Company expands scope of system to reach France but reduces planned fiber count and capacity Subsea cable firm IOEMA is expanding the scope of its planned debut cable to land on the UK’s East Coast Exa this week announced it has been chosen as one of IOMEA’s landing parties in the UK The cable will land at Exa's cable landing station (CLS) in Leiston Exa’s CLS in Leiston was previously used to house the Concerto 1 Cable; a system linking the UK to the Netherlands launched in 1999 by Flute and Interoute group Interoute was acquired by GTT in 2018 for $2.3 billion; I Squared Capital acquired GTT’s infrastructure division in 2021 and subsequently launched Exa SVP of strategic investments and product management at Exa Infrastructure said: "Being selected as the landing partner for this advanced fiber-optic project highlights our expertise in delivering complex subsea landing solutions Our commitment to providing diversity and resiliency through our extensive owned fiber network in Europe positions us as a market leader in enabling advanced connectivity." added: ‘We are thrilled to announce our Landing Partnership for our second UK Landing point in Leiston Working with Exa Infrastructure enables IOEMA to link to one of Europe’s largest infrastructure footprints and beyond IOEMA Fibre announced plans for a new high-capacity cable between the UK and Norway via the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark last year the system was set to span 1,400km and feature 48 multi-core fiber pairs in a presentation at the Subsea Networks EMEA event in London this week noted the company has since expanded the system’s route but reduced its capacity IOEMA is now targeting just 24 fiber pairs (not multicore) He said this was due to supplier issues – with multicore fiber potentially adding years to the deployment IOEMA aims to have a contract in force this year for a 2027 RFS The system will have DAS at each of the landing stations and the company is exploring using SMART repeaters to add more environmental sensing to the cable IOEMA has added two further planned landing points The company is adding a second Dutch landing The extension will take the cable to around 1,600km the cable is set to land in St-Valery-en-Caux in Normandy in the CLS previously used to house the TAT-14 cable Colt is the system’s other UK landing partner set to land in Dumpton Gap in Southeast England in a CLS previously used for the Tangerine and Pan-European Crossing cables IOEMA is partnering with Eurofiber and QTS Landing in a CLS previously hosting the VSNL/TGN Northern Europe cable the new cable will terminate in QTS’s Eemshaven data center Eurofiber is also the landing partner at the new additional site in the Hague/Rotterdam the fiber company is partnering with Arelion and will host at a landing station in Blaabjerg that previously hosted the TAT-14 cable system IOEMA is partnering with utility EWE for a new CLS in Wilhelmshaven on the north coast The cable will terminate in Norway at a new CLS at Bulk’s campus in Kristiansand and connect to Bulk’s fiber systems in the country Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia marks 80 years since the Battle of St Valery-en-caux As the British Expeditionary Force was withdrawing from France the 51st Highland Division were tasked by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to work with the French forces “Britain would never abandon her ally in her hour of need.” What Happened At The Battle Of St Valery-en-Caux The 51st Highland Division drew up a perimeter around the town of St Valery to help defend it from the German forces; 2nd Seaforths 1st Gordons and 4th Camerons were on the west 5th Gordons and 1st Black Watch on the East Royal Scotts Fusiliers (Pioneers) covered the gap it was poorly co-ordinated and so ended in heavy casualties The German counter-attack gave the 51st Highland Division The Germans had pushed through on the east which meant the 2nd Seaforths were cut off from their fellow soldiers.  Major General VM Fortune put the request in to be evacuated on June 11 the 51st Highland Division continued their defence against the Germans "The Navy will probably make an effort to take us off by boat "I wish all ranks to realise that this can only be achieved by the full co-operation of everyone the opposition was keen to avoid another Dunkirk and so put four divisions in place to attack and prevent the British forces evacuating The Royal Navy and a flotilla of 67 merchant ships and 140 small vessels were organised very similar to the evacuation of Dunkirk just days before to rescue the 10,000 soldiers still fighting on the French coast The Germans held vital positions on top of the cliff overlooking the harbour making evacuation very difficult and very dangerous The ships and boats sent to rescue them arrived on June 10 but after coming under attack and finding none of the British Forces there As the 51st waited in hope for an escape while still defending their positions the French Forces surrendered at 8am on June 12 . A short while later Major General Fortune and the 51st Highland Division also surrendered to the German troops Heavy fog and rain had prevented a second rescue attempt from the ships waiting out at sea just beyond the harbour Those that had survived the fighting were captured and spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner of war camp.  