Highlander's Tenacity

In this action the Camerons and the Seaforths specially distinguished themselves for fearless tenacity in driving ahead.
But the most supreme courage could not stand against the tremendous firepower of the enemy which was later supported by intense aerial low-dive bombing attacks. Although an almost incredible advance was made in the face of such opposition, only certain objectives could be reached and the small salient in front of the bridgehead was not wiped out.

HIGHLAND DIVISION’S GALLANT FIGHT

How the famous 51st Highland Division fought with a gallantry in keeping with its glorious traditions is told here by arrangement by the only officer of the 152nd and 153rd Brigades, which were captured by the Germans at St Valery-en-Caux on June 12 to escape to England.

That officer, accompanied by a naval officer, who had been sent out to superintend the proposed evacuation of the two brigades by the Navy, succeeded in getting away from a German prisoners-of-war camp in France on the eve of the removal of the prisoners by train into Germany.

After obtaining civilian clothing they managed, after walking for days, to reach the coast of England after being two days and nights in rough weather in a small boat, which they had appropriated.

On May 20th ten days after the Germans invaded Holland and Belgium writes Douglas Williams, “Daily Telegraph” war correspondent the 51st (Highland) Division was holding a portion of the French line in front of the Maginot forts in the Metz area.

Three weeks later in the storm of the German blitzkrieg two of the brigades found themselves prisoners of war: the third, the 154th (Black Watch and Argyll’s), was on its way home to England, having been evacuated from Havre on June 11.

The French High Command had decided to send this division north to the Somme.

After delay and much confusion owing to repeated change of orders, in the course of which the division’s artillery and transport became temporarily lost, it finally arrived on May 27, on the line of the River Bresle from which it was sent forward to the Abbeville area to defend the Somme bridgeheads, in conjunction with units of the French Ninth Corps.

GORDONS’ GALLANT FIGHTING

Very heavy fighting developed from June 1 onwards and combined attacks by the French assisted by the 152nd and 153rd Brigades, at dawn on June 4 failed to secure the bridgehead and the division suffered heavy casualties, especially the 152nd Brigade (Seaforths and Camerons).

A particularly brilliant incident of this day’s fighting was the highly successful attack by the Gordons against enemy forces, strongly entrenched in the Grand Bois: the position was carried after the most gallant fighting, and the whole wood cleared of the enemy.

Heavy enemy pressure, however, finally made a withdrawal inevitable and the division fell back again to the line of the Bresle, where at one time it occupied a front more than eighteen miles long.

These positions, however could only be held for three days and on the night of June 8 a further withdrawal was carried out to the line of the River la Bethune.

Next morning (June 9) the 154th Brigade, later christened the Ark Force, was detached and ordered back to defend the Havre area, to take up a line running due south from Fecamp in the hope that it could hold it until the other two brigades could join them.

Heavy Attacks

Finally, on the evening of June 10, the remaining two brigades moved back along the coast line via Dieppe, to take up their final positions round St Valery-en Caux. A bridgehead was formed around St Valery, the southern portion being held by units of the French Ninth Corps. The eastern face by the 153rd Brigade and the western area by the 152nd Brigade.

The following days the enemy appeared in force and launched heavy attacks with large numbers of tanks assisted by very accurate mortar fire and the co-operation of masses of aircraft against which, apart from found fire, we had little protection.

Heavy casualties were suffered by the 153rd Brigade (Gordon Highlanders and Black Watch).

The men, however, held on gallantly throughout the day and the enemy failed to break through at any point on the eastern wing.

Increasing fire, however, especially from heavy mortars, guided by accurate directionfrom the air, made the line increasingly difficult to hold.

At night the order was received to withdraw to the beaches and for the troops to embark at St Valery where vessels were to be sent to receive them.