Scotland's heroes

As brave teenagers, they stood tall against the world's greatest evil. 80 years later, these frail old men carry the memories of the battles that changed history

- BY ANNA BURNSIDE

WITH each anniversary, there are fewer veterans to recall their time on the frontline.

Nearly all the brave teenagers who headed off at the start of the war are into their second century.

But these frail old men carry the memories of events that changed the course of the 20th century.

Jim Glennie, now 99, was an 18-year-old soldier when he landed on Sword Beach in Normandy on D-Day.

The young Gordon Highlander was shot, wounded and then captured. He spent the rest of the conflict in POW camp Stalag 4b.

His main memory is of being hungry. He said: “We had to steal potato skins from the guards' bin. It amazes me now when I am out for dinner with my family and they order potato skins.”

Jim, who lives in Aberdeen, will be attending a VE Day concert as guest of honour. There will be a party at the Gordon Highlander Museum to mark his 100th birthday in August.

James Churn was also at Sword Beach, the most easterly of the five landing beaches.

He was a medic on a landing craft moving tanks from Newhaven to the Normandy coast. He recalled: “My overriding feeling was one of trepidation. Nobody knew what was happening until we got there.”

They unloaded their tanks and made it back to Newhaven unharmed.

The 19-year-old noted in his pocket diary: “Landed at France. Was shelled, but got away.”

Geoff Payne was an air gunner, firing at enemy aircraft from the back seat of a Lancaster Bomber. He enlisted in 1943 and flew on 30 operational missions.