While reading memoirs, people often remark, "Oh, I remember that." or "I did that when I was a kid." The author presents his life's journey, which may be similar to their own experiences. The book follows the period of time beginning with the Great Depression of the 30s to the present day. It is the story of a boy from a poor working-class background who grows into a man striving for a satisfactory professional career for himself, as well as a comfortable life for his family. His experiences in achieving these goals are realized by the choices he made in his teen years and his subsequent emigration to Canada.
Roy Goostrey was born in 1934 in the town of Stockport in the Industrial North-west of England. Upon leaving school he went into an apprenticeship in the mechanical engineering field, eventually working his way up to become a senior design draughtsman.

In 1966, he and his family emigrated to Canada where he worked as a design engineer. An opportunity to become a qualified high-school teacher became available and he accepted a position teaching Mechanical Drafting. He taught there for twenty-three years, taking early retirement in 1989. Bugle Boy is the story of his life.