The funeral of Jim Glennie, one of Scotland's last remaining D-Day veterans, will take place on Monday after his death at the age of 100.
Mr Glennie was just 18 when he landed on Sword Beach as part of the Normandy landings on June 6 1944. He was later badly wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans, but survived the war and returned home to Turriff in Aberdeenshire. He died on July 7.
A D-Day Hero
A celebration of his life will be held in Kaimhill in Aberdeen on Monday, followed by a gathering at the Gordon Highlanders Museum, where Mr Glennie spent 30 years volunteering.
His son, James Glennie Junior, said: "As far as the family is concerned he's our hero. He's our family hero. The last Gordon Highlander who landed on the beaches on D-Day, shot twice, captured, prisoner of war, lots of adventures before he got home."
Capture and Liberation
Mr Glennie fought his way off Sword Beach on D-Day but was badly wounded on June 20, when his unit ran into the 21st Panzer Regiment. He was taken prisoner and treated in a German field hospital in a ward alongside German patients, who called him Scottie and gave him food and cigarettes. On his 19th birthday, he was transferred to camp Stalag IV-B, near Muhlberg. He was later moved to Leipzig, where he was forced to work filling bomb craters, and was finally liberated by American troops in April 1945.
Life After the War
After his return to the UK, Mr Glennie was given eight weeks leave before beginning preparations for deployment to Japan – but the war ended before he could be sent out. He returned home to Turriff, where he became a welder. He married Winifred (nee Johnston) in April 1953, and they remained together for nearly 60 years until her death in February 2012. They had two children and a granddaughter.
France awarded Mr Glennie the Legion d'Honneur, and he was awarded the British Empire Medal in last year's King's Honours list. He was presented with the medal during his 100th birthday celebrations at the Gordon Highlanders Museum. He met the King when he toured the regimental museum earlier the same year, and Charles praised Mr Glennie as a "great example to us all".
Final Farewell
John McLeish, the museum's chief executive, said they were "so sad" to learn of Mr Glennie's death. He said: "Jim had volunteered here at the museum for over 30 years and, among his many achievements, was awarded the British Empire Medal in the King's Birthday Honours list 2025 for services to the Gordon Highlanders Museum. Only last year, Jim celebrated his 100th birthday here at St Luke's with family, friends and colleagues. It was a very special day and one we will all remember with great fondness. Jim will be sorely missed by volunteers, veterans, visitors, staff and everyone associated with the wider Gordon Highlanders family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jim's family today."
Mr Glennie was also awarded an honorary degree by the University of Aberdeen last October, where senior law lecturer Scott Styles described him as "the last of his generation". After the ceremony, he laid a wreath at the university's war memorial, inscribed with the words "RIP chums" and the Scots word "Bydand", meaning "steadfast", which is the motto of the Gordon Highlanders.