BFBS Scotland presenter Jim Gellatly spoke to one of the veterans of the Battle “Nobody told us that there was such a place as Dunkirk With thanks to the Museum of The Royal Regiment of Scotland Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe to: Thousands of pipers around the world joined in yesterday’s tribute to commemorate the 80th anniversary of St Valéry around 10,000 Allied soldiers were taken prisoner there The 51st (Highland) Infantry Division suffered huge losses Those participating included former Armed Forces Pipe Majors Alistair Duthie and the Sovereign’s Piper The Black Watch) playing his tribute at the Memorial to the 51st on the North Inch park in Perth Just over 500 pipers had registered their particiaption considerably more took part with pipers from as far afield as Peru and Kathmandu joining in a rendition of Pipe Major Donald MacLean’s Heroes of St Valéry the tune he composed after his capture at St Valéry MacLean He spent the next four years as a prisoner of war The Second World War battle led to 10,000 mainly Scottish soldiers from the 51st Highland Division being captured at St Valéry-en-Caux They had continued the fight on the continent in support of the French after the Dunkirk evacuations had been completed Also taking part in the commemorations was the Prince of Wales who took the salute from a piper at him home at Birkhall on Deeside In a message of support for the commemorations the 51st Highland Division with supporting arms and services was forced to surrender to the German army at St Valéry-en-Caux on the Normandy coast of France pipers throughout Scotland and further afield were on their doorsteps playing the celebrated march in honour of the fallen and to remember a battle in which those of the Division displayed the greatest courage and tenacity We remember all who served and who sacrificed so much.” Yesterday’s tribute was instigated by three leading Scottish Armed Forces charities: Poppyscotland; Legion Scotland; and RCET: Scotland’s Armed Forces Children’s Charity The public is being asked to support the St Valéry tribute through a fundraising campaign which will support the work of the three charities Standard network rates may apply but the charities will receive the full donation amount PoppyScotland produced this montage of pipers playing the Heroes of St Valéry yesterday: Bagpiping features and news from around the international piping community Contact us: news@bagpipe.news © Bagpipe News - The National Piping Centre West Highland Free Press – www.whfp.com A call has gone out for pipers in the shinty community to mark the 80th anniversary of the 51st Highland Division’s desperate last stand during the battle at St Valery en Caux on 12th June They did not know it at the time but for the 51st (Highland) Division was to become one of the most important dates in the history of their regiments arguably the equivalent of the battle of Festubert in World War I which had a colossal and catastrophic impact of shinty playing communities Both battles are seared in the memory of many families still involved with the game The contribution through piping towards the special commemoration which has been organised for next Tuesday is being organised by Shinty Memories Scotland the project which uses archive material to help people with dementia or suffering from isolation and loneliness Shinty Memories will also be telling some of the stories involving the period after the battle Shinty Memories ambassador John MacKenzie said: “The name St Valery is right up there with all he battles which have had tragic consequences for many families who were “Some of our greatest players and individuals were involved at St Valery.  Many lost their lives but some also made their way home by various means “There are tales of shinty in the Stalags which bear re-telling but behind it all will be our thoughts and feelings about the grave events which impacted so cruelly on our communities “Piping is also an integral part of our sport and community and we know how important that was in the war.  This is a very appropriate way to recognise the events of 1942.” There are two ways shinty’s pipers can take part of the commemoration of St Valery which is scheduled for next Tuesday (June 12) at 10am There is the formal commemoration at that point it is hoped that as many shinty’s pipers will play the tune “Heroes of St Valery” and record it as a short video for use on the Shinty Memories Facebook page In the interim various stories relating to events before and after St Valery on will be posted on the Shinty Memories Scotland Facebook page The tune “Heroes of St Valéry was composed by Lewis-born Pipe Major Donald MacLean who enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders in 1940 when Nazi Germany invaded France He was subsequently attached to the 51st Highland Division A week after the mass-evacuations from Dunkirk the 51st remained on the continent under French command They put up a fierce final defence against the Nazi onslaught after more than ten days of intense fighting plans for a Dunkirk-style evacuation were put in place A combination of poor weather and the proximity of German artillery made escape impossible and the Division was forced to surrender on 12th June 1940 following a final battle at St-Valéry-en-Caux Donald survived a harrowing forced march from France to Poland with little food or shelter and was held as a POW for the remainder of the war He went on to compose Heroes of St Valéry to commemorate those who fought and fell there including the pipers and drummers who rest in the well cared for military cemetery above the town Poppyscotland and RCET: Scotland’s Armed Forces Children’s Charity have joined forces to organise the tribute which will also include online learning resources for young people virtual tributes and a fundraising campaign to support the vital work of these important military charities pipers throughout Scotland and all over the world will take the opportunity to play Heroes of St Valéry Shinty players and the wider community are encouraged to play their own part The public is being asked to support the St Valéry tribute through a fundraising campaign which will support the work of the three charities To register interest in taking part in the formal commemoration, and to download the pipe tune visit https://www.poppyscotland.org.uk/get-involved/saint-valery/ Home   News   Article The World War II battle of Saint-Valery-en-Caux in northern France mainly involved the 51st Highland Division and resulted in the deaths of 1000 men At least 4000 men were wounded and 10,000 were taken prisoner They had remained in France following the successful mass evacuations at Dunkirk and had fought almost continuously for 10 