that dug the well, God bless Gaz" ~ David ' Smokey' Smith

'I knew Gary only briefly as we were in different companies. He was a LCpl and I was a Pte soldier when I first met him in N.Ireland almost 32 years ago. I remember him as being extremely professional and a top soldier, who would have undoubtedly gone onto greater things. A life taken too soon.' ~ David 'Spike' Redwood

'Another friend has fallen but his wings will forever keep him airborne' ~ Allan Dixon

'Gaz was one of life's really good guys' ~ Ginge Dawes ...

Blonder than most, smilier than most, chirpier than most, and braver than most. An NCO who will always be missed. Gaz' grave was the first I put my consoling hand upon in the cemetary in Aldershot at the 30th reunion. RiP. ~ Chip Chapman

'Realy weird but he helped me out even after he was killed , at Fitzroy the lugs holding one side of my Bergan to the sholder straps snapped under the weight ,
I tried to mend it but no go , Stevie Gerard the colour man got me a replacement . It was Gaz's, Kept that Bergan for the rest of my Army days, always thought it brought me luck, wish I still had it to give to you Jay, but handed in when I left. He was a warrior ~ Aidan Forbes