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Press and Journal
a day ago
- General
- Press and Journal
Turriff's Jim Glennie, 99-year-old D-Day hero and Gordon Highlanders legend, awarded BEM
Jim Glennie was one of the first Gordon Highlanders to set foot on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day in 1944. And now, at the age of 99, the Turriff loon, who landed in Normandy more than 80 years ago, has been awarded a BEM in the King's Honours list. Mr Glennie, who volunteered at the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen well into his 90s, is the regiment's last surviving member from the Second World War. He and his colleagues had no idea what was waiting for them when they arrived in France, but displayed great courage to help liberate France from the Nazis. As he once recalled with typical understatement: 'You were scared within yourself, but you didn't show it. You didn't know what was going to happen – it was very dodgy.' Major Grenville Irvine-Fortescue MBE, the chairman of the Gordon Highlanders Association, paid a warm tribute to his long-term friend. He said: ''The very special award of a BEM to our D-Day veteran, Jim Glennie, is a wonderful recognition of his devotion and service. 'Apart from his war service with 5th/7th Gordons, he has been a stalwart volunteer for the Gordon Highlanders Museum, a very proud standard bearer for the Royal British Legion and equally proud member of the Aberdeen Branch of the Association. 'I know my Gordon Highlander colleagues and so many others with whom he has worked will be delighted for him and I know he will be immensely proud of receiving this great honour in recognition of his achievements.' Mr Glennie and his colleagues made progress after landing in Normandy, but he and his company were ambushed by Germans while making their way towards Caen. Several were killed or wounded, but the rest managed to take temporary cover in a roadside trench as German Panzer armoured vehicles approached. He said: 'The tank came past and it was just spraying us, but we managed to keep our heads down. 'I remember thinking, 'I don't like this' and I jumped out and ran up the road to try and get them when they came round a bend. 'So I'm standing there, firing my gun and, all of a sudden, I felt shots hit me in my right arm and the gun just dropped out of my hand.' It was the end of his war. After recovering in hospital, Jim was transferred along with hundreds of other POWs to Stalag IV-B in Germany. His first day in the camp was his 19th birthday. Mr Glennie met a former German soldier, Karl Hunnold, at the museum in 2017 and the two men, who had previously been on opposite sides, embraced each other warmly. He said at the time: 'Although we can't speak to each other directly because of the language barrier, we can both understand each other because of what we've been through.' And Mr Hunnold responded: 'I hold the Gordon Highlanders in very high regard in my memory, they treated me very well. 'And I am proud to consider Jim as a friend.' John McLeish, chief executive of the museum, told the Press & Journal: 'Jim's military service is well-documented. Less well known is that this year sees him complete 30 years of volunteering at The Gordon Highlanders Museum. 'This is quite remarkable and the early days saw Jim undertake a wide range of duties to get things ready for us opening. 'Fast forward to today and we are very fortunate to see Jim volunteering as a member of the Tuesday team, week in, week out. 'While exceptionally humble and down to earth, Jim is willing to talk to all visitors – young and old – about his experiences. 'Jim is admired and respected by all his colleagues. Put simply, he is our hero.'
Press and Journal
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Highland League digest: Turriff United boss Warren Cummings on new signing plus Formartine United and Deveronvale news
Turriff United manager Warren Cummings is delighted to have brought Murray Thompson back to the club. The 21-year-old midfielder was previously at the Haughs between 2020 and 2023 and made 36 appearances. He then moved to Rothie Rovers before joining Dyce for the 2024-25 campaign. But Thompson has now returned to Turra on a four-year deal. Boss Cummings said: 'We're really happy to have signed Murray, he's someone I've liked for a while, having seen him playing for Rothie and then Dyce. 'He's got a lot of ability and makes a big impact in the final third. It's taken a while for us to get the deal done, but we're happy to have sorted it out now. 'I know Murray was previously at the club, but he had left before I became manager. 'However, a few different people at Turriff mentioned him to me and have always spoken highly of him. 'Then once I watched Murray I could understand why he was held in high regard because I could see his talent. 'Hopefully he can make a big impact for us in the new season. With Callan Gray moving to Fraserburgh we were looking to add some more creativity to the squad and Murray provides that.' Cummings has also bolstered his squad for the next term with defender Scott Robertson, midfielders Sam Garnham and Dylan Souden and striker Miller Keir signing pre-contracts with Turriff in January. Robertson, Garnham and Souden all join from Dyce, while Keir arrives from Hall Russell United. Meanwhile, Formartine United have secured Rhys Thomas, Luke Strachan and Brody Alberts on new contracts. Defender Thomas, 23, joined the Pitmedden outfit in January 2023 from Cove Rangers and has made 62 appearances, 24-year-old defender Strachan joined last August from Cove and has featured 30 times, while striker Alberts, 19, spent last term on loan at fellow Highland League club Keith, where he scored six goals. Elsewhere, Deveronvale goalkeeper Sean McIntosh has been made available for transfer. The former Rothes and Dufftown custodian joined the Banffers in the summer of 2021 and is under contract until the summer of 2026. However, other clubs have now been notified that McIntosh is available for a move.
