An Inverness veteran soldiered on to complete a walk through the Highland Capital in full military PPE to raise money for charity.
Former Gordon Highlander Gordon MacMillan was cheered by passers-by and shop workers as he walked from Cameron Barracks to the city’s war memorial at Cavell Gardens dressed in a nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare suit, complete with gas mask.
Mr MacMillan, 66, who has a pulmonary oedema and a heart problem which affects his breathing, last wore the suit when he was a 20-year-old soldier.
He was accompanied all the way on the walk by his nine-month old Belgian shepherd and Labrador cross Elsa and fellow veteran Chad Fraser Hall, formerly of the Royal Greenjackets.
The trek took more than two hours with rest stops and, at the end, Mr MacMillan saluted and laid a poppy at the war memorial. Money raised will go to the Inverness Poppy Appeal which aims to collect £1,600 for PoppyScotland.
He said later: “I’m tired and sore, but I did it, that’s the main thing. I was sweating a bit later on, but I’m glad I did it. It’s done with now and I don’t have to panic any more.”
Mr MacMillan also had a brief stop to speak to staff from a city centre store who greeted him with cheers and a signs reading “Go Gordon, Go”.
“That made my day, it was a real boost”, he said.
Mr MacMillan, who joined the Gordon Highlanders aged 15 and left the force when he was 24, later dedicated his life to raising money for the armed forces.
Today he will be collecting for Poppyscotland in a city supermarket and is already planning other events next year – which is the 100th anniversary of the Poppy Appeal.
“We’ll be doing all we can between now and next November. Once we get the all clear from the virus we will be doing street collections again.”
Gordon Michie, head of fundraising at Poppyscotland, said: “Gordon and the Poppy Ness veterans have done so much to support us over the years, and it’s amazing to see him going the extra mile for us once again.
“While it’s been a very challenging Poppy Appeal due to the impact of the pandemic, it is inspiring to see people like Gordon being so creative in their fundraising.
“Selfless acts like this will go a long way to ensuring we can continue to provide our life-changing support to the Armed forces community in the year ahead and we would encourage the people of Inverness to give their support to Gordon’s fundraising campaign.”