The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Overseas army veteran wants to arrange reunion
Army: Dundonian now in US says a gettogether with army pals is long overdue
A US-based Dundonian army veteran wants to set up an emotional reunion with ex-comrades and long-lost friends.
Dundee-born Bill Brady, 74, served in The Black Watch and Royal Horse Guards for more than a decade.
In that time Bill grew close to several fellow Scottish soldiers with whom he formed a life-long bond.
After leaving the forces Bill moved to the Middle East before finally settling in the United States where he runs a successful vintage car dealership.
As a result of his move overseas, Bill lost touch with his friends and has not seen or heard from them in several years.
He was dismayed to learn two of his old friends have died in recent years and is now determined to enjoy a long overdue reunion with his fellow surviving veterans.
Bill, who now runs a charity that aims to help former Horse Guards members, revealed: “My time with the Horse Guards was the beginning of my life.
“I was born in Dundee and we really didn’t have much at that time.
“My father was dead, my uncles were dead and I got into some trouble.
“I had two choices and one of them was to join the army, so I joined up.”
After spending a year with the Black Watch, Bill joined the Royal Horse Guards and quickly formed a close bond with four other Scottish enlists.
He said: “There were only about five Scots in the whole regiment, so naturally we were all very close.
“When you join the service you got to know people properly. The link never broke.
“For the first few years when I had time I contacted them, but then we grew apart. “We all became busier.” Bill continued: “I know that in the last few years two of them died and I never got the chance to talk to them or anything. “I find that quite sad. “This is the whole thing – I’m hoping the others are still alive. The last I heard one lived in Forfar and worked with wood.
“I’m in pretty good shape, but I’m 74-years-old and we never know how long we have, so it would absolutely mean a lot to see them again.”