By Martin Gliniecki, Executive Director
On Friday 08 May 2026, the 81st anniversary of VE-day, I visited World War 2 veteran James Fenton, at his home on the Isle of Man. James served as a Bombardier in the Royal Artillery during the Burma Campaign and is the only surviving veteran on the Island from that campaign, where Slim turned defeat into victory.
We owe a deep gratitude to the wartime generation for their commitment to fighting tyranny and defending freedom. James reflects their virtues, particularly humility and integrity, and in his case a deep Christian faith, which he’s had since childhood. He decided to become a SASRA member at the age of 104 years.
James’ story is told in his book entitled The Forgotten Army: A Burma Soldier’s Story in Letters, Photographs and Sketches, published in 2012. In it you’ll discover how the Army selected him for the Royal Artillery and many other stories. According to James, the key to long life is ‘clean living’, even though he admitted to smoking up to 50 cigarettes a day early in his life. While serving in India, he was recognised as a brilliant artist and graphic designer, which his local padre exploited for good in asking James to design an altar cloth for his use.
I’m very grateful to long-standing SASRA supporters David and Elizabeth Neill for arranging this visit to James.
PRAY WITH US
- Pray that Scripture Readers would have continued opportunities to speak into the questions that people are asking with the truth of Christ.
- Pray for true and lasting spiritual revival among those serving in the Armed Forces.
