The extraordinary story of a prisoner of war and the duck he refused to leave behind

This little-known wartime story is one that will melt even the toughest of hearts. Trust us.

As we mark 80 years since VJ Day, buckle in for the incredible story of a brave Scottish soldier, a prisoner of war camp, and one very lucky duck.

In 1942, following the fall of Singapore, Corporal Willie Gray of the Gordon Highlanders was captured by Japanese forces and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Thailand.

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Life there was brutal.

Conditions were harsh, and hope was in short supply.

But in the middle of unimaginable suffering, something quite remarkable happened.

While at the Chungkai camp near the River Kwai, Gray and his fellow prisoners spotted two tiny ducklings being swept away by floodwaters.

Without hesitation, Willie dived into the fast-moving river, risking his life.

And – incredibly – not only did he survive the dangerous current, but he also managed to rescue one of the tiny ducklings.

A scruffy little duck he named… Donald.

Yes – like Donald Duck. Yes – Donald turned out to be a girl.

But being a proud Scotsman, the name "Donald" felt right. It was Scottish enough, and it stuck.

It's no surprise that pets weren't exactly welcome in a prisoner of war camp.

But from that moment on, Willie had a new mission: Keep Donald alive.

Guards convinced Donald was a sacred duck

This was no easy task – especially when the guards were eyeing her up for dinner.

So, in a stroke of genius, Willie and the other prisoners came up with a plan.

They convinced the guards that Donald was a sacred duck.

To sell the lie, they even got down on their knees and prayed to her every single day.

And Holy Duck… it worked.

Donald was spared.

She soon became part of daily camp life, laying more than 200 eggs during her time there.

Her presence lifted spirits – and she was adored by the British prisoners and even won over the Japanese guards.

When the war ended in 1945 and repatriation began, troops were ordered to leave everything behind – including animals – due to fears they could carry and spread disease.

But after all they'd been through, Willie couldn't just leave Donald behind.

He gently bound her wings, beak, and legs, placed her inside his kit bag, and smuggled her aboard the RMS Corfu – a Royal Mail ship returning soldiers to Britain.

Saved again

Halfway through the voyage, Donald was discovered waddling on deck.

The captain demanded to know who owned "this bloody duck", and once again, Donald looked dangerously close to becoming someone's dinner.

But after a long debate among soldiers and crew, it was decided that one duck wasn't worth the trouble.

Donald was saved again!

Still, her journey wasn't over.

As they sailed into colder waters, Donald – a tropical duck – began to suffer from the chill.

But the soldiers weren't about to let her down.

They unravelled their own clothing and knitted her a tiny wool jumper to keep her warm (we have desperately tried to find any photographs of Donald in her tiny knitted sweater, but unfortunately, we have come up short).

Against all odds, in October 1945, Willie and Donald arrived safely in the UK.

After eight long years away, Gray returned to his home in Forgue, Aberdeenshire, with Donald waddling proudly beside him.

The pair remained inseparable.

Locals say they were often spotted walking to the village pub. Willie striding ahead, and Donald faithfully following behind.

Donald lived out her days in the Aberdeenshire countryside.

She even became a mother, raising ducklings that later spread out across the local area.

A quiet legacy born from one extraordinary friendship.

Some war stories are about bravery on the battlefield.

This one is about loyalty, love… and a man who refused to leave his duck behind.

Cover image: Used by kind permission of DC Thomson & Co Ltd