Maggie's Story
Maggie Gardiner served in the Army for 23 years. She joined the WRAC in 1982, initially attracted by the uniform, designed by Norman Hartnell, “green with a neat clip-on black tie”. She instantly became part of the Royal Army Pay Corps, where she passed exams and flourished. She also made many friends, including several Chelsea Pensioners, like Joe Sale pictured here with Maggie. Maggie continued in the Adjutant General’s Corps when the Royal Army Pay Corps was disbanded in 1992. Before and after the Army, Maggie worked in various roles for British Aerospace, including during the Concorde days, and has also volunteered for the Imperial War Museum and Canine Partners. Today she lives in Winchester and dreams of becoming a Chelsea Pensioner herself one day.
“I’ve always known about the Royal Hospital” Maggie says, “I was born in London and my father used to take me past as a child. We’d see the Chelsea Pensioners out and about and I used to look at the Royal Hospital through the railings. It was like a different world and I’d gaze in awe and wonderment.”
Later, Maggie came to one of the Governor’s events here and got a closer glimpse of “another world”. She went on to become a Friend of the Royal Hospital, helping our community with her loyal support. She also maintains a friendship with several Chelsea Pensioners – including Joe – who had all served in the Royal Army Pay Corps. The Royal Hospital always held a special place in her heart. “The Army connection, the tradition, the military community, the history – all those things combined appealed to me. It represents military values of discipline, pride, respect and order.”
Maggie says that Chelsea Pensioner Joe loves everything about the Royal Hospital and her hope is that she will join him there in the future: “The Chelsea Pensioners are constantly in my mind – what they have all done! The Royal Hospital is the pinnacle of security and represents Army tradition. I’d like to go back to the Army way of life and be part of that family again.” In the meantime, she wants to do what she can to support the Royal Hospital and the Chelsea Pensioners, so they were in her mind when she wrote her Will: “I put off writing my Will until recently, but you’ve got to get it done – you never know when you might go. I haven’t got any immediate family, so I was thinking what charities do I want to leave money to? I also remembered animal charities, but the Royal Hospital was top of my list. I’d like to leave a lot more than I can, but every little helps and I want my legacy to help them carry on their good work. There’s renovation that’s needed and you have to think of the medical side too. They’re planning to help other veterans who live outside as well, which is an honourable idea.”