Uniform

Allan Reid and Alice (nee Gibson) who were married in Stanley on 27th March 1953 (their wedding photo is on the Wedding page). Allan served in the Royal Navy from May 1939 to December 1953. His medals are displayed in this photo and of particular interest is the Yangtze bar shown on his General Service Medal (GSM) on the right which he earned for taking part in the Yangtze incident in 1949 onboard HMS London. Several people serving in HMS London were killed and their names are displayed on a war memorial in St Georges Centre Gillingham Kent.

Stanley Welcome Home Fund. This certificate was sent in by Aleta Donaldson. Her Dad Allan Donaldson received it on return from war service in the Royal Navy during WWII. Another example of the public spirit of Stanley people which existed then.

Stanley man Gordon Howie (second left) meets up with other Royal Marines veterans at the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict Graspan Parade and march in London on Sunday 15th May 2022. L to R: Gerry Evans former RSM ex 40 Commando warrior, Gordon Howie former RSM and C Company Sergeant Major 40 Commando in Falklands, Fred Cummings former British judo champion and PTI colleague of Gordon's and J Company Sergeant Major in Falklands, John Kirtley former PTI ex 42 Commando and Timber Woods ex 45 Commando. Would have been a great day with many tales I am sure.

PC David (Taffy) Jones who was the Stanley bobby 1963 - 1964 after Charlie Dow. Taffy left Stanley to return home to South Wales in November 1964 and retired from the police service there as a Chief Inspector in 1987. See photo below.

Chief Inspector David (Taffy) Jones. (See above)

L to R: Joe Kyle, Mary Symon, Tom Symon.

L to R: Jimmy Donaldson (Stanley Webmaster) and Gordon Howie (author of the brilliant poems on the website) at the Union Jack Club London for the Royal Naval Writers Association (RNWA) 129th annual dinner where I was honoured to receive my Life Membership certificate from Rear Admiral Chris Gardner. The RNWA is the worlds oldest military association formed in 1887 and I feel privileged to be a Life Member. However, my bubble was burst pretty rapidly after sending the above photo to my son Steven by iPhone who replied "you should have stood on a box". My reply - "I was". Footnote: One of the people in the company at the dinner was amazed of the connection that Stanley people still maintain as he knows nobody from his home town.

GSM John Ferry RE who was the Parade Marshall for the 65th and final Normandy Veterans Parade at Whitehall London in June 2009. John, formally of Mill Street Stanley joined the Army in 1970 and is still serving. (When asked if he enjoyed Army life he said he might get used to it in time).

Normandy Veterans Parade.

Bob McNaughton RAF Regiment doing his National Service in Cyprus during the EOKA Crisis 1957-59

Lance Corporal John (Jock) Donaldson REME - Africa 1943

Hamish Haggart (extreme right) on National Service in Cyprus.

Hamish Haggart in Cyprus during the EOKA crisis. Note the luxury accommodation! Four decades later British troops are still living under canvas but this time in Afghanistan.

Two Stanley lads in this photo of the Veteran's Parade in Perth to celebrate Perth 800. Leading the parade is Dougie Stewart (his Dad's photo is below) and on Dougie's left wearing an SAS beret is Doh Davidson.

Archie Stewart during his time in the Royal Navy.

Tam Moran doing his National Service in the RASC.

Another photo of Tam (still with his hands in his pockets) this time with an Army mate.

David Harvey.

Walter Mitchell during his service in the Black Watch 1939-45. He is second from left in the front row.

Ron Gourlay doing his National Service with the RASC pictured at Yeovil.

Mary Smith and Elspeth Donaldson at Murthly Hospital

Corporal Daniel Murray RASC - 212991

Lance Corporal Peter Panton (on the left) during National Service with the Military Police in Yyrenia Cyprus.

Gordon Howie taken when he was a Royal Marine Sergeant PTI at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone. Later in his career he became Assistant Inspector of Physical Training for the Royal Marines.

Davie Berwick pictured in Mrs Tait's house shortly after joining up.

Jock Roy in Italy August 1944 whilst serving in the RAF (see next photo).

Jock's Grandson Stephen being presented with his Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (15 years undetected crime in the RAF) at RAF Kinloss in 2005.

Geordie Buchanan

Coronation 1953 - Jack (Sconie) Melville, Mary Cura and Jimmy (Snooks) Williamson

Paul Coleman on guard outside Edinburgh Castle 1998.

Wull Cowie, Armoured Corps in Africa 1940.

Engineer Lieutenant Bill Hancock with Mrs Hancock at his farewell party in 1973 prior to transferring to the Royal New Zealand Navy. Some say Bill is reminiscing about playing dominoes in Clarkies or maybe using the American sign of ordering 4 fingers of whisky.

Engineer Lieutenant Bill Hancock on transfer to the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1973. He'd previously served in the Royal Navy joining up as a junior stoker in 1951- most of his time spent in submarines. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander shortly after transfer to the RNZN - an exceptional achievement. Well done Bill!

Jim Donaldson receiving the Bar to his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (30 years undetected crime in the Royal Navy) from the Lord Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne (Councillor Barney Rice) at the Mansion House when HMS Newcastle (the Geordie Gunboat) was visiting her namesake city.

And earlier in 1995 onboard HMS Newcastle in Gibraltar on the extreme left of the picture.

