James Kirkwood (1922-2017)
courtesy of Andrew Jamieson
On 6thJune 2015 I published a blog about the exhibition The Last of the Tide at the Queen’s Gallery. In it I mentioned my partner’s father who had served on the landing craft taking Canadian forces to Juno Nan Beach in June 1944. Last year he was awarded the Légion d’honneur by the French government and even though somewhat frail he was able to attend the ceremony at Glasgow City Chambers. In recent months he became much frailer and it is with profound sadness that I have to tell you that he passed away in the early hours of 28th March 2017. The day after his 95th birthday.
In late 2010 he gave the Ensign from the landing craft and his Operational Orders to the Imperial War Museum in London (http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30106688) together with an account of his naval service which you can access through the link.
He was a really good, kind and humble man and was very proud of his country. I am so honoured to have known him. It is a great thing that his war service though is remembered through his generous donation to the museum and I thought it may be of some interest hence my sharing of it.
Tim Forrest's E & A 