George Reid, of Murthly, the oldest former member of The Black Watch, has died aged 103.
At his funeral at Little Dunkeld Kirk, George, known as Geordie, was piped in by Alastair Duthie.
Perth branch of The Black Watch later formed a guard of honour for the former sergeant at Perth crematorium.
He joined The Black Watch in 1939, undertook his training at Queen’s Barracks in Perth and was posted to the 10th Battalion when it was formed in 1940.
Geordie, who had served his time as a motor mechanic, became involved in training men as reinforcements for regular and territorial battalions overseas.
He was later promoted to become driver for commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Keith Purvis-Russell-Montgomery and transported him all across the UK.
After the war, Geordie returned to work on his father’s farm before joining agricultural haulage firm, DW McDonald.
He then worked with an Aberdeen-Angus herd at Dunkeld Park before joining Tarmac and working on the widening of the A9. He retired in 1980.
Driving
Geordie had been an elder at Dunkeld Cathedral for 57 years, a Freemason and was still driving around Murthly aged 100.
Black Watch Major (Retd) Colin Innes, of Murthly, knew Geordie well and said he played an important training role during the war.
“When I interviewed Geordie, he recounted the 10th Battalion’s stay at Thurso during the war. My father, then Major AB Innes spent some time with the battalion and Geordie remembered him.”
Geordie, who was born in October, 1918, grew up at Murthly where his father, William and mother Mary (Gourdie) farmed at Middle Gourdie.
He trained as a mechanic when he left school but his career was interrupted when he was called up for war service aged 20.
Northern isles
His initial posting was to the Orkney and Shetland Defence Force before he undertook training duties in Montrose, Brechin and Thurso.
The 10th Battalion was moved to Alnwick in Northumberland, Barrow-in-Furness then Lockerbie before Geordie was demobbed at Stewarton in Ayrshire in 1946.
Geordie, who retired aged 65, was one of the founder members of the then Royal British Legion Scotland branch in Dunkeld.
To mark his 100th birthday a celebration was held at The Black Watch museum in Perth at which he reflected on his time in the army.
“I have very fond memories of my time with The Black Watch. My only regret is that I wished I stayed on longer,” Geordie said at the time.
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