Remarkable Harrogate WW2 veteran, 98, speaks about wartime dangers and his VE Day memories

Aged 98, Royal Navy veteran John Shay opened up about the dangers men like him faced during the Second World War, though he insists he is not a “war hero”.

Speaking to the Royal British Legion to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, John, who lives in a care home in Harrogate, said: “I certainly don’t see myself as a war hero, I was just a very small cog in a huge wheel.”

Mr Shay, who has been invited to join the Royal British Legion’s 80th Anniversary Tea Party and Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum on Thursday, May 8, said the anniversary was an important moment.

But his role in the war in the Far East meant VE Day meant it was not the same experience.

“When the war ended in Europe, people weren’t interested in a war in the Far East,” said Mr Shay.

"Whilst we were glad for the people back home, we were obviously concerned because we thought we might be down there for another three years.”

John signed up at the age of 17 and went straight into the Navy despite living 60 miles from the nearest coastline.

He trained at HMS Ganges in Suffolk ready for the second wave of D-Day, but the second invasion wasn’t needed because June 6 was such a success.

He then joined HMS Montclare, a destroyer depot ship which was the flagship of the Pacific Fleet operation against Japan and sailed to the Pacific in March 1945.

It took six weeks to reach Australia and then on to Hong Kong where his crew played a key role in recapturing the colony.

John said “We freed lots of PoWs and they were overjoyed, we took quite a few on board our ship, too.

"We also captured a few of the Japanese Navy, and I took a cap badge as a souvenir from one of them.”

But for John, VE day was not a huge cause for celebration in May 1944: “We were happy for everyone at home, obviously, but we were very much the forgotten fleets, as the soldiers were the forgotten army.

“The biggest danger in the Far East, as well as Japanese submarines, were the kamikaze suicide pilots.

"They were a squad of young pilots who deliberately crashed their planes into Allied ships during World War Two.

"They never hit our ship, we were lucky, but they hit some of the British and US carriers alongside us quite badly.”

John’s war finally ended on VJ Day, 15 August 1945.

He said: “I remember the captain came up on deck, grabbed a loudhailer and announced that the War in the Far East was over and gave us the order to “Splice the mainbrace” - have a double tot of rum!"

After eventually returning home and marrying wife Maurine, John worked in the insurance industry before becoming Captain and President of Horsforth Golf Club where he remains an Honorary Life member.

John, who has six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, received £5,000 in compensation from the government after the War because he contracted skin cancer as a result of his time in the Far East.

Speaking today, Mr Shay said: “Here we are at the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

"It’s such a special moment for the country and should remind us all of what we owe those who fought and those who lost their lives.

"I hope everyone joins in the spirit of the celebrations the Royal British Legion is laying on for the country.”