Pte. Edward Lawrence "Barney" Hall
British Army 2nd Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Langley Park, Durham
Edward Lawrence Hall was born in 1904 in Durham and joined up aged 21 after a bit of family trouble. I already knew he had served from 1925 to 1933, in India and Palestine, and was recalled for service in 1939. Today I read in his army records that he was in France from 13 Sept 1939 to 16 June 1940, and started Googling the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders for June 1940 as it felt a bit late for Dunkirk.I found various pages including yours and a lot of information about how most of the Battalion surrendered in the face of overwhelming force. My grandad must have escaped however as he was back in England from 17 June 1940 and was sent to Fort George in Scotland where he worked as a Carpenter and Joiner until 1944 when he transferred to the Military Police. He did not serve overseas again.
I suppose I'll never know how he escaped from France, but if anyone can suggest further avenues of research I would be very grateful.
Editor's Note: The 2nd Battalion was part of 152 Brigade, itself part of 51st Highland Division. The Division was further inland along with the French and not encircled at Dunkirk. The 154th Brigade suffered losses but were able to withdraw through central France. The other Brigades 152 and 153 were obliged to surrender along with the Divisional Commander at St Valery. Quite a few escaped on marches to POW Camps and it is recorded that 134 of the escapees who made it back to the UK by June 1941 were Seaforth Highlanders. Fort George near Inverness in Scotland was the Divisional Depot and a new Division formed and trained therefrom the 9th Division and survivors from France was formed and trained there being finally ready for action and embarking for Egypt in June 1942.
