Be My Memory - a Tribute for a Proud Veteran

Eric Armour, the son of a proud veteran, has written a heartfelt song, Be My Memory, as a tribute to his late father, Iain Armour, pictured on the right, and the exceptional care he received at The Erskine Home. Eric and his family are delighted to share this moving song, honouring not only his father’s legacy but also the unwavering dedication of Erskine’s staff.

Iain Armour was a proud member of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, originally from Campbeltown, but later settled in Bannockburn where his wife Shirley still lives. Before his military career, Iain worked on fishing boats, a tough and demanding life that eventually led him to enlist in the Argylls.

While stationed in British Guyana Iain met his future wife, who is of Portuguese descent. At just 21 years old, he married her and took his new bride to Campbeltown, hoping for stability, but adjusting to life back home proved challenging. Iain soon decided to rejoin the Argylls, embarking on a journey that took his wife and their five sons across the world—from Campbeltown to Lemgo in Germany from Stirling to Singapore, Berlin, Osnabruck Plymouth, Inverness, Aden, Borneo, and Northern Ireland.

A Sergeant Major by rank, Iain was known for his incredible ability to connect with people. His leadership extended beyond military service, with a deep commitment to his comrades and the communities he lived in. After 25 years with the Argylls and The Queen’s Own Highlanders, he continued serving in the Territorial Army back in Stirling. He was always an army man.

Iain Armour lived his final year in Haig House at The Erskine Home, receiving compassionate care while living with dementia. His son, Eric, often reflects on the warmth and support his father experienced there. In 2020, three years after his father’s passing on March 3, 2017, Eric penned Be My Memory as a tribute to the man who shaped his life.

Eric, who has four brothers and three sons of his own, sees much of his father in himself. Iain’s resilience, humour, and ability to bring joy to others, even in the toughest times, left a lasting impact. A particularly harrowing experience during his service in Northern Ireland—where he witnessed the devastation caused by a landmine on a Saracen truck —did not diminish his positive outlook. He was the kind of man who could “rip a smile out of a stranger.”

In 2020, Eric took a deeply moving trip back to Campbeltown to reconnect with his father’s roots. The experience reinforced his desire to share Be My Memory with the world, ensuring that his father’s story and the incredible care he received at Erskine are never forgotten.

We invite you to listen to Be My Memory and celebrate the life of Iain Armour, a dedicated soldier, a devoted husband and father, and a man who left an indelible mark on all who knew him. Remember too all the servicemen and women who have been impacted in the service of their country, and their families who may be able to relate to the words in this song.

You can listen to Be my Memory by clicking here https://youtu.be/4MC5XUrxLME

For further information please contact Susan Hamilton, Communications Officer, on 0141 814 4719 or email susan.hamilton@erskine.org.uk

To find out more about Erskine Veterans Charity’s work please visit our website at www.erskine.org.uk, follow on twitter @ErskineCharity via Facebook www.facebook.com/ErskineVeteransCharity or listen to Erskine Veterans Radio at Erskine.org.uk/radio. To donate directly to Erskine, please visit Erskine.org.uk/donate.

Erskine Veterans Charity | Company No. SC174103 | Registered Charity No. SC006609 | The Erskine Home, Erskine Veterans Village, Bishopton, PA7 5PU