St Valery Memories Publication

Description

Cruinneachadh de naidheachdan a bha aig balaich Leòdhais a bha nam prìsonaich aig àm an darna cogadh

The 2018 publication St Valery Memories includes information from soldiers from the Isle of Lewis, taken prisoners of war at St Valery-en-Caux 12th June 1940.

The 44 page publication includes the mens’ in depth accounts, of their 5 years in captivity and information and camp pictures were contributed more recently by their families. Interviews and collated  content is by Magaidh Smith.

Research by Malcolm MacDonald Stornoway Historical Society includes lists of the island men serving in the Ross Mountain Battery, the Seaforth and Cameron Highlanders who were captured and held in the prison camps.

90 volunteer soldiers based at the Drill Hall in Stornoway, part of Ross Mountain Anti-Tank Battery left for France in September 1939. Others Lewis men were regular soldiers in the Seaforth Highlanders.

The information in the publication was exhibited during specific events in the community in the Isle of Lewis 2010-2018

Grateful thanks to all those who contributed information.

Review

Thank you for the book it arrived this morning. I have been immersed in it since opening it. It makes quite compelling reading. I am not from Lewis but my father was taken prisoner at St Valery and I am (tentatively) trying to research what happened to him. I thought your book would give some insights into pow experience – which it has!