East Kilbride man, 91, in war tribute to fallen friends

“The only other time I have seen so many people heading to the same area was on VE Day in 1945, when I was 13 and heading to George Square from Maryhill,” he says.

“The nearer I got, the more difficult it became to move. All roads leading to it were crammed with pedestrians trying to join in the mayhem.

“It was an unforgettable day of joy, while Remembrance Sunday is a day of reflection.”

VE Day crowds in George Square, 1945 (Image: Newsquest)

Times Past revealed last week that regular contributor Dan, 91, from East Kilbride, was taking part in the Remembrance Sunday parade past the Cenotaph in London.

Dan, 91, in London (Image: Newsquest)

During World War Two, around three million British children were evacuated, of which around 2600 were sent abroad. Dan was one of them, making it safely to Canada in August 1940.

He returned to Glasgow in December 1944 and eight years later, began two years of National Service in the Royal Engineers.

Dan Harris (Image: Dan Harris)

“Some of the lads I enlisted with never returned home,” he says. “It was to commemorate all of them which had motivated me to participate in this year’s parade with the British Evacuees Association.

“My elder daughter, Eleanor, accompanied me. She was worried her old Dad would get lost if he was on his own. She was correct.

“Sophie Raworth, the BBC commentator was standing close to us all the time prior to us marching.

“By chance, Eleanor and I were caught on camera. My other daughter, Doreen, spotted us and took a couple of photos. This was the final Remembrance Day Parade that the BEA will participate in. Owing to the substantial decrease in its membership, the BEA will cease to exist in June next year.”

During the parade, Dan explains, he thought about the "young people who were the reason for me being there, and of the men and women of the Allied Merchant Navies, who never receive the recognition they deserve for their courage during World War 2.

“I had travelled aboard the Clyde-built Canadian liner, the SS Duchess of York, to Canada. She was attacked by German aircraft on July 11. 1943, and 27 people were killed.”

Dan gave Times Past a rare insight into what it is like to march in the Remembrance Sunday parade.

He explains: “When King Charles was standing at the Cenotaph preparing to put down his wreath of poppies, I could see that today’s servicemen and women were in columns behind him. The veterans, including the evacuees, were formed up, ready to march on the other side of the Cenotaph.

“After the two-minute silence at 11 am, the marching began. Firstly the servicemen and women, then the veterans, all with a member of the Royal Family saluting as they passed. The marchers turned their heads towards the saluter, on the command, ‘eyes right’, which was taken very seriously by all involved - except when it came to the evacuees.”

Dan smiles: “When we were marching past Prince Edward, he was beaming at us. He must have been thinking, ‘this lot must have been children when my mother was a child’. I returned his big smile.”

Dan admits he was amazed to see the huge crowds of people who had turned up to stand for hours to watch the famous parade.

“We were marching to the beat of a drum and the pace was very easy to keep,” he says. “We could relax when the drum beat ceased as we were going through a park then into Horse Guards Square to bring the parade to an end. There were so many people, applauding even once the formal marching had ceased.”

He adds: "It was an emotional experience, but a day I will treasure for my remaining years."