- Contributed by听
- East Ayrshire Libraries
- People in story:听
- Hugh Johnstone
- Location of story:听
- Dalmellington, Ayrshire
- Article ID:听
- A1158293
- Contributed on:听
- 28 August 2003
Hugh Johnstone of Dalmellington recalls the soldiers who were based in Dalmellington during the war.
The first army units to take over the halls in the village were the fusiliers - who were posted after 6 months to the war front in France. Then after the fall of France the next unit was 60 Free French soldiers. They were in the village for 2 months - and while they were in the village they shot and ate many of the local birds like gulls and crows.
Then the Scots Guards came after they were evacuated from Norway - they were commanded by Major Lyle of the Tate and Lyle sugar manufacturers. They were here for 6 months and then were taken by steam train to Greenock and shipped to North Africa.
The next unit were the engineers (the REME) and they built amphibious platforms and pontoons on the local lochs (Bogton Loch and Loch Doon) because the final unit in Dalmellington was to be the commandos - who had only recently been formed.
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo