Jock Wilson
Encyclopedia
John Nicholson "Jock" Wilson MM
(September 7, 1903 – September 29, 2008) was a British
serviceman
, who was Great Britain
's oldest D-Day veteran. Wilson was a soldier in the 79th (Scottish Horse
) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
. On June 6, 1944, during the Second World War, Wilson landed at Juno Beach
and participated in the fighting that led to one of the biggest defeats for Germany
.
division, which meant that his unit would land with the first group of soldiers on D-Day
, June 6, 1944. Under constant attack, he and his comrades assembled a radio station to transmit information about the enemy's movements which helped the Allies
determine where to deploy troops. Wilson was injured twice in the war and still had shrapnel in his arm after the war.
He was awarded the Military Medal
for his actions on February 14, 1945, near the village of Viller in the Gennep
municipality of the Netherlands
. He was acting as technical assistant to Captain Fyffe who was attached to 1st Battalion, the Black Watch
, as artillery observer
, responsible for calling in artillery support and identifying targets. They had crossed the river Niers
in a Buffalo
overnight, and established their observation post in a flour mill in the battalion bridgehead
. At around 0830, the German forces launched a counterattack, supported by self-propelled gun
s. Their observation post came under direct fire from two of these guns which scored 30–40 hits on the mill. Wilson was knocked down by the blast from one explosion, and hit by falling masonry but continued to assist Fyffe. Allied artillery was able to use the information provided to break up the counterattack. The award of the medal was gazetted
on May 24, 1945.
, Scotland
. He attended Leith Academy
for his grammar school education. When he was fourteen, he began working at McNiven and Cameron's, who were the makers of the Waverley pens. Wilson met his wife, Lily (née Ross) during a tea party at a Marine Garden ballroom
in Seafield
. They married in October 1934 in Morningside
and had a daughter called Joyce. When Joyce was only two weeks old, Jock Wilson flew to Normandy
to fight with the 79th Regiment of the Royal Artillery against Nazi Germany
.
After the death of his wife in 1964, he moved from Edinburgh to Dunbar
so that he could live with Joyce and her husband, Tom. In that East Lothian
town, he was considered a "central figure" at Remembrance Day
services. During the Remembrance Services in 2001, Wilson placed a poppy on a memorial at the Princes Street Gardens
. Wilson lived with his daughter for 43 years before moving to the Hollytrees Nursing Home in Belhaven Hospital in 2007.
Wilson also received the Légion d'honneur
, a prestigious military award of France
, from Gérard Errera, the French ambassador, in London
. When he was 90 years-old, Wilson became an honorary member of the Dunbar and District Probus Club. He also received the "Our Forces Hero" award from the Daily Record
and dedicated it to the soldiers who had lost their lives on D-Day in Normandy
. In October 2004, Jock attended both the opening of the new Parliament in Edinburgh and Scotland's World Cup Qualifier against Norway
at Hampden Park
. He watched both events, which were 50 miles apart, in a limousine
.
Known for his sense of humour, when Wilson and other veterans were meeting dignitaries after an awards ceremony, he said to Queen Elizabeth II, whom he had already met that day, "You know, madam, we'll have to stop meeting like this." Later, when he met the then-Prime Minister
, Tony Blair
, Wilson joked, "The only person to go into parliament with good intentions was Guy Fawkes
, and he forgot his matches."
Wilson celebrated his 105th birthday at the Dunbar Club and received a bottle of malt
. He also received a second birthday card from Queen Elizabeth II, which was presented to him by East Lothian
’s Lord Lieutenant
, Garth Morrison
, at the Belhaven Hospital. He had received the first card from the Queen on his 104th birthday.
, Scotland
, on September 29, 2008, at the age of 105. His funeral service was held at the Mortonhall
Crematorium in Edinburgh. It was conducted by Charles Robertson, the Chaplain to the Normandy Veterans Association.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(September 7, 1903 – September 29, 2008) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
serviceman
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, who was Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
's oldest D-Day veteran. Wilson was a soldier in the 79th (Scottish Horse
Scottish Horse
The Scottish Horse was a Yeomanry Regiment of the British Territorial Army from 1900 to 1956 when it was amalgamated with The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry....
) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
. On June 6, 1944, during the Second World War, Wilson landed at Juno Beach
Juno Beach
Juno or Juno Beach was one of five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The sector spanned from Saint-Aubin, a village just east of the British Gold sector, to Courseulles, just west of the British Sword sector...
and participated in the fighting that led to one of the biggest defeats for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Second World War
Wilson joined the 79th Regiment of the Royal Artillery when many of his fellow soldiers were half his age. He was assigned to the radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
division, which meant that his unit would land with the first group of soldiers on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, June 6, 1944. Under constant attack, he and his comrades assembled a radio station to transmit information about the enemy's movements which helped the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
determine where to deploy troops. Wilson was injured twice in the war and still had shrapnel in his arm after the war.
He was awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for his actions on February 14, 1945, near the village of Viller in the Gennep
Gennep
Gennep is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands.- Population centres :Aaldonk, Dam, De Looi, Diekendaal, Gennep, Heijen, Hekkens, Milsbeek, Ottersum, Smele, Ven-Zelderheide and Zelder.- The city of Gennep :...
municipality of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He was acting as technical assistant to Captain Fyffe who was attached to 1st Battalion, the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
, as artillery observer
Artillery observer
A military artillery observer or spotter is responsible for directing artillery fire and close air support onto enemy positions. Because artillery is an indirect fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located tens of miles away...
