51st Highland Division’s role in liberating France

Those who attended the latest in the winter lecture series at The Black Watch Museum were regaled with the tale of the 51st Highland Division’s ‘Battle for France’.

A group synonymous with Perth, the 51st featured many local Black Watch troops and was used to slow the advance of German troops as the British Expeditionary Force made its escape at Dunkirk in 1940.

Following a 10-day battle they were rounded up and captured at the Normandy fishing village of St Valery en Caux and placed in prisoner of war camps in Germany and Poland.

The reformed division, however, returned to France four years later to play a key role in its liberation.

The lecture, by Ruari Halford-MacLeod, referred specifically to the reminiscences of wireless operator George Arnott of Crieff and Tom Renouf from Musselburgh.

Later lectures will focus on the Indian Mutiny on February 9 and The Black Watch in Korea on March 9.