The Long Road Home. Quite a Tale!

Angus "Angie" Gunn my Father

My father as well as many local men from North Argyll and Oban fought with the Argylls and the Norfolks of the 51st Highland Division at the rear guard action of St Valery which sacrificed thousands of men, partly so that Dunkirk was a success. They fought on hard against Rommel's troops for many days after Dunkirk was over and done with before surrender 12th June. This sacrifice was not acknowledged until 50 years later. Possibly because it was contentious and an embarrassment to Churchill. The privations of "the long walk" both to the salt mines and logging camps in Silesia, then escaping the Russians back west at the wars end cost many Highlanders lives.

Audio Interview With the Three Escapee's  https://youtu.be/pEk-B5JQhBM

Information on the Sty Valery Surrender and its lead up  https://51hd.co.uk/history/valery_1940

The three men in this story showed remarkable initiative and this story is worthy of any Hollywood movie.  As a wee boy I remember "the blood" telling the tale at a Glencoe Village Hall Celeidh and also my Dad and "Ginger" talking about the war up at the Elliots Cottage where we would go at New Year. From what I gathered in conversation I don't think it was as easy as this understated interview leads you to suspect. And of course things occurred that are best not in print. It was war after all.