Battlefield Band The Beaches of St. Valery
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
- A wonderful tale and a fine example of bravery
The Beaches of St Valery
1) It was in 1940, the last days of Spring.
We were sent to the Maginot line,
A fortress in France, built to halt the advance,
Of an army from a different time.
But we were soon overrun, out-thought and outgunned.
Pushed further back every day.
But we never believed high command would just leave us.
So we fought every inch of the way
2) 'Til the 51st Highlanders found themselves on
The banks of the Somme one more time.
It still bore the scars of that war to end wars.
The old soldier's scars deep in their minds.
But we couldn't stay long for the Panzers rolled on
As the battle raged west t'wards the sea,
Until on June the 10th when sapped of all strength
I entered St. Valery
Chorus:
And all I recall is the last boat leavin'!
My brother on board waving and calling to me
And the Jocks stranded there wi' their hands in the air
On the beaches of St. Valery
3) So I huddled all night in a hammered old house
As the shells and the bullets rained down
'Til just before dawn our hopes were still strong
For we moved to the beach from the town
But the boat that had left on the day we arrived
Was the only one that we'd ever see
An' with no ammo or food we had done all we could
Se we surrendered at St. Valery
Chorus:
4) When I returned at the end of the war,
From the Stalag where I'd been confined,
I read of the battles the allies had fought,
Stalingrad, Alamein, and the Rhine.
And with pride in their hearts people spoke of Dunkirk
How defeat had become victory
But nobody mentioned that Highland Division.
They'd never heard of St.Valery
5) No stories no statues for those that were killed.
No honours for those who were caught.
Just a deep sense of shame as though we were to blame,
Though I knew in my heart we were not.
So I've moved to a country I've come to call home
But my homeland lies far o'er the sea.
I will never return while my memory still burns
On the beaches of St. Valery.
Chorus:
My father joined the Black Watch.
One of the 10,000 Highlanders captured at Saint Valerie spending 5 years as POW's. He died January 4th 2004 never being acknowledged or recognised. These brave soldiers drew the German Panzers away from the beaches of Dunkirk so they could rescue the 338,000 soldiers. They retreated to Saint Valarie for the second evacuation but a storm came and they could not board the boat. Abandoned and depleted of resources and placed under French command they surrendered the next day. We must never forget the sacrifice made. 5 years of starvation he developed war anxiety now known as PTSD and Pernicious Anemia.
My granda,davie Beaumont turned 100
years old today.captured saint valery.51st highland division.pure legend ❤️❤️❤️
he lived right into hi late 80s I spent many night shifts with him as his fireman with British rail will never know how they young men suffered but they were proud Scotsmen I'm 66 now and think about him every day
my uncle James MATTHEW was captured at st valery he was with the black watch royal highlanders he never got over the surrender till the day he died he never went back to st valery
My Dad was also captured at St Valery and i was named after him. He died this year on June 4th aged 90. He was a great man and I miss him dreadfully
My father was a RASC driver with the 51st HD He never spoke of his suffering but he did tell me snippets. The more I read and learn the more I understand just how bad it was for the men. They were tough, resolute but scarred physically and mentally. Respect to them all.
It wasn't until my father died a couple of years ago that I discovered his role with the "Jocks in frocks". He was with the signals seconded to the Canadians but because he was fluent in both French and German and also a radio operator he ended up with the 51st. Somehow or other ( I suppose I'll never find the full story) he ended up with a French family and worked with the underground, thus escaping the surrender. We have found correspondence from the daughter, but it's to late now to follow up. Thank you for the song, it has stirred emotions that I, in my mid 70s, never knew I had
With love and respect to my uncle Lewis Edwards 19, 4th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, MIA June 1940, he was never found and has no known grave. I hope he found his place in the sun. RIP.
chaz8873...Aye Chaz...we know that Lewis found that place...and he is well...along with ALL the others. Great stuff Chaz. Best wishes pal.
