This Transgender Corporal from Wales

LONDON - Transgender Corporal Christian Mattey, 32, joined up as a woman called Private Claire Mattey Claire and signed up for the Army reserve when he was 20. But after ten years in the Army reserve, the corporal won the backing of army top brass to switch gender. His name change become Christian Mattey after undergoing gender reassignment surgery.

Came from Swansea, he is now proudly wear his male soldier's uniform as a recruiter for the Royal Engineers. Christian said he grew up wearing little girls' dresses and skirts - but always identified as a male. And Wales News Service Ltd awarded Christian as transgender soldier who has for 12 years military service - 10 spent as a woman and two as a man

“I identified as male from as young as three. All the kids on the street were lads and I would hang around with the boys," he said as reported Mirror.

“My mum asked me once, ‘Do you want to be a boy?’ I lied and told her ‘no’. I would dress as a Roman soldier at seven and started becoming myself. The last time I wore a dress was when I went to a family friend’s wedding - it was horrendous," he said.

“I had a sit-down chat at either 14 or 15 and my mum was really supportive. People say you have been so brave but I am being myself. I have a strong personality,” he concluded.

Christian underwent treatment six months ago to make the transition and is on hormones. He would be eligible to serve on the frontline but a cruciate ligament injury means he cannot be sent to war.