Dvr. David Ballantyne "Ginger" Johnston
British Army 643 Coy. Royal Army Service Corps
from:398 Main Street, Rutherglen
David Ballantyne Johnston enlisted at Perth on 19th of October 1939 (Aged 20) left behind his wife and 8 week old daughter. He trained for six weeks at Fort George, Inverness. Attached to 51st Highland Division Cameron Highlanders and sent to France The battle is well documented, when his group realised they were in a hopeless situation orders were given to disable all trucks and equipment, The engines of the trucks were made to run jammed at full throttle and the sump drain plug removed.
He was captured, at St. Valery en Caux May 1940:- The German soldiers looted the prisoners belongings; the Camerons kilts were particularly prized. Having been searched the prisoners were made to run over a hill three at a time, when they were out of sight a machine gun was heard to fire, however when Davids turn came he found that the gun was pointing in the other direction and they were victim to the macabre sense of humour of a few German soldiers, all his mates were safe. They were then loaded into trucks, to be taken to Poland marching most of the way, but sometimes by train (cattle trucks) also by barges.
Imprisoned in XXa, Thorn. later transferred to XXb Marienburg. Camps: - Stalag XXa Main Camp then Stalag XXb work camp, David worked in a tar factory supplying tar for airfields, and making coal briquettes. Then Germans found he was a driver and was used as driver/labourer. In January 1945 the men were confined to camp, with no work, then told they were leaving as the Russians were rumoured to be nearby, Then The Death March My dad told me when they met the advancing Americans several prisoners pointed out the Guards who had treated them fairly and of course those who had abused them. This was at Magdeburg in April 1945, after a march of around 85 days ( he lost count.) He waited 10 days for an American Dakota to fly him home. He had Home Leave, in May 1945 and was discharged at the Military Dispersal Edinburgh on the 17th of February 1946. Arrived home suffering from Dysentery, and a tarry substance leaking through his sweat glands. A legacy from his years in the tar factory. His daughter was now 6 years old and took time to get to know him. Despite the law which was supposed to ensure a former employer would re-employ those who had served, he and many other ex- service men found themselves without a job. My Mother hated the Germans but my dad always made the distinction between Germans and Nazis.
