2021 will be remembered for a lot of things however my 50th birthday will probably not be one of them!

One thing I had noticed and with great interest, Poppy Scotland celebrates its 100th year of providing support for current and former members of the Armed Forces as well as their families. Support, in recognition of their sacrifices, in some cases the ultimate.

With both these events huge on my mind, I decided to take ‘the pledge’ and vow to raise £1921 for this wonderful charity.

This handsome young gentleman above is my Mum’s Dad and my Grandfather Samuel Campbell. This is a picture of Sam, a member of the Territorial Army who helped make up the 51st Highlanders regiment when called upon to assist French forces pinned back by the advancing German army in 1940. As some of you may know over 10,00 Scottish soldiers, including my Grandfather was captured just outside Dunkirk in Saint-Valéry-en-Caux on June 12. Sam went on to serve out the rest of the war as POW. Fortunately for my mother, he was safely returned home after the end of hostilities. At his time of capture, Sam had six children, the youngest just six weeks old, my beautiful Aunt Sally. Remember at this time we had no social services or support for his young family back home. Imagine how he would have felt on that day. The fear and uncertainty for his life and that of his family back home. We cannot comprehend what he faced. Fortunately for me when he returned to Scotland he went on to have a further four children, including my Mum.

The Scottish Poppy appeal has always been hugely significant in my family, from a very early age I vividly remember heading off to school proudly displaying my poppy, aware of its significance. We had a huge extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins from all divides in Scotland. Oh, we can argue and fight amongst ourselves like the best of them however we all to this day remember and recognise just how lucky we are to have had our Grandfather return home. Just how many Scottish families have a similar story, and how many never got the chance to return. Every year when the Poppy day comes round we can think back and be thankful for their service, for their sacrifice. In the world, we live in it’s important to stop and consider what went before and how we have arrived at where we are. Most of my generation has been very fortunate to have never faced this kind of hardship or fear.

Unfortunately in recent years young Scottish boys & girls have been deployed to areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan with many coming home suffering life-changing injuries or facing the prospect of PTSD. They and their families deserve all the support and help that we can offer them, for me that is unquestionable.

Poppy Scotland is not a political organisation, its only agenda is to help people who have been willing to serve without fear or favour. Please only look upon it as such. Please please consider just a small donation and help me mark my 50th birthday in the very best way I can think of, thanking those that made every one of my days possible.

Thank you

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/craigwwilliams

The three gentlemen in this family picture, My Uncles Sam, Hugh and Colin also served in the armed forces along with more recently my cousins Colin, Campbell, Jim and Stewart. I am very proud of all these men.