Alexander Cormack, known as Sandy, is a Royal Marines veteran who moved into The Erskine Home, Bishopton in early 2022. Royal Navy and Royal Marines veterans, like Sandy, enjoy a high quality of life at Erskine, thanks in part to funding from the RNRMC and Greenwich Hospital; working in partnership for the benefit of the UK Naval family past, present and future.
Sandy was born in Ardrie in 1922 – he celebrated his 100th birthday in January this year. He had a remarkable Forces career after being called up in 1941 at the age of 19. Sandy served as a Royal Marines Commando during World War Two.
He arrived in northern France about a week after the D-Day invasion and modestly states that he doesn’t have any “great, daring stories” and just “ran with the rest of them.” When Sandy arrived in France, the Germans were holding up the town of Caen in Northern France. British soldiers needed to reclaim the town to use the roads and, after they defeated the Nazis, Sandy states they were “chasing them all the way” along the coast through France, Belgium, The Netherlands and back to Germany. Sandy remembers: “You had a job keeping up with them – it was pretty rough”.
Sandy has vivid memories of his unit working their way up the coast to liberate civilians. He says: “Women and kids were down in the air raid shelters. Hitler had already indoctrinated them and told them they would never be taken prisoner - that British troops would kill them. We used to shout down but they still wouldn't come out." As many were terrified to leave, Sandy and his unit found that they had to leave out sweets and chocolate for the children – they came outside to grab them and their mothers quickly followed. This was the only way the Commandoes could help the civilians. Sandy says: “You put a bar of chocolate in their hands and it alters the whole war, as far as the children are concerned.”
Following his years in the Forces, Sandy was awarded the Légion d’Honneur for his service in Normandy. He also had the opportunity to shake Queen Elizabeth’s hand at a service commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of D-Day. After returning to civilian life, Sandy worked as a butcher and regularly visited schools to give talks and educate future generations about the hardship that he experienced in the frontline. 
Due to health issues, Sandy moved into Pearson House at The Erskine Home earlier this year. He has thrown himself wholeheartedly into daily life at Erskine and is benefitting from many of the enhanced care services funded by partners like the RNRMC and Greenwich Hospital. Sandy loves to get outside every day for fresh air and can often be found sitting on the peaceful Pearson House garden balcony, a suntrap covered in pots overflowing with flowers. He also enjoys a regular walk around the Erskine Veterans’ Village, particularly the scenic Woodlands Walk, which recently became a Woodlands Sculpture Trail full of residents’ artwork.
Since the lifting of COVID restrictions, The Erskine Home’s calendar of events and activities has grown and Sandy has taken full advantage. He enjoyed attending Erskine’s recent Military Ball and the Sporting Senior Games award ceremony in August where he won two medals for his efforts earlier in the summer. In September, Sandy joined fellow residents and staff in The Bunker to watch the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II and in November he paid his respects to the fallen during Erskine's Remembrance service on Armistice Day.
By working together with partners, the RNRMC are able to ensure that veterans like Sandy, who have given so much in their service of the country, recieve high quality care and are able to live their final years in dignity and comfort.