Press and Journal
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
EXCLUSIVE: Huntly's Angus Grant on overcoming serious injury and a personal tragedy to become north football's top scorer
Angus Grant will be crowned as north football's top scorer at Friday's Breedon Highland League awards ceremony. However, the Huntly striker's journey to this point is a story of perseverance which has seen him go from being on the brink of giving up the game to scoring 23 goals in the league this season and 31 in all competitions. Along the way Grant has also overcome a serious injury and personal tragedy. The 26-year-old revealed things could have been very different had it not been for a game-changing stint with Isle of Lewis outfit Carloway in the summer of 2016. He said: 'I was very close to giving football up when I was 17, I was signed to Cove Rangers under-20s and I was on loan to Newmachar United. 'I wasn't enjoying it, I was missing training and I was prioritising other things. It was at that time when I started going out with my now-fiancée Ashleigh and I was going to see her rather than going to training. 'But nine years later we've got two kids together so that paid off! However, at that time I didn't see football going anywhere for me. 'The love for the game wasn't there, but that summer playing for Carloway and doing well for them changed my outlook. 'If I hadn't done that and hadn't played well for them then I would have given up football. 'My mum Marj is from the Isle of Lewis so we've gone there every summer since I was born. When we visit we stay in the village of Breasclete, Carloway is 10 minutes away and is the local team to us. 'We used to go up for six weeks in the summer and the year before I went along to a training session and ended up playing two or three games. 'That was 10 years ago and then the following summer I went back and really kicked on. I finished up with quite a lot of goals and assists and we won the league and a cup. 'That spell with Carloway gave me a new lease of life and I came back with different thoughts on football.' Following that prolific summer scoring spell, Grant joined Turriff United and started to make his mark in the Highland League during the 2017-18 season. However, he eventually ended up leaving the Haughs to sign for Huntly in May 2021 after a wrangle about his contract during the Covid-19 pandemic and following the death of his younger brother Rory, aged 18, in March 2020. Grant added: 'At Turriff during Covid they wanted us to come to training but they said they couldn't afford to pay us. 'I know the club didn't have money coming in and I understood that. 'But I'm from Aberdeen so I was going to be travelling to Turriff a couple of times a week and I had quite a good deal at the time, which I didn't want to let go of. 'We did try to come to a compromise, but there wasn't really any budging. 'At the time, for me, after my brother Rory had passed away everything was up in the air. Given what had happened it was hard finding motivation to get out of bed and to go to work, never mind play football. 'Then Allan Hale became Huntly manager and he came in for me. It wasn't that long after my brother had died, it was during Covid and, with everything that had gone on, I wasn't too fussed about football or going to Huntly. 'So initially I said no, but then Allan tried again a few months later and at that point I was in a better place mentally so I listened to what Allan had to say and ended up signing for Huntly.' Grant also revealed that thoughts of Rory are never far away when he's on the football pitch. 'It was a sad time in our lives and it will always be a sad thing for us as a family,' he said. 'But I want to do well for my brother, to make him proud and do well for all my family. 'Rory liked football, he enjoyed playing and he came to a lot of my games, he and Ashleigh always wanted to come and watch. 'When we were in Lewis and I was playing for Carloway, Rory would come to every single game along with a couple of my cousins and when Ashleigh used to come up for a week or two she'd be there as well. 'Those are memories I'll always cherish. 'After every goal I've scored since Rory passed away the first thing I do is look up to the sky and dedicate the goal to him. 'He'll always be in my heart, particularly when it comes to football because he was always an avid supporter. Whenever I do well Rory always comes to mind.' Grant has also overcome adversity during his time at Huntly. In August 2021 he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament, which led to a lengthy spell on the sidelines. He said: 'I've said to a lot of people that the injury was a good thing to happen. Not in the sense of being out for as long as I was, but in terms of how it opened my eyes to a lot of things in terms of looking after my body and preparing for games properly. 'The injury took a couple of years out of my career, but what I've learned since in terms of looking after myself has probably added a few years onto my career. 'My mindset following the injury was not to dwell on it too much and to try to find positives from that negative and I think I've done that. 'When you have difficult experiences it definitely makes you enjoy the good things more. 'I suppose my story has been one of perseverance and not giving up. I've overcome a lot of things in my life and I think you end up being stronger for that.' Angus Grant believes his best is still to come – despite finishing as the Highland League's top scorer for 2024-25. The Huntly marksman's 23 league goals will see him receive the top scorer award at the Highland League's annual prize-giving dinner in Inverness on Friday. In all competitions Grant netted on 31 occasions, but missed the closing weeks of the campaign due to injury. The 26-year-old said: 'On a personal level I'm proud of what I achieved, it was a very good season overall. 'It maybe sounds stupid to say after finishing as top scorer this season, but I feel I've got a lot more in me. 'My hope is that my best is still to come. It was great to finish as top scorer, but I missed something like 12 games. 'The injury I got was a freak foot injury and it's something which hopefully won't happen again. 'So if I'm able to get a full season then I'd hope to hit 40 goals plus potentially.' Grant was also quick to pay tribute to those who have helped him enjoy the best season of his career. He added: 'I need to thank my team-mates. It's a team game and they've created the chances for me. 'A lot of it is down to them, if you've got players who can create chances, which we have, that's a big help as a striker. 'I'm also very lucky to have a great support network around me with my fiancée Ashleigh and my kids Noah and Aria. They've really pushed me to do the best I can, as have my dad Dek and my mum Marj. 'I'm really grateful to Gordon Carter (Huntly chairman) and all the people at the club who helped me get back from my knee injury. 'I'm also grateful to Colin Charlesworth, who since he has been the manager, has shown a lot of faith in me to play me regularly which has allowed me score goals.' Given Grant's form over the last year, it's no surprise there has been speculation about other clubs being interested in his services. But he insists that's not something he's thinking about and said: 'I'm still under contract at Huntly, I've really enjoyed my time at Huntly and I'm looking forward to the future with Huntly. 'I know there are rumours and whispers about things, but my only focus in terms of football is doing well with Huntly again in the new season. 'Football is a funny game and you never know what might happen, however, Huntly has been good for me and I'm happy here.'