Willie (Pop) Wann 1st Battalion The Black Watch 1906-1919

Thomas Wann (Pop's son) Scots Guards G Patrol 1940-43. Just before the war he was goalkeeper for Coupar Angus Juniors. Also played a few games for Chelsea reserves when stationed in London.

Thomas Wann (see photo above) after the raid in Barce North Africa 1942. He was seriously injured with a fractured spine when his jeep went over the blind side of a razorback dune falling some 20 feet and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Ian Wann onboard HMS Euryalus in Singapore 1971

David Bryson's grave at Heliopolis Military Cemetery near Cairo. (David's mother sent money to Isobel Hunter to lay the wreath on his grave when she was stationed there in 1940).

Alex Duncanson - Australian Army 1969.

Alex Duncanson - Australian Armoured Corps 1986

Alex Duncanson in the Great Australian Desert 1998

Jim Dow RAF Master mechanic on leave in Stanley during WWII.

James Kettles Jnr taken at the back of Duchess St circa 1943

Isobel Hunter in Trafalgar Square 1944

Isobel Hunter (left) and friend in Alexandria Egypt 1945

Vietnam War memorial in Kings Park Perth WA - Robert Buchan (ex Athole Drive)'s memorial is here. Robert was called up to the Australian Army and killed in Vietnam.

Pte Robert Buchan's Memorial in Kings Park Perth WA..

Dave O'Brien gets the bowl haircut during his time in the Black Watch TA. Conversely when he was called up for National Service it was to the RAF!

Another shot of the bowl haircut.

Bill Stevenson front left whilst serving in the RAF in Egypt in the 1940's.

Patrol Leader Dave O'Brien 24th Perth (Stanley) Boy Scouts.

Dave O'Brien on the left during his National Service days in the RAF.

AB Gunner James O'Brien killed in action at sea onboard the County Class cruiser HMS Dorsetshire on the 5th April 1942. Along with HMS Cornwall she was sunk by Japanese Dive Bombers in the Indian Ocean 320 km southwest of Ceylon. She was hit by 10 bombs and sank quickly at 1350 on the 5th April 1942. 234 men were killed in the attack and more than 500 survived in the water on rafts to be picked up later by other ships. The previous year, on the 27th May 1941 HMS Dorsetshire dealt the coup de grace to the German battleship Bismarck by launching three 21 inch torpedoes after the Bismarck had been attacked some days earlier by British ships in the Battle of the Denmark Strait. HMS Dorsetshire along with HMS Maori gallantly picked up 110 survivors from the Bismarck but had to scatter following a U boat alarm.

Cadet Officer Ewan Carr gets his fortune told at Stanley sale of work in 1945.

ex POW'S from Stanley being entertained by the village Doctors in the Royal George Hotel Perth. I can see Charlie Miller, Doctor McDonough (with moustache) and Mr A H Hughes (Headmaster of Stanley School also with a moustache) all in the back row. Front row 2nd right Norrie Mitchell. Quote from Ewan Carr: "Most of the Stanley soldiers were in (I think) the 51st.Highland Division and taken POW at St. Valery ,before Dunkirk, and spent virtually the whole war in POW Camps returning to the village probably in the middle of 1945"

Army Cadets marching through Dunkeld. Trevor Reiche is in the centre front rank.

Myra Carmichael and Valerie Wells

Raymond Sime who works for the Foreign Office waits by the roadside in Baghdad while a car bomb is detonated.

Attachment of the Stanley Home Guard (2 Tay) disbanding in Blairgowrie. Wull Evans from Russell Street is at the front with the swagger stick under his left arm.

Taken at Perth City Hall. Adam Morton is on the left and Alex Duncanson on the right. (Junior Leaders Army Corps).

Alex Duncanson back row far right. Taken at the Outward Bound School in Wales.

Home Guard dance in Stanley 1942/43. Names to follow but I can see John and Phyllis Culbert on the left and Jim and Gert West 3rd and 4th left in the front row.

Sgt Pate Cameron Tayside Police.

Great War Christmas Card sent to Stanley Public School for my Father who was then aged 5

Jim Donaldson called up to the National Fire Service during WWII (photo taken in the gardens in King St with the Manse just behind). He had a brother in the Navy, another in the Army and 2 in the RAF at that time.

L to R: Lawrence O'Brien, George O'Brien and the Beeler O'Brien taken outside their house at Manse Cres.

John O' Brien

1943 Christmas Card sent from North Africa by Jock Donaldson when serving in the Army during WWII to his brother Jim in King St Stanley.

1944 Christmas Card sent from the Middle East by Jock Donaldson when serving in the Army during WWII to his brother Jim in King St Stanley.

Wull Cameron. Sergeant in Royal Tank Regiment. Enlisted 24 September 1940. Army No 7919110

Wull Cameron and mates.

John Ferry outside his house in Mill Street.

Dunkeld ACF 1969 Back: L to R A Scott, J Reid, J Thom, J Alexander, J Ferry, L Smith, R Robb. Middle: C Menzies, J Alexander, C MacDonald, D Lauder, G Lennon, A Lewis, T Reiche. Front: D Stewart, G Dewar, ? Devine, A O'Brien, R Dunbar, T Scott, J Henderson. (thanks to George Lennon for the names)