A naval veteran of World War Two toured the largest military site in Scotland as a present to mark his 100th birthday.
Robert Sawers visited Faslane this week accompanied by granddaughter Jennifer Murray and went aboard minehunters HMS Bangor and HMS Ramsey.
“It was an honour and a privilege to show Robert the naval base,” said Commander John Humphreys, duty naval base officer.
“A friend told me about Robert and how he served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He celebrated his centenary on December 5 and we thought it would be a great present to give him a tour of the base and get him back on board a ship.”
Serving with the Royal Navy from 1940 to 1946, Robert spent time with Fleet Repair Ship HMS Resource, which was stationed in both the Mediterranean and with the Eastern Fleet.
As an Ordnance Artificer he was responsible for inspecting, testing, storing and preparing a variety of guns, shells, mines and bombs.
During his service he worked on HMS Greyhound, HMS Bonaventure and HMS Barham, serving in bases in Alexandria, Algiers and Bejaia.
After leaving the navy in 1946, Robert worked briefly at Meechans in Scotstoun where he had served as an apprentice fitter before the War.
He later moved to Thermotank in Govan where he was an Engineer specialist in air conditioning and cooling, working on many of the ships being constructed at the Clyde shipyards. He continued to work there until his retirement and now lives in Bearsden.
His granddaughter, Jennifer, is no stranger to HM Naval Base Clyde herself. A police constable with the Ministry of Defence Police’s Clyde Marine Unit, she’s often to be found patrolling the waters of the Gareloch.
“It is difficult to find a birthday present for someone turning 100 so I wanted to do something no-one else could do for my Papa,” said Jennifer.
“Thanks to help from the Royal Navy we have managed to give him a special day to remember.”
She continued: “His experience of being a sailor in the Second World War was very different from these days, but he still shares that connection with the Royal Navy of today. I am immensely proud of him.”
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