51st Highland Divison and St Valery en Caux remembered

“Uist and in Lewis”

Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil has today said that we should remember with pride what the soldiers of the Highland 51st division achieved at St Valery on the 12th of June 1940. Many of these soldiers came from communities in the Highlands and Islands, with many from the Western Isles among the men that were captured by German forces in the small coastal village of St Valery en Caux in France. Mr MacNeil today (Friday) attended an exhibition  at the  premises of the Kinloch Historical Society, which featured pictures, stories and memorabilia relating to the Lewis men who where at St Valery.

Commenting Angus MacNeil MP said:

“After the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk the 51^St Highland Division had been left behind in France and fought on for roughly a further week as part of what was left of the BEF.  Many Hebrideans in the  Seaforth and Cameron as well as the Ross Battery were in the 51^St Highland Division and those who survived the fighting were mostly taken prisoner for the rest of the war in Germany and Poland.  The anniversary has been marked in Uist and in Lewis.

“On the day of battle”

“In Laxay I visited the Kinloch Historical Society’s collection of memorabilia in Lochs and saw bagpipes given by the Red Cross to Seaforth piper Angus Ferguson who used them on the 1300 km long forced March at the end of the war. Also a ceilidh programme from one of the Stalag camps where the men, at the time Gaelic speakers from all over the Highands, had set up a branch of An Comunn Gaidhealach.

“The time, 70 years ago was very tense with men who were captured being posted missing as facts were unknown just after  the battle preceding  surrender at St Valery en Caux with one house from on Kenneth Street Stornoway having 3 men posted as missing.

“The actions of the 51^St in 1940 helped many others escape although they faced death or captivity for 5 years after.  Ultimately when you read about them you feel pride, amazement and a sense of gratitude that our generations did not have to face these dangers of mass war.

“It is good to ponder the words on the memoriam at St Valery; “La a bhlair is math na cairdean”; “On the day of battle it is good to have friends.”

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