Last Surviving Scottish D-Day Veteran Passes Away
Jim Glennie, one of Scotland's last surviving veterans of the D-Day landings, has died aged 100. Glennie, from Turriff, Aberdeenshire, was an 18-year-old soldier when he participated in Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944, the largest air and sea invasion in history aimed at liberating Europe from Nazi Germany.
His family described him as "a hero" who had celebrated his 100th birthday in August of the previous year. Glennie had attributed his survival during the invasion to "sheer luck." He recounted to BBC Scotland that as he entered the water from a landing craft, he saw the body of a fallen soldier but knew he had to continue.
A week after the landing, Glennie was wounded and captured by German forces, eventually arriving at a prisoner of war camp on his 19th birthday.
Military Service and Capture
Private Glennie began his military service at the Bridge of Don Barracks in Aberdeen. At the time of the Allied landings on the beaches of Northern France, he was serving with the Gordon Highlanders. Despite facing heavy German resistance, Glennie and his comrades advanced inland. During this advance, he was shot in the arm and taken prisoner.
Life as a Prisoner of War
Glennie was held at Stalag IV-B, one of the largest prisoner of war camps in Germany. He described the conditions as harsh, with scarce food and constant hunger. While assigned to fill bomb craters as part of his prisoner duties, his German captors disappeared in early 1945. The camp was subsequently liberated, and Glennie made contact with American forces before returning home to his family.
After the liberation of Europe, Glennie was scheduled for deployment to Japan, but the war ended before this could occur.
Post-War Life and Legacy
Following his military service, Glennie became a welder. He was married to his wife, Winifred, for over 40 years until her passing approximately 15 years ago. The couple had two children and one grandchild.
A portrait of Glennie is displayed in the Gordon Highlanders Museum, where he volunteered for 30 years. On his 100th birthday, he was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of his volunteer work. The museum commemorates the history of the British army regiment originally raised by the 5th Duke of Gordon in 1784.
On his centenary, Glennie received a birthday card from the King and Queen.
Family Tribute
In a statement, Glennie's family noted that he was the last Gordon Highlander to land on D-Day. They said:
"He was our hero as well as a great dad, granddad and father-in-law. There is a hole in our life now without him. He is finally getting to be with our mum again after so long apart."
