George was born in Kilburn, North London. He left school at 15 and joined the RAF two years later. Stationed in Wiltshire, he worked in security with German Shepherd dogs and also trained the dogs for exhibitions at summer shows and demonstrations at the Royal Tournament and Edinburgh Tattoo. We met in 1957 on a blind date arranged by friends at a golf club, and l knew instantly that George was special. He came to see me whenever he was on weekend leave and during a London bus strike he ran several miles from his home in Wembley to mine, going back the same way.