One of Scotland’s last remaining D-Day veterans has died aged 100.
Jim Glennie was just 18 when he landed on Sword Beach as part in the Normandy landings on June 6 1944, when thousands of Allied servicemen stormed five beaches in Nazi-occupied France.
A private in the Gordon Highlanders, Mr Glennie made it off the beach but was badly injured a week later 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 Mr Glennie was transferred to camp Stalag IV-B.
He was later moved to Leipzig, where he was forced to work filling bomb craters before being liberated by American troops in April 1945.
Mr Glennie’s son James Glennie Junior described his father as “our hero”.
“As far as the family is concerned he’s our hero. He’s our family hero,” he said.
“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.”
Following 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.
After the war Mr Glennie returned home to Turriff in Aberdeenshire, where he became a welder.
He married his wife, 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 in Aberdeen, where he volunteered for more than 30 years.
The King also met him when he toured the regimental museum earlier the same year, with Charles praising Mr Glennie as a “great example to us all”.
The museum’s chief executive John McLeish said they were “so sad” to learn of Mr Glennie’s death.
“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”.
Following 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.
Major (Retd) Grenville Irvine-Fortescue, chairman of the Gordon Highlanders Association, said: “It is with the greatest regret and a heavy heart that I have to pass on the very sad news of the death of James (Jim) Glennie, our last Gordon Highlander D-Day and World War Two veteran, who passed away peacefully this morning just short of his 101st birthday.
“So many of you will have wonderful memories of this remarkable man whose spirit and determination to live life in the fullest way continued right up until he was bedbound after a fall at Christmas.
“Even then his determination to continue never diminished. That wonderful and ever welcoming smile with such sparkle in his eyes.
“Jim just loved life and so enjoyed meeting and chatting to people from all walks.”
