Billy Thomas Redmayne was born 6th February 1991 in Accrington Victoria Hospital. Six weeks later he had his first brush with death, he had contracted a form of meningitis and his parents were told “if he gets through the next 24 hours he should be OK” He moved to the Isle of Man just after his first birthday, even at this young age he loved watching the bikes racing at the TT and Manx Grand Prix.
By the age of three he was going to nursery on the back of his mums Yamaha SR250, mini crash helmet and Baby Biker leather jacket. He was once told he looked like a mini Joey Dunlop, he was made up.
Growing up he enjoyed going out with his mates playing football or on their pushbikes making jumps etc. He played football for Corinthians and was selected to play for the Isle of Man junior squad. He always gave everything he did his best effort, always wanted to be a winner. When he was thirteen he came home with a massive gash in his shin, off we went to Nobles hospital to get some staples put in. It transpired he made been riding his mates trials bike, that was it, the football stopped and the bikes started.
Corinthians FC Junior Footballers pictured with new kit presented by sponsor Elsie Bryan of Edward Bryan removals.
His first bike was a Yamaha DT125 trail bike, riding around the field at the back of Dowty’s Aerospace. All was good as he got faster and faster then, a big crash a broken arm and another trip to Nobles. As soon as the cast was off, "Dad can we go out on the bike again."
So then the motocross started, first with a YZ85cc Big Wheel, he was always falling off but fair play to him it was straight back on and ride it like you stole it. He earned the nickname Billy Bounce in those early days. As he progressed to a YZ125 he got faster and was finishing in the top five. Then at sixteen came the YZ250 and his first win, his mum had promised some new boots if he won so it was a tad bitter sweet for her.
At sixteen he left school and started work for an electrical firm working at the new prison, he was riding the DT125 to work and got he taste for speed. As the months passed he realised that the Army is where he wanted to be. So with that decision made it was off to the recruiting office for his next chapter in life.
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Billy Redmayne Memorial Fund
Registered charity number 1297
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