days against overwhelming odds until finding themselves surrounded by German forces A series of events will take place tomorrow including a small commemoration at the war memorial in Cavell Gardens Pipers across Scotland and around the world will also take to their doorsteps at 10am to play the haunting march The Beaches of St Valery by Dr Stuart Hepburn chairman of the Seaforth Highlanders’ Regimental Association and a military history enthusiast has previously visited the graves of the fallen at Saint Valery He outlined why the men from the 51st Highland Division – including soldiers from the Black Watch and the Queens Own Cameron Seaforth and Gordon Highlanders – did not have a Dunkirk-style evacuation Having been detached from the main British forces the plan was to retreat west for a similar escape using a flotilla of ships which had sailed from Britain but unfortunately things were working against them,” Mr Shanks said “The mist came down and the Germans advanced very quickly.” With the ships unable to make it to shore and German artillery above the town evacuation was impossible and the division commander took the difficult decision to surrender on June 12 His men were exhausted and virtually out of ammunition “He could have attacked but he would have lost more lives,” Mr Shanks said “Certainly there was nothing to be ashamed of in the surrender under those circumstances The boys did their best and could hold their heads high “The Germans were so strong and it was not possible to hold out against them.” Those captured were marched to prisoner of war camps in eastern Europe where they endured hardship for the rest of the war but in a bid to maintain public morale little was mentioned of the surrender and many did not speak about it afterwards Mr Shanks said: “Many myths came up – a lot of people suggested Winston Churchill had allowed them to be taken and sacrificed but a number of books say this was not the case.” To ensure future generations will know what happened Legion Scotland and Royal Caledonian Education Trust have come together to launch new learning resources other events include an interactive Facebook live lesson tomorrow There will also be a special broadcast at 3pm on the charities’ social media pages of Heroes of St Valery which was first performed as part of A Pie A Pint and A Play at Glasgow’s Oran Mor in March Related: St Valery rallying call for pipers Invergordon mural recalls long march heroes Exploits of 'forgotten 51st' come into focus Taking part in the piping tribute in Ross-shire If you would like to share video clips or pictures Click here for more news They were the forgotten victims of the Second World War – from all across the north of Scotland – who suffered in their thousands It will be 80 years on Friday since the surrender of the 51st (Highland) Division who experienced horrific loss of life in the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation in France Time’s passing hasn’t diminished the scale of the disaster nor lessened the grief felt by the families of the thousands of men who were killed or forced into a gruelling march from St Valery-en-Caux to prisoner of war camps from The Black Watch and the Queen’s Own Cameron were captured during the hostilities and spent the remainder of the conflict as prisoners just days after the successful mass evacuations at Dunkirk thousands of British troops remained on continental Europe under French command Largely comprised of men from the 51st (Highland) Division they fought almost continuously for 10 days against overwhelming odds until they were eventually surrounded at St Valery Plans were devised to extricate the soldiers and orchestrate an escape route But a combination of fog and the proximity of German artillery above the town prevented the awaiting flotilla of ships from reaching shore and the men who had been clinging to the hope of being rescued gradually realised the “cavalry” wasn’t coming a retired British Army officer and historian of the 51st (Highland) Division said: “The division – initially about 20,000 strong – comprised nine battalions of the Highland infantry regiments with supporting arms and services “They had been detached from the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and therefore managed to escape encirclement around Dunkirk they were conducting a fighting withdrawal west from the Somme under French command the speed of the German advance was such that they despite hopes that they would escape through Le Havre “Part of the division did get to Le Havre to secure it for evacuation and escaped but the remainder were cut off and surrounded at the little fishing town of St-Valery-en-Caux a flotilla of 67 merchant ships and 140 small vessels were organised and then despatched from several British ports but the inclement weather and the German artillery who were overlooking the town meant that any evacuation on the night of June 11 was impossible who was commanding what remained of the Division considered all the options – a counter-attack there was no possibility of evacuation or support “The men had been fighting almost continuously for 10 days against overwhelming odds They were exhausted and virtually out of ammunition General Fortune took the most difficult of decisions – to surrender village or hamlet in the Highlands and beyond which was not directly affected by the loss it is time that the memory of those who fought and fell at St Valery is remembered in a national tribute for the first time.” a volunteer researcher at the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen has investigated the campaign and written a book about it He told the Press and Journal: “The country recently commemorated the 75th anniversary of VE Day which marked the end of the Second World War in Europe “Among those celebrating the outcome in 1945 were thousands of newly liberated men who had spent five long years as POWs forced to support the Nazi war effort doing hard labour in mines “Many were captured at St Valery in the worst military disaster affecting Scotland during