THE COVENANTER
hours later. After ‘Leger Left’ had at last Cameronians in Walcheren
been secured, a Company of the 5th This time they came in cars and coaches
Highland Light Infantry, with the relief of not DUKWs and Buffaloes. Sixty years after
other Companies following the next the battle of 1944 Veterans of 156 Bde, 157
morning, relieved B Company in their, Bde and 4 (Special Service) Cdo Bde
positions. By early afternoon the Battalion,
returned to the flat polders of Holland in
weary but satisfied, was marching back
Zeeland to remember the battle they fought
behind our Pipers over the Causeway to s
in and the sacrifice of their comrades who
Herrenshoek. Our Brigade Commander,
were left behind.
Brigadier Barclay, was waiting for us with
Cameronians were no strangers to
his staff at the eastern end of the Causeway,
Walcheren - in 1809 they were part of an ill-
with words of welcome and praise. Seeing
fated expedition the object of which was ‘to
him in the distance I had the Battalion’
obtain possession of the islands at the
march to attention’ and we gave him’ eyes
mouth of the Scheldt, and to destroy the
right’ as we went by. My tired ‘Jocks’ put on
French ships in that river with docks and
a splendid spurt, perfect in their drill, and
arsenals of Antwerp’. [Carter’s Historical
went swaggering by. It is a moment I shall
record of the Twenty Sixth or Cameronian
never forget. If I may say so, next to my
Regiment]
own fellow countrymen I admire yours
The Battle of Walcheren in 1944 has been
above any other in Europe, and therefore
overshadowed by other events; perhaps
the world. That opinion is based on my
being considered a backwater as it involved
experiences during World War II. Winston
a westwards movement at a time when
Churchill once described you as: ‘the
allied troops were intent on moving east
valiant and stout hearted Dutch’. Those
towards the heartland of Germany; but it
were true words.
was typical of many feats of arms of British
‘For readers curious why this Article was
troops over the centuries and was a
submitted by a KOSB, I was a former Boy
significant, although un-remarked, success.
Soldier at Lanark in 1958 then went on to serve
All regiments claim to be ‘second to
26 years with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers,
none’. The 1st Bn Order of the Day, 16th
My father was SGT James Armour Mcfadyen a
March 1945, has an unsolicited testimonial
regular soldier in the 6th Battalion Cameronian
to the abilities of the Regiment provided by
Brigadier Lentaigne, Chindit Penetration
Scottish Rifles, killed in action on 18 January
Bde Comd: Field Marshall William Slim,
1945 and buried in Sittard War Cemetery. I
unquestionably one the most successful
help the Dutch War Graves Commission in
British generals of World War II, selected the
Sittard, and should any readers of this article
1st Battalion to join Lentaign’s brigade
have a relative buried there, please contact me
because it was ‘the hardest fighting British
as we invite 2 close relatives of these soldiers to
battalion under his command in the 1942
visit Sittard each November at our expense.
Burma campaign’. [The battalion also
Major Sixsmith was my fathers Company
provided Slim’s personal guard and,
Commander and his son Mike joined the KOSB
according to the Field Marshall in his
when the Cameronians disbanded and became
memoirs, what ever else they might have
my Company Commander.’
been short of it was never the rum!
John Malcolm Nichol Mcfadyen
Antwerp
Secretary Berwick Branch KOSB Association
The Scheldt estuary formed part of
25 Farne rd Spittal Berwick upon Tweed
Hitler’s ‘Atlantic Wall’. The German 1st
Tel 01289 330096
Army, under General von Zanger, opposed
Email
inuclearnickv25@aol.com
the Canadian 1st Army with the 70th
Infantry Division in Walcheren and South
Walcheren 60 Years On
Beveland. As in 1809, the strategic
November 2004
significance of Antwerp was paramount. for
the allies in October 1944, due to its
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
capacity and strategic location.
lf ye break faith with us who die
The defeat of the Allies at Arnhem led to
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
a series of ‘soldiers’ battles’ across the Low
In Flanders' Fields
Countries. These culminated in the slog of
In Flanders' Fields. John McCrae, 1915
the Reichwald, before the Allies were able to
force the River Rhine, six months after
Market Garden on 8th March 1945, and
attack the heartland of Germany.
26
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