Navy veteran searching for tortoise shipmate he last saw 60 years ago

A Moray based navy veteran is trying to track down a former shipmate of his - a tortoise called Theresa.

In 1964, Simon Murdoch was a young sailor when his Royal Navy vessel, HMS Owen, visited the Seychelles.

The crew was presented with a gift from the Governor, the Earl of Oxford and Asquith, a five foot tortoise.

Theresa was just 35 at the time, barely middle-aged in tortoise years, with Simon tasked with her care, feeding her daily, taking her for walks on deck, and even polishing her shell until it shone.

Now 88, Simon said: “When you’re at sea, you form bonds with your shipmates, and Theresa was as much a shipmate as anyone.

"I’d be up early to check on her, make sure she had fresh greens and water. She wasn’t quick to trust, but over time she came to recognise me.

"If she wanted a walk, I’d lead her around the deck, and she’d follow at her own pace. People might laugh, but you could tell she had her own personality.

"She was steady, calm, and I always felt she enjoyed the company.

“I looked after her, and she looked after me too. When we handed her over to Plymouth Zoo, I thought I’d see her again.

"But life takes you in different directions, and I’ve often wondered, is she still alive? Did she have a good life? If she’s still here, she’d be well over 90.

"It would mean the world to know what happened to her.”

Simon now spends much of his time at the Erskine Veterans Activity Centre in Forres, the charity’s first hub in the north of Scotland, based in the former Victoria Hotel.

The centre provides a lifeline for veterans in Moray and the Highlands, offering everything from social activities and skills workshops to specialist welfare advice through its “One-Stop-Shop” service.

Wing Commander Ian Cumming MBE, Erskine’s Chief Executive, said: “Simon’s story is a reminder of the unique and sometimes extraordinary experiences our veterans have. These memories are part of their identity, and they deserve to be heard, respected and shared.

“Erskine exists to provide a place where veterans can connect, not just with services, but with each other, with their own history, and with the wider community. Stories like Simon’s capture the imagination, but they also highlight something important: the bonds formed in service never truly fade.

“At our Forres Activity Centre, we see every day how reconnecting with those bonds, whether through shared memories, new friendships, or finding practical support, can transform someone’s outlook. That’s why places like EVAC North matter. We are proud to be part of Simon’s journey in trying to solve this mystery, and we’d be delighted if the public could help him find out what became of Theresa.”

Anyone with information about Theresa’s fate is asked to contact Erskine at Erskine EVAC North - [email protected]