the war there are many myths surrounding the surrender of the 51st (Highland) Division I often hear (from visitors) that a relative was captured when the Highland regiments were sacrificed by Winston Churchill ordering them to defend the Dunkirk perimeter so that others could be evacuated “This belief developed because the need to maintain public morale had turned the disaster of the rout of the British Expeditionary Force into ‘the miracle of Dunkirk’ The bad news of the surrender of the 51st (Highland) Division just 10 days after the last ships sailed from Dunkirk “This was compounded by the reluctance of the men involved to speak about their experiences relatives of these brave troops often remark ‘He never spoke about it’ after returning home so the myth went unchallenged and became accepted.” many courageous acts took place as the desperate Scottish soldiers did their utmost to respond to what was a grievous situation was commanding a defensive position when two Germans issued a surrender demand who had no thought of accepting such an ultimatum refused and finished his exchange with the enemy by affirming: “Take that back to your general” The tidal harbour limited the large ships berthing and the evacuation of thousands of soldiers was difficult There was still hope they could be retrieved feared this was an increasingly slender prospect but discovered the 300ft sheer cliffs stretched as far as the eye could see they tied their rifle slings together to lower themselves down the cliff the fighting continued across the area and heavy casualties were suffered as evidenced by the number of Scottish names in the war cemetery in St Valery was among those serving with the 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders when he was killed in action at Blosseville He was buried by his comrades but his grave was lost in the mists of time and By the morning of June 12 it was clear to General Fortune that the situation was hopeless Heavy rain and fog had prevented the Royal Navy and the other boats from reaching the harbour the previous night and with the Germans assembled in force on the cliffs above the town they could not approach the shore in daylight who subsequently became better known for his role in the North African campaign The men were ordered to lay down their arms and were marched off into captivity slipped through enemy lines and got to the pier by daybreak but found it was being raked by enemy machine-gun fire he took two men with Bren guns and returned to the beach only to be confronted by a tableau of utter chaos with soldiers lying dead and dying one beached and the other lying only some 300 yards offshore but their efforts to reach the vessels attracted the attention of a German machine-gun post and they ran to the beached vessel and climbed on board to find it full of wounded soldiers The Germans fired armour-piercing shells and threw grenades down the cliff so Sgt Fullerton and Corporal Bill Grant swam to the shore where a group of Germans were waiting for them with machine-guns The latter allowed the Scots to put on their boots and marched them off to the top of the cliffs where the lower part and seafront was in ruins with burning buildings all around Sgt Fullerton gave the “eyes right” command as the party passed him to show that despite being forced to surrender to the enemy’s superior numbers and equipment a number of men escaped shortly afterwards slipping unnoticed from the huge columns which were marching through northern France who successfully made it back to Britain and rejoined the Gordons who were fighting in North Africa he was killed in action in November 1942 during the Battle of El Alamein “Charlie Fullerton also escaped and managed to return home where he was awarded a Military Medal and promoted to the rank of lieutenant “Another successful escapee was Corporal Malcolm Straughan who was a member of the reformed 51st Highland Division which liberated St Valery-en-Caux in September 1944.” Most of the casualties of this grim chapter of the war are buried in cemeteries in and around St Valery There were so many deaths that few communities in the north of Scotland were unaffected Almost none of the veterans of the battle are still alive to mark its 80th anniversary And the postponement of the commemorations in France means it is unlikely that any of the old campaigners will have the opportunity to attend a future anniversary to mark that fateful day in history But they deserve to be remembered for their selfless sacrifice in the Allied cause Further details can be found in St Valery And Its Aftermath said: “It is with much regret that I have to advise that the decision has been taken very recently to cancel the 2020 Skye Games in view of the current emergency “With the exception of the two World Wars this is the only occasion that the games have been cancelled since inauguration in 1877.” highland games and gatherings have been cancelled for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic We understand that Oban will indeed be cancelled in due course. However, given that some competitions, particularly junior competitions, have taken place online in recent weeks, Bagpipe.News proffers a suggestion to Oban’s organisers that they should consider running the MacGregor Memorial contest in a similar way Over the last two years pipers have taken part in tributes to the centenary of the end of the First World War and the 75 anniversary of VE Day Pipers are now being asked to join a tribute to the thousands of Scots soldiers who were killed or captured during the disastrous surrender at St Valéry-en-Caux During the evacuation at Dunkirk on June 4 the 51st Highland Division had been detached from the main British Expeditionary Force and therefore managed to escape encirclement They were a significant part of the continuation of the fight in France alongside their French allies and British and Commonwealth armies They conducted a fighting withdrawal west from the Somme under French command but due to the speed of the German advance despite hopes that they