One of Scotland’s last D-Day veterans dies aged 100

One of Scotland’s last surviving D-Day veterans, who played a key role in the Allied landings as part of the Royal Navy, has died aged 100.

Albert Lamond’s family have spoken of their pride in the centenarian, who never thought of himself as a hero and “believed he was just doing his duty”.

Mr Lamond was just 18 when he took part in the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6 1944, serving as a signalman aboard HMS Rowley.

He took part in D-Day in 1944, just a year after joining the Royal Navy.

Mr Lamond also served in the Pacific in the lead-up to VJ Day on August 15 1945 when Japan announced its surrender to the Allied forces.

HMS Rowley, a frigate, was part of the 3rd Escort Group, when it was deployed to rendezvous with battleship HMS Warspite as it travelled to Normandy to shell German troops.

The frigate’s role was to act as a first line of defence by circling HMS Warspite and it was expected that the sailors would sacrifice their lives.

He survived and a year later, on VJ Day, his role was to evacuate Allied prisoners of war (PoW) from remote islands and transport them to Australia.

Mr Lamond, who was 19 at the time, described the PoWs as “living skeletons” but said they were still able to smile when they were rescued.

Marking the 80th anniversary of the landings on June 6 2024, he said it was vital that future generations understood the reality and cost of war.

“It was horrible. It lives with you forever,” he said.

“If we don’t pass the stories on, people will forget, and we can’t let that happen.”

Born in Glasgow’s East End, Mr Lamond joined the Royal Navy in 1943.

He had a career on the railways after leaving the Navy, and later he lived at McKellar House at Erskine Veterans Village in Renfrewshire.

Martin Lamond, Mr Lamond’s nephew, said: “We’re all deeply saddened by Albert’s passing.

“He was a joy to be around and an example to everyone right up to the last.

“He’ll be so greatly missed.

“Not only have Albert’s friends and family suffered a great loss, everyone has, even if they never had the pleasure of knowing him.

“Albert never thought of himself as a hero.

“He believed he was just doing his duty, and he carried the memory of those who didn’t make it with him throughout his life.

“We are incredibly proud of him and grateful for the time we had.”

Wing Commander Ian Cumming, chief executive at Erskine, paid his own tribute, saying: “Albert represented the very best of his generation.

“He spoke honestly about his service, not to glorify war, but to make sure people understood its cost.

“Through his time at Erskine, he was committed to passing on those lessons.

“We won’t forget the ever-present twinkle in Albert’s eye, or his cheeky patter.

“We were truly privileged to care for and support him in later life.”

He will be laid to rest on Tuesday at Dalnottar Cemetery, Clydebank, where family, friends and members of the veterans’ community will gather to celebrate his life.