Dunkirk and the 51st Highland Division

[Schiehallion]

...and following their surrender and transfer to an Austrian Castle as prisoners of war, the officers devised a Scottish Country Dance , which became known as The Reel of the 51st Division. This kept up moral and had as part of the dance a pattern based on the saltire of the regimental badge. SCDancers will know the dance well.

[BoldHighlander]

51st Highland Division surrender at St. Valery-en-Caux.
12th June 1940


L/Cpl James Wilson (A&SH's), one of the three escapees
who spoke Gaelic to evade capture at St Valéry.


The 51st Highland Division Pipe Band at Oflag VII
B Prisoner of War camp, Eichstett, Germany, 3 June 1943.


St Valéry Memorial 1950


The Beaches Of St Valéry

It was in 1940 the last days of Spring
We were sent to the Maginot line
A fortress in France built to halt the advance of an army from a different time
For we were soon overrun out-fought and outgunned
Pushed further back every day
But we never believed high command would leave us
So we fought every inch of the way
Till the 51st Highlanders found themselves on the banks of the Somme one more time
It still bore the scars of that war to end wars
The old soldiers scars deep in their minds
But we couldn't stay long for the Panzers rolled on
And the battle raged west towards the sea
Then on June the 10th when sapped of all strength
I entered St Valéry

Chorus

And all I recall was the last boat leavin!
My brother on board waving and calling to me
And the Jocks stranded there wi' their hands in the air
On the beaches of St Valéry
So I huddled all night in a hammered old house
As the shells and the bullets rained down
Next morning at dawn my hope was still strong
For we moved to the beach from the town
But the boat that had left on the day we arrived
Was the only one we'd ever see
And with no ammo or food we had done all we could
So we surrendered at St Valéry

Chorus

When I returned at the end of the war
From the stalag where I'd been confined
I read of the battles the allies had fought
Stalingrad, Alamein, and the Rhine
Wi' pride in their hearts people spoke of Dunkirk where defeat had become victory
But nobody mentioned the Highland Division
They'd never heard of St Valéry

Chorus

No stories no statues for those that were killed
No honours for those that were caught
Just a deep sense of shame as though we were to blame
Though I knew in my heart we were not.
So I've moved to a country I've come to call home
But my homeland is far o'er the sea
I will never return while my memories still burn
On the beaches of St Valéry

[sp00ky]

As the descendant of a Scot who also left his blood on a French beach.. a different one, called Dieppe.

That darn near brought tears to my eyes, probably would have if I was't sitting at my desk at work.

Wow!

[skauwt]

thanks for this post
my grandfather was a rear guard gunner who was captured at st valery and these past few days ive been making sure my family's children remember the deeds there great grandfather did for this country

[gordontaos]

Thank you for remembering those heros who have made our present life what it is.

Gordon