would escape via Le Havre Some did manage to escape but the larger body were cut off and surrounded at the little fishing town of St-Valéry-en-Caux a flotilla of ships and small vessels were despatched but the inclement weather and the German artillery overlooking the town meant any evacuation was impossible who had been fighting almost continuously for ten days against overwhelming odds were exhausted and almost out of ammunition The incident has been generally forgotten – except by pipers, of course, because of ‘Big’ Donald MacLean’s wonderful 3/4 retreat march, Heroes of St Valéry. MacLean was among those captured. He wasn’t released until 1945. Pipe Major Donald MacLeod MBE was also among those captured although he managed to escape and later published the tune in Book 2 of his collection At 10:00 on June 12, Poppyscotland is asking pipers to play MacLean’s tune at their doorsteps but also to register their participation. For more information – and to download Jim McGillivray’s score of the tune – go online to Poppyscotland’s website Here is a Pathé News report from 1950 on the unveiling of the memorial to the 51st in St Valèry: Nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame Highland pipers who have been inducted across various categories in previous years include John Wilson • Make a nomination here. This year’s ceremony will be held on December 5 Pipers from all over the world have been signing up to pay tribute to the thousands of Scots who were killed or captured during “the forgotten Dunkirk” 80 years ago The lesser-known battle of Saint-Valéry-en-Caux is being memorialised by three leading Scottish Armed Forces charities More than 200 pipers from 16 countries across five continents have already agreed to play the haunting pipers march organisers are hoping it could end up being the biggest-ever pipe-playing event in history Amongst the most prominent pipers is Willie Armstrong one of the founding members of Celtic rock band The Red Hot Chilli Pipers Retired Fire Service Officer Willie said: “I’m delighted to be involved and it’s amazing to see the global piping community come together for such an important commemoration especially alongside charities that are very close to my heart “Heroes of St Valéry is a tune I’ve been playing for decades "It is going to be incredibly moving to play Donald MacLean’s iconic march exactly 80 years on from when he was captured at the Battle of St Valéry "More than 200 pipers have registered to take part in just over a week and I’m really hopeful that more will sign up in the coming days.” Lewis-born Pipe Major Donald MacLean enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders in 1940 when Nazi Germany invaded France and he was subsequently attached to the 51st Highland Division Donald survived a harrowing forced march from France to Poland with little food or shelter and was held as a PoW for the remainder of the war University of Aberdeen's Neil McLennan has been convening the St Valery 80th Commemorations Committee He said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response so far "There are pipers signed up from as far afield as Peru and Singapore "The world record for the largest ever piping ensemble saw 333 participants at an event in Bulgaria in 2012 “Due to the global pandemic this will be a virtual rather than physical event given the level of interest we have received to date our hope is that it will be the largest mass playing of the pipes ever “The events at St Valéry in 1940 have never received the level of recognition we believe they should but we hope this year’s commemoration will put that right and ensure the ‘Forgotten 51st’ are forgotten no more people across the world are moved by the story and want to commemorate together.” pipers up and down Scotland and all over the world will take to their doorsteps to play Heroes of St Valéry of all ages and abilities are being invited to download the sheet music and learn the piece over the coming weeks Poppyscotland provides life-changing support by providing tailored funding and assistance Legion Scotland is the largest ex-Service membership charity in Scotland and provides services covering remembrance RCET is Scotland’s Armed Forces Children’s Charity The charity funds services in family support wellbeing and policy work to ensure that all Armed Forces children in Scotland can reach their full potential To register interest in taking part, and to access the sheet music, pipers are being asked to visit www.poppyscotland.org.uk/st-valery For more information on the 51st (Highland) Division at St Valéry you can visit https://51hd.co.uk/ Contact us on 01851 705743 oremail info@welovestornoway.com Subscribe to our favourite national magazine here A Point man has been brought face to face with part of his family history as the 80th anniversary approaches of the battle at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux Next Friday (12 June) the ‘forgotten army’ of Saint-Valéry-en-Caux are being commemorated with socially-distanced events including a tribute by over 200 pipers from 16 countries Saint-Valéry-en-Caux is near Dieppe on the French coast north of Le Havre and was almost totally destroyed in the battle between French and Scottish forces and invading Nazi forces commanded by Erwin Rommel The 80th anniversary has particular resonance for Donald M M Macleod of Aird He was born in 1946 and named after his uncle who died as a prisoner-of-war exactly two years before his own birth His uncle was one of thousands taken prisoner after the battle Donald had only family anecdotes and a few historic documents to complete his story but for a recent contact from a Polish primary school teacher Donald saw an enquiry on the Point Facebook noticeboard from historical researcher Magaidh Smith of Kinloch She had written an account of the experiences of Lewis men at St Valéry which led Sylwia Kaszuba a teacher of English in a primary school in Miłoradz The Nazi Stalag XX2A and XXB work camps were in Sylwia’s home town of Malbork (formerly Marienburg in East Prussia) and