my uncle James MATTHEW was captured at st valery he was with the black watch royal highlanders he was one of the lucky ones who made it home to Scotland
My Dad, Edward Burn, was with the Middlesex Regiment (1st Btn. Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment) Expeditionary Force sent to support the 51st Highlanders. He was 20 years old when he was captured at St. Valery where he was a truck driver, carrying machine guns. He was marched to the POW camp in Lambinowice, Poland where he stayed until the end of the war. When he returned to England, he weighed only 90 lbs, having worked down the mines and as a lumber jack while being starved for 5 years. He eventually passed of stomach cancer at the age of 75. He hardly mentioned anything about his war years except for,proudly showing us kids the dagger tattooed on his leg while he was imprisoned.
RIP Alexander Ross, Black Watch 51st Highland Division, killed 9th June 1940 just outisde St Valery in the village of Houdetot.
This song brings a tear to my eyes. My father was one of around 10,000 who were captured at St Valery then marched to Stalag 383 in Bavaria. I was lucky her brought home photos.
THEY WERE THE FORGOTTEN MEN it’s about time they were mentioned.
Les We Forget.
My uncle Jim Matthew was captured at ST valery with the 51st highland division he was with the BLACK WATCH royal highlanders he was marched to Poland stalag 8B teschen he escaped 3 times and ended up in camp 21D on the border of Poland an Czechoslovak he lived well into his eighties Ian’s I was privileged to have been his fireman with British rail in the 1970s the stories he told me I will never forget
The first time I heard this, it brought tears to my eyes. What a ballad of longing, sadness, and heroism.
The history of proud highlanders who fought a rearguard action so bravely, then from the birth of the new division. My father fought as a combat sapper from Alemain to Bremen. Caberfay to the jocks of both divisions. Their courage was uniformly shared and makes me so proud of my father and Scotland
After seeing the film Dunkirk this weekend and knowing the story of St.Valery I really felt for all soldiers especially for the 51st. I saw the A and SH tab and explained the story to my wife. God bless all the soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians who sacrificed those days.
My uncle Jim Matthew was captured at st valery 10th of June 1940 he was with the black watch royal highlanders and the 51st highland division he passed away on 2002 85 years young he never forgot the war stayed with him his whole life
Alba gu Brath! I can't listen to this without becoming choked-up.
Same for me. This song goes for the heart. 😢💔
Fab song, sad story, a great loss to music when Davy Steel passed away.
RIP Alan Ramsey Low, Black Watch 19 years old and captured at St Vallery. Spent the war in Stammlager XX A in Poland.
Perhaps he knew Davy's uncle Robert who was also there?
Must admit to being one of the many who had never heard of st Valéry untill I stumbled across this song and looked it up now I can't hear it without it bringing a tear to my eye although raised in England I was born in Scotland and am proud of it, not aware of having relatives at st Valéry,only relatives to have in ww2 was my grandad who was on the Hood, but this song makes my heart soar at the spirit of the fighting men of Scotland,SCOTLAND FOREVER
One to watch and listen to, ' 7th Argyles Abbeville '
ABU ' GAR🏴
The Hood wasn’t a walk in the Park
Excellent song, my Grandfather was at St Valery with the 7th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers supporting the jocks
In pictures of 1944, I was amazed to see several vehicles in the 33rd Armoured Division (Mostly Irish and Welsh) sporting the old Circled HD as they moved through Belgium and the Southern provinces of the Netherlands. Later, I heard that many of the 'Jocks' that made it out of France and Belgium in 1940 were absorbed into the Irish and Welsh divisions of the British Expeditionary Forces, but never gave up their fierce pride and apparently this was their way of expressing that.
My Dad was shot and captured in St Valery he was with the Seaforth Highlanders he spent the rest of the war being moved round camps .I wish he had heard this song.
@rowdyrussel grandfather, Gordon Highlander 51st Highland division, 1st Battallion, 153rd Brigade was also captured at St Valeries. His 29th birthday was the 8th June , like your father - not a great way to spend their birthday (not a great 5 years actually)
The song & video are hauntingly beautiful.
