World War II hero misses out on big VE Day celebration
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A World War II hero should have been parading with his fellow air comrades on London’s famous Mall today to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
But the coronavirus outbreak has put paid to 99-year-old Grantown RAF veteran Colin Sutton's big day out in the capital.
Mr Sutton, who ran Speyside Sports on the town's High Street with his late wife Cath for many years until the early 2000s, however, said he was not too disappointed and the nation’s health has to come first.
The airman had received the honour of being invited by the Royal British Legion to join in the celebrations in the capital that were due to get under way later today.
Flying Officer Sutton served in Bomber Command, flying Halifax bombers out of the RAF airbase at Full Sutton, Yorkshire, during World War II.
His crew was amongst the 50 per cent of Bomber Command to survive the war.
After 37 sorties as wireless operator, FO Sutton was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM).
It was a military decoration for RAF and other British Armed Forces personnel below commissioned rank for “exceptional valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy”.
He was honoured after a special mission when he was responsible for sending back to base positioning and wind information to allow a large-scale bombing operation of Leipzig.
Thanks to these valuable details a POW camp near the city was saved from the bombardment.
Mr Sutton, who was born on January 17, 1921, told the Strathy: “It does not matter that I will no longer be going to London as long as everyone keeps healthy.
“Many events have had to be cancelled and I realised it probably would be too.”
Recalling receiving the DFM towards the end of the war, he said: “Leipzig was going to be bombed but at the briefing no-one knew the details of the wind speed and direction.
“Our crew was sent out in advance to report the precise information to London.”
FO Sutton radioed the exact details to Bomber Command and these were forwarded on to the bombing raid.
He was the only flight crew member to receive the DFM but said the rest of the crew should have been recognised too.
Mr Sutton remembers celebrating VE Day in Grantown and later dancing the night away at Carrbridge Village Hall with the girl he was to marry, Catherine Mackay, who at that time lived at the Craiglynne Hotel in the Strathspey capital.
“Everyone went daft,” he recalled. “People were overjoyed.”
The airman born in Carlisle, was stationed at RAF Kinloss and it was on a train journey back to his airbase, in full uniform, that he met his wife to be.
The couple were married on October 31, 1945.
Mr Sutton was nominated by his grandson James Walker, who lives in Glasgow, to take part in the London commemorations.
The RAF veteran’s son Ewan said: “We are very proud as a family of my dad and what he achieved during his time in World War II.”
He said his father was not one to dwell on his wartime service record but added: “It comes up now and then especially if dad meets someone interested in his service during World War II.”
Daughter Sherie, who lives on Arran, said: “It would have been very special getting to share Dad’s treat and going with him down to London. They were putting us up for three nights, all expenses paid, in the Hard Rock Hotel at Marble Arch. The occasion really would have been something.”
Applications had been open for Allied Forces, the Commonwealth, descendants and child evacuees for the London events including the procession down The Mall.