she set her students a history topic researching 15 Britons who were part of the life of their village in 1944 Sylwia said: “A few years ago a local man told me that during the war some British soldiers lived in Miłoradz  I decided to find out how was it possible and we as a group managed to prove that during the WW2 in our small village Miłoradz (Mielenz) there was a work party of British soldiers “A lot of British prisoners-of-war were Scots from the 51st Highland Division captured at St Valéry in 1940 There were about 15 PoWs working in Miłoradz on farms and at the bakers I think it is very sad that so many young British soldiers were captive in Stalag XXB.” physically tough and someone who must have seemed a father-figure to some Donald said: “On 11 September 1944 Malcolm was shot dead by a German guard A friend and fellow prisoner of war visited Malcolm’s mother following repatriation and recalled the events of that fateful day “It seems they were part of a group of prisoners engaged in felling timber under the supervision of German guards The guards were harassing a young English solder who was not fit to work due to a bad leg injury Malcolm stepped in to remonstrate and was shot on the spot.” The same former PoW later wrote of Malcolm Mackenzie in the Stornoway Gazette: “He was the life and soul of the camp There were many young soldiers in the camp and Mackenzie always set them a good example In the early days in France when these lads were first under fire Mackenzie’s courage and coolness was an inspiration to them.” Other comrades said of him: “His love of justice cost him his life.” A letter of sympathy to the family dated 14 September 1944 was received from Company Sergeant Major James Fulton who served with Malcolm for more than 20 years CSM Fulton writes: “I know it will be a comfort to your heart and mind that your son was buried in full accordance with customs of the Christian church wreaths were provided and borne to the graveside by friends.” Rev Norman Maclean was camp chaplain and he also wrote to Malcolm’s mother confirming he officiated at Malcolm’s funeral and saying: “Comrades played the Last Post and Reveille and his coffin was draped with his own flag.” On 26 January 1945 Malcolm’s mother received formal confirmation of his death from the War Office In April 1946 the War Office confirmed that he was buried in Marienwerden Cemetery Subsequent correspondence in April 1949 showed that he was reinterred in Malbork Military Cemetery Donald said: “It struck me how hard this must have been for his mother and the family It took a long time before they heard officially that he had died and then just a few years later it was all resurrected for them with the confirmation of his reinterment.” It was at Malbork war cemetery that Sylwia had found Malcolm’s gravestone inscribed in Gaelic with the words ‘Gus am bris an la agus na teich na sgailean’ (Until the day breaks and the shadows flee) Donald has sent Sylwia a photograph of Malcolm to be placed as a tribute against the headstone and complete the journey which began when the career soldier left Aird in 1939 to fight in the Second World War as we approach the 80th anniversary of St Valéry that we are able to recall this story and others and remember the sacrifice these brave young men made and the suffering they endured on the march to Poland and during five years of captivity “There is so little mention of St Valéry in war histories and it’s good that more people now appreciate their sacrifice” “The people in Poland have been so interested in my uncle’s story and I am very grateful to Sylwia for what she has done and for what Magaidh has done researching the stories.” Sylwia said: “Nothing is left of Stalag XXB – the last brick buildings were demolished in 2008 and many POWs lie at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Malbork “I try to tell as many people as possible about the Stalag and British soldiers but as I'm not a historian I do it in a bit different way It is much more valuable in my opinion and captures the imagination “Last year in June with a group of my friends we managed to put a memorial in Miłoradz It is dedicated to British PoWs who worked in Miłoradz and those who died during the Long March 1945 I met Maggie Smith and thanks to Maggie and Donald I have put the puzzles together I think now I know the sad story of Malcolm ‘Clicks’ Mackenzie He was a brave and a strong man who could survive the death march but was shot in September 1944 Malcolm wrote in a letter to his family ‘We are all looking forward to the day when we regain our freedom and with God's help we will return home.’  I have visited his grave Please tell the locals from your area that we haven't forgotten about your brave soldiers who came to the Continent and were in captivity in Malbork.” Read our favouritelocal magazine on-line Bien abrité des vents dominants par les flans de la vallée Composé de deux bassins dont celui de plaisance qui reste toujours en eau services procurent qualité de vie et animation A noter la présence de bateaux de pêche dans l’avant port qui toute l’année vendent Le port de plaisance de Saint Valery en Caux est géré par la Communauté de Communes de la Côte d’Albâtre. Pour plus de renseignements, consulter le site http://www.cote-albatre.fr The Battle of St Valéry which was fought during World War II and left an indelible mark on hundreds of Highland families was today commemorated nationally for the first time Thousands of men from the 51st Highland Division were captured during a last stand on 12th June 1940 in the small French fishing port of St Valery-En-Caux the troops were left with no option but to surrender to German Major-General Erwin Rommel At the war memorial in Somerled Square in Portree the North Skye British Legion commemorated the 80th anniversary of the battle Local piper Alasdair Connor performed the Heroes of St Valéry as George Burns – Royal Corps of Signals Thomas Wilson – Parachute Regiment and Donnie Nicolson of the Royal Marines led the North Skye British Legion Colour Party