A recently decorated World War II hero visited Oban War and Peace Museum yesterday on a trip down memory lane to the area where he did his training.
Reg Menzies, 91, has just been recognised with the Legion d’Honneur – France’s highest military honour – for the part he played in the liberation of the country 70 years ago.
Mr Menzies was on board one of eight ships involved in a mine sweeping operation in the south of France as part of the D-Day landings on August 15 1944.
He grew up in Horwich, near Bolton, and signed up to serve in the Royal Navy in January 1943. He said: “I did six months training and qualified as a signalman and was transferred to Fort William, where I did three months training on motor torpedo boats at HMS St Christopher, a training base, which is now the Highland Hotel.
“I just fell in love with the area. I was so impressed on the rail journey from Glasgow to Fort William.
“After the war, I decided when I could afford it, to come up and see it. I have been coming up ever since.”
Mr Menzies has visited the Oban War and Peace Museum twice in the last two years and was proud to be able to show them a photograph of his recent honour during this visit. He said: “I always get a good welcome.”
Onboard ML 121, he was part of a 16-man team which joined seven other ships in sweeping the French coastline of mines.
He said: “We had to sweep a passage through a minefield to allow the assault craft safe passage to the shore.
“Getting this award was a bit of a shock to me, as it happened 70 years ago. It has brought all the memories back.”
Bill Leech, curator of Oban War and Peace Museum, said: “It is always a privilege to welcome someone who was involved in the war. I knew that HMS Christopher was at Fort William but I didn’t know that it was where the hotel is now, you learn something knew all the time, which is a pleasure of ‘working’ here.
“We are fortunate to have so many volunteers. We expect to welcome our six-hundred-thousandth visitor some time this summer, since opening in 1995.
“We are very grateful for any support anyone can give us.”
