Details

David Weir, husband to Dorothy, and father to Gordon, Julie, William, David, Alex and Lesley.
David was born 5th of May 1921 at Waddell St, South Side of Glasgow in Tenement Block 86 Number 171. He joined Hayfield Junior School on Hayfield Rd, then the Adelphi Terrace Secondary School. His first job was a messenger boy for Gallraithes Grocers. One year later, he became an Apprentice Joiner for a Shop fitting firm on Govan St, Glasgow. When he left Govan St, he had many jobs including :- Tin Smith, Coppersmith, Whitesmith, and Sheet Metal Worker.

Army Career (Army No.1455916)

David joined the Band of the 215/54 Queens Own Royal Glasgow Imperial Yeomanry Road Territorial Army. In April 1939 he joined the Anti-Tank Brigade. On September 1st, he reported back to the barracks in Govan St, and two days later war was declared. Later, he was moved to Strathaven where he was posted to guard duty on the petrol pumps. David was too young to go to France with the Anti-Tank Regiment, which saved his life, as the whole regiment (according to reports) were wiped out.
He was then moved to Anti-Aircraft duty on the frozen flats of the Humber, near Hull. They used 3.7 and 4.5 Anti-Aircraft guns, and Lewis Guns on look-out for sea mines.He was posted to various barracks around the country including Coleporter and Aldershot. Being a Tinsmith, he was picked out to join a new unit in the RAMA 52 Field Hygiene Section ranked 'Private' and eventually to 'Sapper' at Abergavenny. Eventually, in 1941, their regiment were rigged out with tropical gear in Aldershot, and moved up to Liverpool. In June 1941, he boarded the 'HMS Samasia' at Liverpool docks and joined a large convoy in the Atlantic. It was a relief to David that all the square washing, manouvres and marching they did for the past 18 months were over, and now he would have one job on active service. To dodge U-Boats they took the long route. This took them 50 miles off the Canadian coast, and then south to Freetown West Africa, their first sighting of land for a huge length of time. They did not go ashore there, but natives came along side the ships selling fresh fruit etc and diving for coins thrown to them. There mercy stop was Durbon, South Africa, they were allowed to go ashore for a few days. The locals looked after them well. They then changed ships to the 'Isla-De-France' a large luxury liner which was infested with cockroaches. This ship took them to a port at the entrance to the Suez Canal. In Africa, he went to Sudan and Egypt. He then joined the 8th Army in North Africa. This took him to Tripoli in Italy. They spent quite a long time in Italy and at one time joined the American 1st Infantry, so he was under the command of 'Ikes' for a while. He could not stand the Americans, he called them 'a complete shower'. He also got involved with the Italian Freedom Fighters were he was invited to their headquarters for a good time. Here they nearly started another war. He flew back from Italy, after the war and joined the RE Unit. They went around the country destroying pipe mines from under roads. He was arrested for being a few days AWOL after a short leave, and was confined to barracks for a week. He ignored the order and went drinking with his mates every night.

Davids Medical History

22-9-1989 - Entered Walton Hospital 4pm
4-10-1989 - Had operation for hardening of the arteries

Further operations were 18-1-1990, 23-8-1990, 21-2-1991

14-6-1991 Entered Walton Hospital for an emergency leg amputation
24-6-1991 Partial Gestrectomy
27-5-1992 Had operation on his neck


In 2001 David found a lump in his throat which was diagnosed as cancer. He had to have chemotherapy at Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital, to shrink the cancer. this seemed to be working for a while, but then his health began to deteriorate. David sadly died on the morning of 25th October 2001.

Rest in peace dad xxx