before the square fell silent at 10.00 am to pay their respects Friday 12th June 2020 marked the first time that the memory of those who fought and fell at St Valéry has been remembered in a national tribute Poppy Scotland provides an overview of the battle… just days after the successful mass-evacuations at Dunkirk thousands of British troops still remained on continental Europe under French command Largely comprised of men from the 51st Highland Division they fought almost continuously for ten days against overwhelming odds until eventually surrounded at St Valéry a combination of fog and the proximity of German artillery above the town prevented the awaiting flotilla of ships from reaching shore Those who were not killed in the fierce fighting or fell to their deaths from the cliffs trying to escape were captured and marched hundreds of miles to prisoner of war camps in Eastern Europe where they endured appalling conditions for five long years Speaking to the Free Press after this morning’s commemoration Murdo Beaton from the Skye Gaelic Trust said: “It involved the 51st Highland Division they were sent to France and were pushed back by Rommel and his forces “They tried to make a stand at the Somme “They tried again to make a stand at Abbeville but they were eventually pushed back to the little fishing town of Saint Valéry-en-Caux and there they had no option but to surrender “I think there were thousands from the Highland Division who were taken prisoner at Saint Valéry-En-Caux who has visited Saint Valéry-En-Caux as part of the Skye Gaelic Trust (Urras an Eilein) went on to add: “We have visited that town twice and it is quite amazing the regard that the people of Saint Valéry have for the Highlanders “It was very obvious to us that this regard and esteem was focussed but exclusively on the Highlanders.” Among a small group of people paying their respects during the commemorative event in Portree was John MacKinnon John’s dad Allan MacKinnon fought in the battle of St Valéry and was captured as a prisoner of war by the Germans Today John shared a letter with the Free Press his father had written about his time from joining the Territorial Army to becoming a prisoner of war The following are excerpts from that letter.  “Little did I think what the future held for me when I joined the T.A on my 17th birthday in 1929 It was good to get away for two week in the year from my work as a postman in Portree route marches through the lovely Speyside country “The bagpipes playing and the island boys signing Gaelic songs.” “My last camp was in Barry previous to the start of the war in 1939 I got my calling up papers when I arrived for work on 10th September 1939 “My duty that day was to deliver mail to Sconser I had to sleep in the drill hall that night “I heard the nightingale for the first time in my life.” “The first casualties of the 4th Camerons happened here One of those killed was Norman MacLeod from Portree a lively cheery lad in the prime of his life “This news cast a gloom over the battalion “By this time the Germans had broken through we were rushed back to Normandy where the Germans led by Field Marshall Rommel cornered us at St Valéry.” the soldiers were taken to Torun in Poland via Dusseldorf After spending two weeks there they were sent to the Stalag XX-B POW camp in Marienburg “We were still wearing the clothes which we had on leaving home in September 1939 “We were issued with Dutch clogs (foot rags) and some of the French POWs put up a small Christmas tree on which was hung five or six lights “Then we started singing all the traditional songs “The guard joined in singing Silent Night in German “The atmosphere of that haunting melody is something which sticks in my memory “The scene was so fitting in many ways the snow failing heavily round the thickly wooded area “Memories of these years in the army are precious to me in the evening of my life.” A series of commemorative ceremonies in the town will be attended by Scottish veterans and the SNP minister Bruce Crawford."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Whether they are marking a humiliating defeat or a brave sacrifice on the part of troops trying to hold back the German army as the British evacuated Dunkirk There is no doubt about the scale of action in which 10,000 Scottish soldiers of the famed 51st (Highland) Division were forced to surrender to superior German forces at the end of a hard"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":200})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Today is the 70th anniversary of one of the most controversial military setbacks of the last war — the surrender of an entire Scottish division in the small French town of St-Valery-en-Caux The TimesMen of the 51st Division holding positions on the River BresleTOPFOTOTrevor RoyleSaturday June 12 2010 The TimesToday is the 70th anniversary of one of the most controversial military setbacks of the last war — the surrender of an entire Scottish division in the small French town of St-Valery-en-Caux A series of commemorative ceremonies in the town will be attended by Scottish veterans and the SNP minister Bruce Crawford Whether they are marking a humiliating defeat were forced to surrender to superior German forces at the end of a hard Spud the Piper will stand in the middle of Carrbridge's Old pack Horse Bridge to mark the 80th anniversary of a battle which is known as the forgotten Dunkirk Pipers from all over the world have been signing up to pay tribute to the thousands of Scots who were killed or captured during the battle of Saint-Valéry-en-Caux and they will be playing the haunting pipers' march – Heroes of St Valéry – to mark the occasion who is also known as Callum Fraser and lives in Aviemore said he was contacted by a local resident whose relative was at the battle and she had asked him if he was interested in taking part The 53-year-old said he was looking forward to taking part but added he was not familiar with the tune and would need to learn it in the next few days He started piping when he was young