Page 183 - RSDG Year of 2023

JAMES SALMOND
James, known as Jim, Salmond was born on 28 October 1941 and served with the Royal Scots Greys and The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards from 1959-1974. He was married to Catherine and they had a daughter, Sharon. He was a member of the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Branch of the Association but, following unexpected health issues, he
JAMES MAPLESDEN
James, known as Jim, was born on 7 January 1948 in Chatham, Kent, the fourth son to Tom and Belle Maplesden. His father was a Navy man of 25 years’ Service and, when he retired shortly after Jim’s birth, the family moved to Burntisland in Fife, his mother’s hometown. Jim attended both Burntisland Primary and Secondary School and attained a good
educational standard. Growing up as the youngest of four boys, Jim was always his mother’s favourite, and could never do anything wrong. He was a popular young man, always in a crowd of other people his own age, a good- looking chap who was quite popular with the girls as well.
After school, aged 16, he went to Cowdenbeath Technical College for about a year, before giving that up and joining the Royal Scots Greys with whom he served from 1966- 1970 in Germany from where he went on tours to Cyprus with the United Nations and Northern Ireland. Jim enjoyed his time in the Army and was proud of the Regiment. He spoke very fondly and often of the friends
JAMES MURPHY
James Patrick Murphy, known to some as Jim and others as Murph, was born on 22 July 1945 in Cowdenbeath to James, who was a miner and had served in World War One, and Mary.
When he left school he became an apprentice butcher but in 1964 he joined the army and served with the Royal Scots Greys and from 1971 with
the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. He served in Germany, Libya, Sharjah, Ireland and Cyprus. He was in the team
decided to move south in January 2023 to Northamptonshire to live with his daughter and son-n law. He died on 26 July 2023 but he made it clear he wanted to be taken back to Scotland to be buried with his father in Leven.
and companionship associated with his time there. He retained his grey beret and badges for all his life.
On leaving the Army, Jim returned to Burntisland where he met up with many old friends and took several driving jobs with various local bus companies, haulage and taxi firms. He was a hardworking man who was well thought of by his employers.
He had married on leaving the Army, but the marriage failed and, after a short while, his wife returned to Ireland, with their daughter. Jim remained single until 2000, when he met Christine, an old girl friend from his school days. They married in 2003. However, everything changed again for Jim when Christine died suddenly from a heart attack. Jim never fully recovered from her death and,- shortly after, moved into a Residential Housing complex. His health continued to deteriorate and, following a minor stroke, he was diagnosed with the onset of dementia. Eventually he went into full time care in Dunfermline, close to his brother Donald.
Jim died peacefully on 15 October 2023. He is survived by his brother Donald, and two daughters, Helen, and Lorna.
who canoed down the Loire with Sir Ranulph Fiennes and also learned to ski and became a dog handler. Jim met and married Pearl when stationed in Kirkcudbright and they had three daughters.
In 1976 he left the Army and joined the prison service where he worked for 20-years finishing as a Catering Manager. After retiring he volunteered in the Regimental Museum in Edinburgh where he worked for many years in the archives and helped in the shop. He was also Secretary of the Edinburgh Branch of the Association for five years.
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