As communities across Scotland prepare to fall silent on Remembrance Day, a former RAF Sergeant from Forres is asking people to spare a thought not only for those who never came home, but for those still living with the consequences of military service.
Stevie Gray spent 22 years serving in the Royal Air Force before an accident at RAF Kinloss brought the career he loved to an unexpected end.
During his years in uniform, he worked on aircraft including the Buccaneer, Jaguar, Victor, Phantom and Nimrod, with postings taking him from the Falklands to Germany, Canada, the United States, the Middle East and the Far East.
But an accident at RAF Kinloss in the mid 1990s left him with permanent nerve damage and a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, changing the course of his life.
Leaving the RAF meant more than losing a career, as Stevie also lost the friendships, shared experiences and sense of belonging that had been central to his life for more than two decades.
On Wednesday 11 November, he will join fellow veterans from Erskine’s Veterans Activity Centre at the war memorial in Forres to remember those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
For Stevie, however, Remembrance carries another message about the importance of recognising the sacrifices made by veterans who are still with us.
He said:
“Remembrance Day is a time to think about those who never came home, but also the friends and colleagues we served alongside and the sacrifices they made.
“I think about the people I knew during my time in the RAF, particularly those who lost their lives, and members of my own family who served, some of whom are sadly no longer with us.
“I’ve always felt that Remembrance should also be about those who are still here.
“There are veterans across the country living with the physical and mental effects of their service, sometimes many years after leaving the Armed Forces.
“Just because someone has taken off their uniform doesn’t mean the impact of their service has gone away.
“I know what it feels like to think you’ve been forgotten.
“When I had to leave the RAF, I lost the camaraderie and sense of belonging that had been such a big part of my life.
“Erskine has given me that back.
“It’s the friendships, the banter and being around people who understand what you’ve been through.
“Remembrance is about making sure those who served are never forgotten, and that includes the veterans who are still with us today.”
That sense of belonging has returned through Erskine’s £1.6 million Veterans Activity Centre in Forres, which opened in December 2025.
The centre has already welcomed more than 800 members, providing a place where former servicemen and women can find friendship, support and opportunities to take part in activities together.
From sport and recreation to arts, wellbeing programmes and learning new skills, the centre offers something that many veterans miss after leaving military life: the company of people who understand their experiences.
Stevie will attend Wednesday’s commemorations alongside fellow veterans and the centre’s manager, Davie Grant.
Davie said:
“Remembrance Day is an important occasion for our veterans and the wider Forres community.
“It gives us an opportunity to come together, pay our respects and remember the sacrifices made by generations of servicemen and women.
“Many of our members have lost friends and colleagues during their service, and Remembrance Day gives them an opportunity to reflect on those experiences and the people they served alongside.
“Stevie’s story also highlights the importance of the support we provide here in Forres.
“We want every veteran who comes through our doors to feel valued, supported and part of a community where their service is recognised.”
As wreaths are laid and heads are bowed at memorials across the country, Stevie’s words offer a reminder that the consequences of service do not always end when the uniform is put away.
Some sacrifices are remembered in stone, while others are carried quietly by the men and women who came home.
