A former WWII Royal Air Force (RAF) veteran marked VE day by turning 105 this week.
Fred Walker, who lives in Dorrator Court, in Camelon, Falkirk, celebrated his 105 birthday on Monday (5 May).
Fred is visited twice a week by Strathcarron Hospice’s Creative Homecare team and had shared his life history with staff, including about his time in the war and they were amazed to hear about some of his experiences. Creative Homecare is a social enterprise care service where all the profits are reinvested back into the Hospice to fund the work carried out supporting end of life and palliative care patients.
Fred was born in Falkirk in May 1920 before moving with his family to Stirling where his dad was in private service as a chauffeur for the Touch Estate. Once he had finished his schooling at Riverside School and Stirling High School, he returned to the area to work in The Grange Foundry as a pattern maker.
When war was declared in 1939 he joined the RAF and spent six years in the forces travelling the world as an aircraft mechanic, stationed in England, Ireland, the Shetland Islands and Africa. During this time whilst stationed in Aberdeen in 1944 he met wife Marjory who was in the Woman’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF).
After the war Fred returned with his wife to Scotland, first to Stirling to stay with his parents and then the couple set up home at Mungalhead Road, Bainsford. Fred returned to work in The Grange Foundry until he retired.
Fred continued to travel the world to exotic locations, never losing his sense of adventure he forged in the RAF, until his mobility restricted his travelling.
He said “I enjoyed being in the RAF and I am proud that I served my country and the war efforts in my own small way.
“A few hours after war was declared I presented myself at the Allan’s School in Stirling to the recruitment office of the local Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. I was more than a bit disappointed when I was told they could not accept me as I was in a reserved occupation!
“To me it was an opportunity for adventure and excitement, the serious consequences were never considered. In retrospect, quite a few local lads who joined then were lost or taken at St Valery, prior to the evacuation at Dunkirk.
“Not to be denied, I travelled to Glasgow the following day to the RAF recruitment office in Sauchiehall Street. After a medical, I was passed for the next stage of induction. This came as a bit of a shock as I was asked if I could leave that night for the training school in Warrington.
“There was no way I had time to go home and return in time for the train down south so I had to call my parents and tell them I was leaving. All the pundits were telling us it would be over by Christmas so there was no time to lose.”
After his basic training it wasn’t long before Fred experienced his first flight.
He said: “I suppose the ground crew flying gave the aircrew confidence – the ground crew would hardly wish to fly in a dodgy plane! We would practice dive bombing and at the bottom of the dive when the plane pulled out of it and gravity took over you couldn’t lift your arms and your jaw dropped – quite frightening until you got used to it. But the war wasn’t all the fun we imagined as we soon found out.”
Even as ground crew Fred encountered some near death experiences and had to experience the loss of many colleagues and friends. But his travels broadened his outlook on the world and gave him some amazing cultural experiences.
As the war drew to a conclusion, peace was declared on May 8th 1945, Fred remembers great celebrations taking place across the country.
In December 1945 he was posted to Kirkham for ‘demob’, kitted out with civilian clothing, handed a railway warrant and by Jan 3 1946 his period in the RAF was over.
Fred said: “I have tried to live a full, good, clean Christian life… as far as my memory takes me! It isn’t easy when you are 105 as your body isn’t what it used to be and I can’t get around quite as easily, but I have a mobility scooter so can still pop along to the shops to get out and about on my own.
“I do feel very fortunate for the life I have had. I look back on the lovely friends I have had and how lucky I have been.
“My advice to live a long good life is don’t do anything that you would be ashamed about and stay active. I have always had plenty of exercise over the years so maybe that’s why I have lasted so long. I went to the Boys Brigade when I was young and I think that stood me in good stead for life.
“Marjory died in 1981 and I have been a bit lonely since then. Life isn’t easy when you live alone. I enjoy having the visits from Creative Homecare. They are always friendly and have time to chat. It has been nice to know they are interested in my life story.”
Laura, a support worker with Creative Homecare said: “Fred is amazing. He is a lovely man. It is a pleasure to visit him and support him.
“He is still living independently and it’s great he is still managing out on his scooter. I love listening to all Fred’s stories – I could listen to him all day every day.
“Fred has documented his time in the forces and is really interesting– we are privileged he shares this with us when we visit.”