, responsible for calling in artillery support and identifying targets. They had crossed the river Niers
Niers
The Niers is a river in Germany and the Netherlands, right tributary to the river Meuse. Its source is near Erkelenz, south of Mönchengladbach, in North Rhine-Westphalia . The Niers flows through Mönchengladbach, Viersen, Wachtendonk, Geldern and Goch before flowing into the Meuse just across the...
in a Buffalo
Landing Vehicle Tracked
The Landing Vehicle Tracked was a class of amphibious vehicles introduced by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army during World War II. Originally intended solely as cargo carriers for ship to shore operations, they rapidly evolved into assault troop and fire support vehicles as well...
overnight, and established their observation post in a flour mill in the battalion bridgehead
Bridgehead
A bridgehead is a High Middle Ages military term, which antedating the invention of cannons was in the original meaning expressly a referent term to the military fortification that protects the end of a bridge...
. At around 0830, the German forces launched a counterattack, supported by self-propelled gun
Self-propelled gun
A self-propelled gun is form of self-propelled artillery, and in modern use is usually used to refer to artillery pieces such as howitzers....
s. Their observation post came under direct fire from two of these guns which scored 30–40 hits on the mill. Wilson was knocked down by the blast from one explosion, and hit by falling masonry but continued to assist Fyffe. Allied artillery was able to use the information provided to break up the counterattack. The award of the medal was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on May 24, 1945.
Personal life
John "Jock" Wilson was born on September 7, 1903 in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He attended Leith Academy
Leith Academy
Leith Academy is a state school in Leith, Edinburgh. It currently educates around 1,000 pupils and around 2,800 part time adult learners.The former headteacher, Sandy Mcauley, resigned in 2008; Jack M Simpson was appointed headteacher in September 2008....
for his grammar school education. When he was fourteen, he began working at McNiven and Cameron's, who were the makers of the Waverley pens. Wilson met his wife, Lily (née Ross) during a tea party at a Marine Garden ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
in Seafield
Seafield, Edinburgh
Seafield is an area of north east Edinburgh, Scotland. There is little housing here, and the area is mainly light industrial. Several cream processing plants are in the southern precincts. There have been plans to move the city waste processing unit here from Broughton and there is also a cat and...
. They married in October 1934 in Morningside
Morningside, Edinburgh
Morningside is a district in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is south of the areas of Bruntsfield, Burghmuirhead ; south-west of Marchmont, and south-east of Merchiston...
and had a daughter called Joyce. When Joyce was only two weeks old, Jock Wilson flew to Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
to fight with the 79th Regiment of the Royal Artillery against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
After the death of his wife in 1964, he moved from Edinburgh to Dunbar
Dunbar
Dunbar is a town in East Lothian on the southeast coast of Scotland, approximately 28 miles east of Edinburgh and 28 miles from the English Border at Berwick-upon-Tweed....
so that he could live with Joyce and her husband, Tom. In that East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
town, he was considered a "central figure" at Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
services. During the Remembrance Services in 2001, Wilson placed a poppy on a memorial at the Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens is a public park in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Gardens were created in the 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and the creation of the New Town. The Nor Loch was a large loch in the centre of the city. It was...
. Wilson lived with his daughter for 43 years before moving to the Hollytrees Nursing Home in Belhaven Hospital in 2007.
Awards and honours
In addition to his Military MedalMilitary Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
Wilson also received the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, a prestigious military award of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, from Gérard Errera, the French ambassador, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. When he was 90 years-old, Wilson became an honorary member of the Dunbar and District Probus Club. He also received the "Our Forces Hero" award from the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
and dedicated it to the soldiers who had lost their lives on D-Day in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. In October 2004, Jock attended both the opening of the new Parliament in Edinburgh and Scotland's World Cup Qualifier against Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
. He watched both events, which were 50 miles apart, in a limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
.
Known for his sense of humour, when Wilson and other veterans were meeting dignitaries after an awards ceremony, he said to Queen Elizabeth II, whom he had already met that day, "You know, madam, we'll have to stop meeting like this." Later, when he met the then-Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, Wilson joked, "The only person to go into parliament with good intentions was Guy Fawkes
Guy Fawkes
Guy Fawkes , also known as Guido Fawkes, the name he adopted while fighting for the Spanish in the Low Countries, belonged to a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.Fawkes was born and educated in York...
, and he forgot his matches."
Wilson celebrated his 105th birthday at the Dunbar Club and received a bottle of malt
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
. He also received a second birthday card from Queen Elizabeth II, which was presented to him by East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
’s Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
, Garth Morrison
Garth Morrison
Sir William Garth Morrison, was the Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories from 1988 to 1996. He also spent twelve years in the Royal Navy.- Education and Military service :...
, at the Belhaven Hospital. He had received the first card from the Queen on his 104th birthday.
Death and funeral service
Jock Wilson died in DunbarDunbar
Dunbar is a town in East Lothian on the southeast coast of Scotland, approximately 28 miles east of Edinburgh and 28 miles from the English Border at Berwick-upon-Tweed....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, on September 29, 2008, at the age of 105. His funeral service was held at the Mortonhall
Mortonhall
Mortonhall is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, on the south edge of the city. It is perhaps best known for its crematorium, designed by Sir Basil Spence, which is considered to be an outstanding example of Scottish modern architecture. It is based on the same design as his work at Coventry...
Crematorium in Edinburgh. It was conducted by Charles Robertson, the Chaplain to the Normandy Veterans Association.