Corporal Joe Murray is a former sergeant major from the Parachute Regiment.
Many of the enlisted non commissioned ranks were drawn from ex army sergeant majors with experience in respective Army corps such as the Royal Logistics Corp, Grenadier Guards, Parachute Regiment and the TA.
Sergeant Major Watley in Lads Army was an ex bad lad himself. His high school teachers believed that their were only 2 places available to him: the army or the prison. Sergeant Major Watley served in the Royal Hampshire Regiment for the best part of 30 years reaching the rank Sergeant Major.