Gilmore Gardens, a retirement residence in Richmond, is home to a few of the city’s veterans who remember the Second World War.
The Richmond News caught up with Jim Gray, 95, who shared his wartime story.
Q: Where were you living when WWII began?
Edinburgh, Scotland. At the start of the war I'd be, what, sixteen years old? So I went and volunteered. I was called up when I was 18.
I became an armourer in the air force, which meant I had to arm the planes—bombs and guns. I didn't fly well. I went up in planes, but I wasn't a pilot.
And, I think, the year following I was posted overseas.
Q: What was that decision like, to leave home?
I don't know what my mum and dad thought. It was just time to go, that's all.
Q: Where were you posted?
I ended up in Iraq for over six months. I passed through Baghdad and ended up in the hospital because I had heat exhaustion. They took me on a stretcher, naked, covered me with a sheet and cooled me down with blocks of ice.
And then I came down through Israel, and stayed there for a wee while. Then down into Egypt. I was there for over two and a half years.
I didn't see any fighting, because the Germans had already moved up from Egypt, further north into southern Italy.
Q: What lessons do you want people to learn from you experiences with the war?
Let's stop all wars. Definitely.
And also, get along with everyone, no matter what country they come from. There are lots of different people in here [at Gilmore]. And I just try and get along with every one of them.
