EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMAN
WW2 veteran & last surviving member of his regiment celebrates 100th birthday
A WORLD War II veteran who is the last surviving member of his regiment has celebrated his 100th birthday.
Jim Mitchell, from Largs, Ayrshire, is the only man still alive who served with the 97 th Field Regiment Royal Artillery.
As he marked his century, he received a telegram from the Queen as well as a visit from historians from his former regiment who wanted to record his memories for posterity.
Jim said: “It was an honour to share my stories but it has been very emotional.
“I’m very happy to have reached 100 but it’s also sad that I’m the last man standing.”
Tim Rayson, who is the secretary of the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Association, said: “We have been trying to record as many of our World War II veterans as we can before we lose the opportunity to save that piece of history for future generations.
What an extraordinary gentleman and that he was able to recount so clearly some of the things that happened to him during his time with the regiment was fascinating. He’s our final link to that time.”
Jim, who turned 100 on August 17, shared some amazing memories on film and audio, which will now go into the regimental archives for anyone researching World War II.
He was 18 years old and training in Hertfordshire in 1939 to become an engineer when he joined the local unit, the Kent Yeomanry. He served as a signalman and was posted to India.
He then sailed to Basra in Iraq where his job was to protect an oil pipeline, before moving to North Africa where he fought in the Battle of Alam el Halfa.
He was mentioned in Dispatches for his bravery.
After returning to his regiment, he was then posted to Cyprus for mountain training to prepare for an invasion of Italy.
After leaving the regiment in 1945, Jim finished his engineering apprenticeship before joining the Merchant Navy, finally settling back in Scotland after meeting his late wife Isabel.
They had four children and he went on to become the chief engineer with Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries.
His daughter Suzanne Kennedy, said: “Dad’s been overwhelmed but he’s loved retelling some of his old tales once again.”
Happy to reach 100 but sad I’m last man standing JIM MITCHELL ON REACHING A CENTURY