19/07/2026
Honoured to be part of the fundraising team raising funds to purchase a headstone for this remarkable gentleman. If are able to donate please follow the GoFundMe link https://gofund.me/2e0c8ba7f
"The last time I left Orkney, they tried to shoot me."
That was Joe's response when he was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive his MBE.
Joe (John William Cload MBE) wasn't joking.
A proud Royal Engineer, Joe witnessed the first German air raid on Scapa Flow, survived the torpedoing of his troopship in the Mediterranean, and went on to serve in North Africa, Egypt, Italy and Greece. As one of just 200 Sappers, he helped build the Amazon Bailey Bridge under relentless shellfire during the Battle of Monte Cassino—an engineering achievement that helped turn the tide of the campaign and came at a terrible cost.
When the war ended, Joe returned home to Orkney. He never sought recognition, only to serve his community. For decades he dedicated himself to preserving the Hackness Battery and Tower, work that eventually earned him an MBE. True to his character, he politely declined the trip to London, saying simply, "The last time I left Orkney, they tried to shoot me."
Joe passed away in 2020, aged 100. Despite a lifetime of service to King and Country, and to the people of Orkney, he lies in an unmarked grave.
It's such a lovely part of my job to support causes like this. We're helping to raise funds to provide Joe with the headstone he so richly deserves—a permanent tribute to a remarkable Royal Engineer, veteran, and one of Orkney's quiet heroes.
The biography extract has been shared by kind permission of its author, Amanda Tickle, whose wonderful work ensures Joe's story will continue to inspire future generations.
If Joe's story resonates with you, particularly if you've worn the Royal Engineers cap badge, please consider supporting this appeal or sharing it with your fellow veterans.
👉 https://gofund.me/ea222f74f
