Memories will live on in book made for pupils

Second World War veterans have been interviewed by Renfrewshire school pupils for a book which preserves their stories to educate future generations about the conflict.

- SARAH WARD

Memories of the Arctic convoys and the Clydebank Blitz were among those shared by veterans from Erskine Veterans Charity with pupils from Park Mains High School in Erskine.

Recollections of evacuation, rationing and life after the war have also been documented in the book, My Life Through WW2.

The book records the first-hand experiences of people who served and lived through the war, and pupils conducted interviews, transcribed stories and worked closely with veterans to document their memories in their own words, accompanied by restored photographs.

It will be professionally printed and distributed to schools across Renfrewshire as an educational resource, and will also be available to the public in limited numbers.

Albert Lamond, 99, served in some of the most dangerous naval operations of the war, from Arctic convoys to the D-Day landings, and was 18 when he joined HMS Rowley.

It was assigned to protect the battleship HMS Warspite during the D-Day landings in June 1944.

His role was to spot and signal threats while Warspite shelled German positions along the Normandy coast.

Mr Lamond said: "It's vital we teach the younger ones the true cost of freedom.