and has been a full time piper for the past 21 years for about six months a year – but I have not played much since March." have already agreed to take part in the event which has been organised by three leading Scottish Armed Forces charities – Poppyscotland Legion Scotland and Scotland’s Armed Forces Children’s Charity RCET One of the most prominent pipers who will be taking part will be Willie Armstrong – one of the founding members of Celtic rock band The Red Hot Chilli Pipers He said: "I’m delighted to be involved and it’s amazing to see the global piping community come together for such an important commemoration It is going to be incredibly moving to play Donald MacLean’s iconic march exactly 80 years on from when he was captured at the Battle of St Valéry More than 200 pipers have registered to take part in just over a week A combination of poor weather and the proximity of German artillery made escape impossible and the division was forced to surrender on 12th June 1940 Pipe Major MacLean survived a harrowing forced march from France to Poland with little food or shelter and was held as a prisoner of war for the remainder of the war University of Aberdeen Director of Leadership Programmes and RCET Director has been convening the St Valery 80th Commemorations Committee There are pipers signed up from as far afield as Peru and Singapore The world record for the largest ever piping ensemble saw 333 participants at an event in Bulgaria in 2012 To register interest in taking part, and to access the sheet music, pipers are being asked to visit here and for more information on the 51st (Highland) Division at St Valéry please visit here For more news. Après une première baleine retrouvée morte à Saint-Valery-en-Caux c'est un baleineau sans vie qui été découvert à Veules-les-Roses mercredi 19 avril 2023 Triste décompte ! Après la découverte d’une baleine morte sur la plage de Saint-Valery-en-Caux hier mercredi 19 avril 2023 en fin de matinée le corps d’un nouveau rorqual a été retrouvé ce même jour en fin d’après-midi Cette fois, l’animal s’est échoué sur la plage de Veules-les-Roses, près de Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) Une information confirmée par la gendarmerie de Fécamp « Il s’agirait d’un baleineau de 3 mètres » soulignent les forces de l’ordre Quelques heures plus tôt déjà une baleine de 12 mètres s’était échouée sur la plage de Saint-Valery-en-Caux Le cétacé avait été repéré en début de matinée au large de Dieppe les autorités attendaient de voir si la mer avait déplacé le baleineau l’animal se trouvait échoué au niveau de l’estacade de Veules-les-Roses Mais les fortes marées de ce jeudi ont déplacé le cadavre vers Saint-Valery-en-Caux il pourrait  » être remorqué sur la plage de Saint-Valery-en-Caux au côté du premier rorqual pour que les autorités sanitaires les examinent » Il s’agit en effet d’établir les causes de leur mort le Groupe d’études des cétacés du Cotentin ces échouages sont malheureusement réguliers « La Manche est un couloir entre la mer du Nord et l’Atlantique. Il y a donc un passage régulier d’espèces il arrive que les plus fragiles meurent et finissent par s’échouer en fonction des vents et des courants Ce sont des phénomènes naturels contre lesquels on ne peut pas faire grand-chose.  Chaque semaine, recevez la newsletter “Face à la mer”, une fenêtre ouverte sur le littoral français et ses richesses. 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Suivez toute l’actualité de vos villes et médias favoris en vous inscrivant à Mon Actu Le journal en illimité en papier ou en version numérique Suivez l'actualité de vos communes favorites dans l'onglet Mon actu Abonnez-vous pour lire le journal en illimité Selectionnez une région ou recherchez une ville L'AMT Challenger s'est échoué à Sotteville-sur-Mer (Seine-Maritime) en milieu de journée La barge de 120 mètres de long dérivait dans la Manche depuis vendredi au gré des rafales de la tempête Darragh Une gigantesque barge de 122 mètres de long s'est échouée sur les côtes normandes ce dimanche 8 décembre plateforme non propulsée battant pavillon maltais a fini sa course folle sur les galets de la plage de Sotteville-sur-Mer qui commence à dériver dans les eaux britanniques rapporte la préfecture maritime Manche Mer du Nord dans un communiqué les patrouilles françaises prennent le relais des opérations de coordination pour surveiller le bâtiment de 122 mètres de long désormais à la dérive dans les eaux territoriales françaises Elles décident alors d'envoyer deux remorqueurs pour le récupérer : Le Princess (Belgique) et l'Abeille Horizon (Frace) la tempête Darragh fait rage et l'état de mer et du vent (jusqu'à 40 nœuds) empêche le succès de l'opération Dans des conditions météorologiques très dégradées du fait de la tempête Darragh plusieurs opérations en Manche pour raccrocher la barge ou mettre en place un mouillage en mer sous la coordination de la préfecture maritime Manche – Mer du Nord et du centre régional opérationnel de surveillance et de sauvetage (CROSS) Gris-Nez La dernière tentative avant l'échouement s'est déroulée ce dimanche 8 décembre dans la matinée Une équipe de quatre manœuvriers mandatés par l'armateur a été hélitreuillée à bord de la barge au moyen de l'hélicoptère Dauphin de la Marine nationale basé au Touquet afin de permettre la prise en remorque de la barge Un poste de commandement a été déployé en début d'après-midi chez un particulier habitant à proximité La gendarmerie terrestre et maritime s'y trouve aux côtés des sapeurs-pompiers d'une délagation mer et littoral et des maires de Veules-les-Roses et de Sotteville-sur-Mer Le préfet de la Seine-Maritime invite la population à ne pas se rendre sur place afin de laisser libre cours aux opérations mises en place.La préfecture maritime fait savoir que l'ensemble des moyens de l'Etat à terre et en mer sont "mobilisés pour assurer la sécurité des personnes et la sécurité de la navigation" des moyens antipollution sont mis en alerte pour intervenir en cas de besoin et dès que les conditions météorologiques le permettront.