Jim Glennie, one of the last surviving D-Day veterans from Scotland and a former Gordon Highlanders private, died at the age of 100. Glennie was 18 when he took part in the Allied invasion of Normandy, landing on Sword Beach on June 6, 1944, as part of the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied Europe.

Shortly after the landing, Glennie was captured during a German counter-attack. While being treated in a field hospital, enemy soldiers reportedly nicknamed him “Scottie” and shared cigarettes with him. He was subsequently held as a prisoner of war, first in a camp near Muhlberg and then in Leipzig. He was liberated by advancing U.S. forces in April 1945.

Glennie, who lived in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, was known for his lifelong dedication to the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen, where he volunteered for more than three decades. His contributions extended beyond his military service; in 2025, he met King Charles, who praised him as a “great example to us all.”

He received several honors, including the British Empire Medal and the French Legion d’Honneur. The University of Aberdeen also awarded him an honorary degree in recognition of his service and community involvement.

Jim Glennie’s son, James Glennie Junior, described his father as “our family hero” and recounted that he had been shot twice during the war and experienced many other challenges before returning home. Glennie’s passing marks the end of an era for Scotland’s Gordon Highlanders veterans of the D-Day landings.