Andy Johnson was born and educated in York, attending Dringhouses Primary School and Ashfield Secondary Modern (now the site of York College). He joined the Army at the age of 16, just weeks after leaving school, and enlisted in the Coldstream Guards. He served in the regiment for 24 years, seeing service in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, before retiring in March 2009 as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Coldstream Guards. Now married with children and living in Staffordshire, Andy’s wider family still live in York and he is a regular visitor to the city. He is an active member of the York Branch of the Coldstream Guards Association and was recently awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his exemplary service over the last quarter of a century.