Forgotten Scots

As the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk approaches, I watched two TV programmes on Sunday evening on the evacuation.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st May 2010, 20:04 BST
Updated 31st May 2010, 20:12 BST

The first did well to remind us of the French troops abandoned at Dunkirk. The second, presented by famous military historian Richard Holmes, rightly mentioned the heroism of several English battalions fighting gallant rearguard actions to hold back the German advance. Both presenters repeated the famous signal of 2 June, 1940: "B.E.F. evacuated."

This was not strictly true. Along the coast at St Valery-en-Caux, the 51st Highland Division was still fighting under French command. On 12 June, the division, consisting of mainly territorial battalions of the five Highland regiments, was forced to surrender. The survivors faced five long years as prisoners of war. It seems strange that neither of the programmes felt it worthwhile to mention this sacrifice of so many Scottish soldiers.

IAIN HALL

Georgina Place

Scone, Perthshire