There is a memorial to the 51st in St Valery. I think it was dedicated on the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII
Somewhat pertinent today. Yet another movie being made over the 'heroes' of Dunkirk, yet still no mention of the Scots at St Valery.
what do you expect, They were abandoned , no ammo, no food and no medical supplies, What I would love to see is a list of the regiments saved at Dunkirk, just how many Scots??
11000 killed, 40000 forced to surrender, hid from public view.
They were still fighting well after Dunkirk. My father was there. We owed those men a great debt
@@tomlucas4890 not that many most of the scottish regiments and even some english where serving under the 51st left behind as cannon fodder
Dad was in the rearguard at Cassell, captured at end of May and ended up as a POW with the survivors from St Valery. The rearguard didn't really get a mention anywhere.
I wish my uncle Alan Lawson Low could have heard this moving tribute to the 51st Highland Division. He was eighteen years old when captured at St Valery. He spent the war as a prisoner in Stammlager XX A in Poland. His captivity ended when the guards left the camp before the advancing Russian Army.
As was Davy's uncle Robert
my uncle James MATTHEW was captured at st valery he was with the black watch royal highlanders he was marched to Poland stalag 8B teschen then stalag 21D posnen after he escaped for the second time he lived until his late 80s and he was buried in his beloved Scotland I miss him to this day
@@patsyseddon6970 as was my uncle PTE JAMES MATTHEW black watch royal highlanders he stalag 8B teschen then stalag 21D posnen no other song could capture the tragedy of st valery
A song which brings a tear to my eye every time
Thank God for the brave Jocks..
We aussies love Scotland its in our blood...my wife's a sinclair and me a MacDonell.
What a marvellous band that the battlefield band was ,,,,,,,,,they had a long list of ex members and when one left another replacement just fitted in so comfortably ,,,,,,,,and of course the great DAVIE STEELE ,,,,,,,,what a singer,,,,,,,,,THE LAST TRIP HOME ,,,,,,,being one of my ALL TIME GREATS ,,,,,,,thank you for the music ,,,,,,
Thanks for taking the time to put words on for the song. So moving!
My Father was shot and captured in St Valery sadly no longer us Brave men left to die sad story.
My Great Uncle, Peter Reid. We will remember
Davy new how to capture emotions in song. We miss you Davy.
My great uncle was lucky to get away,two times his ship was sunk at Dunkirk,but he made it to a third
" . . . we never believed High Command would just leave us . . . "
This line put me in mind of the words of General Wolfe before sending the Fraser Highlanders to storm the Heights of Abraham (Quebec, 1759).
Wolfe, who had fought against the highlanders at Culloden under the orders of "Butcher" Cumberland, is reported to have said of the Scottish infantrymen:
"they are hardy, intrepid, accustomed to a rough country, and no great mischief if they fall."
Plus ça change . . .
God Bless The HIGHLANDERS .... Gods Army
that is dave steele rip i was in a folk band with him and nicky bryson another dear friend lost love always to them both
Wonderful. Deeply moving.
thanks for posting this, i raise my glass to the jocks
I do so love this song.
"Na Obliviscaris Sans Peur" NEVER FORGET ... Respect
RIP Davey
Great story-telling From Davy
The beaches of St. Valery a great song by Davy Steele i thought his wife was going to have a.book of his songs published if ur.reading Pattsy c"mon get that book out Davy had lots of great songs (it would sell)
Hi George on it! , I feel that kick :)
Jimmy Sharp, a gentleman.
Sorry my father was in the Seaforth Highlanders
Ne Oblivicaris from the Campbells
chorus is a bit of, wouldnt have walked into st valery and waved any boats off no one was rescued from st valery
Does anybody have the chords or printed nottation for this beautiful song?
Sounds very like Dougie McLeod?
Perhaps you mean Dougie MacLean but no it was Davy Steele and though they were friends they have very distinct styles
Im trying to find the american Indian song ?
Typical English...'We never believed high command would ever leave us'.....