Viv Hoyle was born in Cornwall in 1944. He was educated at Portsmouth Northern Grammar, Welbeck College, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (from where he was commissioned into the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) and the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham, near Swindon, from where he obtained at Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from London University.

Viv had numerous adventures in the Regular and Territorial Army for 20 years, including being posted to Cyprus, Libya, Germany and Northern Ireland, from where he was acting as a Military Intelligence Officer in Londonderry. Additionally, he was stationed at Westland Helicopters near Yeovil as aircrew for testing Army prototype helicopters.

Viv joined IBM and then subsequently Zurich Insurance Company for another 24 years as an engineer and Manager of their large company car fleets.

He has been married to Jayne for 47 years and has two children Sarah and Simon and two grandsons and two granddaughters.

Viv’s hobbies and interests range widely from writing books to traveling.