JAMIE’S PIC IS OUT OF THIS WORLD
Photo tribute to David, 94, up for gong
A SCOTS photographer is set to have his picture of a World War II hero sent into space after it was shortlisted in a global photography competition.
Jamie Williamson took this stunning picture of 94-year-old David Craig, who is a veteran of the Arctic Convoy missions and disarmed a massive German bomb.
It’s now among 200 images from across the world which have been shortlisted and published in a book for Portrait of Humanity, which every year asks photographers to capture moments and reflections of life around the world.
Organisers say they’ll be “exhibited in space” via a computerised code “with the potential to be picked up and decoded by another civilisation”.
Dad-of-two Jamie, 44, from Ayrshire, has been a photographer for 24 years and his pictures feature daily in national magazines and newspapers, including the Daily Record.
He said: “I’m excited to have my portrait of Arctic Convoys veteran David Craig, from Kilmarnock, selected for the new Portrait of Humanity book.
“The 200 shortlisted images will also be sent into space and transmitted through the universe in binary code – if anyone can explain that, drop me a line!”
David served on the SS Dover Hill supply ship in 1943 which set out from Loch Ewe for Murmansk in northern Russia.
The convoy arrived safely but, after discharging her cargo, the ship was at anchor when it was attacked by German bombers.
A 1000lb bomb hit and went through the decks a few yards from where David was standing, blowing him off his feet – it came to rest in the coal bunkers but didn’t explode.
David, along with two of his fellow officers, helped a Russian bomb disposal officer disarm the bomb for which he received the King’s Commendation.