War veterans outnumbered on trips

Veterans from across Scotland have secured funding

Twenty-six World War II veterans from Scotland are to return to former sites of conflict after receiving Big Lottery Fund grants totalling £50,925.

The Big Heroes Return 2 scheme also involves a group of 38 made up of widows, wives and carers - a sign of the frailty of many veterans.

The largest number of former servicemen to be given funding come from the Highlands.

The 18 men will be accompanied by 12 wives or partners and 14 carers.

Dumfries and Galloway represents the next biggest contingent with three veterans, two spouses and two carers.

From Aberdeen, a widow and a carer have secured grant aid along with a widow from Edinburgh.

It's hard to forget the experiences we went through and for me being able to go back with my partner is something which is very special Thomas Phethean Former Royal Marine, Dumfries

Aberdeenshire and Fife each have a veteran and spouse going on commemorative trips, Glasgow has a serviceman, spouse and a carer on the scheme along with a veteran from Moray and a veteran and carer from South Lanarkshire.

Among the beneficiaries is 89-year-old George Adam, from Carluke, who was serving with the Royal Corps of Signals when he was captured by the Japanese following the fall of Singapore in 1942.

He said: "We were captured and taken to the camps in Thailand where we were forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway along the River Kwai.

"I have been back once before and it was at times intensely emotional. I was surprised by my reaction and I did not expect to feel the way I did. I have visited the cemeteries and I tracked down some of the lads I knew then.

"In January I'll be going back again, this time with my wife and I expect that many of those old memories will come back again but it's still a trip worth taking."

Seventeen members of the Algerines Association from across Scotland will return to Corfu where they saw service on Royal Navy minesweepers.

The island was the scene of the sinking of one of their vessels, HMS Regulus.

George Patience, 74, from Inverness, is reunion organiser for the association and is to receive an MBE his for work with the organisation.

Mr Patience said: "This is the first time that many of our members will be returning to the place where they lost comrades and so it will be an extremely moving experience."

'Very special'

From Dumfries, 85-year-old former Royal Marine Thomas Phethean has received funding to return to Norway where his tour of duty ended.

He said: "I want to see how the area has changed over the last 60 odd years and also see the remains of some of the German battleships which were bombed at that time.

"It's hard to forget the experiences we went through and for me being able to go back with my partner is something which is very special."

Earlier this year, the BBC Scotland news website reported how a dwindling number of veterans now represent Scottish servicemen and women's involvement in key areas of conflict during WWII.

The Russian Convoy Club Scotland and Italy Star Association North of Scotland Branch have fewer than 30 veteran members each.

The Burma Star Association closed its Scottish area branch in July.