A researcher at the Gordon Highlanders Museum is set to launch a new work, recounting incredible tales of north-east soldiers’ experiences during the Second World War.
Stewart Mitchell’s book, St Valery and its Aftermath: The Gordon Highlanders Capture in France in 1940, chronicles the time during the German offensive when the 51st (Highland) Division, including the 1st and 5th Battalions Gordon Highlanders, were separated from the British Expeditionary Force.
At the official launch at the museum on Friday, it’s expected he will be joined by veterans from the regiment, 100-year-old Keith Boardman and James Nicol, 97, who were both involved in a heroic stand at St Valery-en-Caux.
The division eventually surrendered when fog thwarted efforts to evacuate them.
This led to the capture of myriad soldiers. But, while they were all Gordon Highlanders, they did not all have the same experiences while they were in captivity.
The treatment in the camps to which they were sent varied dramatically, as did the work they were forced to do.
In 2005, Mr Mitchell became a volunteer researcher at the Gordon Highlanders Museum, which is under threat of closure unless £300,000 can be raised during the next three years to keep it running.
While working there, Mr Mitchell’s passion for the history of the Gordon Highlanders was ignited, and he wants others to learn about the battle which devastated the north-east.
He said: “We answer questions here from members of the public who might have had family that were involved and want to know what their grandfather did in the war and that kind of thing. As I was researching that, it was obvious there was a wealth of information.
“Hardly anybody has heard of St Valery, but around 1,500 to 2,000 were killed. It would have been like taking the population of Inverurie and Kemnay and wiping it out in one go. It was the worst military disaster ever suffered by Scotland.
“We have people coming from Shetland, from England, Glasgow and Edinburgh. We’ve invited people from a long way away to come to the launch. Two people are coming that were there. They are 100 and 97. They were around 20 at the time so there won’t be many left now.”
The book costs £25 and will be available from the museum on Friday.