Le Paradis

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

Press Release

Dunkirk and the Valiant Story of The Royal Scots

Stand, fight to the last man, and allow the Dunkirk evacuation to happen; the story of the 1st
Battalion The Royal Scots at Le Paradis 82 years on.

On the 25 May 1940, the 1st Battalion The Royal Scots, reduced in strength to just 400 men by more
than two weeks in action, prepared for their last stand at Le Paradis, 30 miles from Dunkirk in
Northeast France. Their orders, to “Stand And Fight To The Last Man”, played a pivotal role in
enabling the withdrawal of 337,000 Allied Forces and equipment from the beaches of Dunkirk.
However, this three-day rear-guard defence against overwhelming odds led to the Battalion’s
destruction.

Eighty-two years on, The Royal Scots have commemorated this valiant stand with a last muster that
should have been staged in May 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This time,
30 Royal Scots will attend the 82nd commemorative event in Le Paradis on Saturday 28 May 2022.

At the start of the operation on 10th May 1940 the 1st Battalion were some 770 strong. At the end
of the operation on 27 May 141 had been killed and over 350 wounded. 292 Royal Scots were
captured and became prisoners of war (POW); most were wounded. A mere handful had escaped
back to the UK. There were many acts of outstanding bravery, in all 2 Distinguished Service Orders,
3 Distinguished Conduct Medals, 2 Military Crosses, 1 Military Medal and 16 Mentioned in
Dispatches were awarded.

One survivor, Major John Errington 103, who was captured and was a POW for 5 years, fought and
served with the Battalion’s French liaison officer, Captain Michel Martell, a family member of the
Martell Cognac Company. His nickname was “Stiffy”, so called because when offered a drink Captain
Martell would ask for a “stiff one”! John received a special bottle of cognac from Martell’s grandson,
Thierry Firino-Martell, who sent the gift to celebrate his enduring comradeship and bravery.

Brigadier George Lowder said: “This is a soldier’s story. The Royal Scots, professional soldiers
doing what they had signed up to do. They fought ferociously to the last man at Le Paradis.
Their fighting spirit was undaunted, although they had been in continuous action for 17 days
delaying the German advance over 200 miles and had suffered heavy casualties. Their
contribution to Dunkirk was vital. We should never forget that the vast majority of those who
survived the last stand at Le Paradis spent the next five years as prisoners of war.”

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

Media Contact:
David Nisbet: 07768 812620; david.nisbet@theroyalscots.co.uk

History of 1st Battalion The Royal Scots – September 1939 – 27 May 1940
1st Battalion The Royal Scots landed in France in September 1939 as part of the 4th Brigade of the 2nd
Division of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).

For the next eight months, The Royal Scots prepared and manned defences across northern France,
even taking a turn in the massive concrete fortresses of the French Maginot Line.

When the German attack, in the west, finally began on the 10 May 1940, the Battalion crossed into
Belgium and had their first contact with the enemy west of Brussels at Wavre.

As the Allied forces were pushed back by the German Blitzkrieg, The Royal Scots withdrew across the
French border. Meanwhile, the Germans raced for the Channel coast, splitting the BEF off from their
Allies. Plans for its evacuation were prepared.

As the Germans turned north, it became vital that their advance was delayed long enough for the
main part of the British Army to reach the beaches at Dunkirk.

The BEF were up against a far better equipped and a much stronger enemy, which made their
phased defence and withdrawal actions even more difficult. The Battalion had defended four major
river lines in their withdrawal from Belgium. They were constantly under attack by the German’s;
for example, on the 21 and 22 May, defending the line of the River Escaut, they suffered 150
casualties in two days.

There withdrawal culminated in a last stand at Le Paradis between the 25 and 27 May 1940. They
were exhausted, low on ammunition and very lightly equipped to defend against an armoured and
air attack. On the 25 May, the 2nd Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment received the full weight of
the enemy attack on the La Bassée Canal, receiving heavy casualties. Then for two days The Royal
Scots fought a very determined and valiant rear-guard defence against overwhelming odds.
Eventually, through constant attrition, they were reduced to isolated small units. Only the very
brave, but fatal action of Pipe Major Allan avoided this Battalion headquarters to being overrun. He
held up the German advance single handed with a Bren gun until he was killed. During these three
days, there were numerous other acts of considerable bravery.

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

Their ferocious defence at Le Paradis inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, and seriously damaged
the confidence of the SS “Totenkopf” Division they fought. Most importantly, it delayed the
German’s advance, allowing thousands of British troops to reach the beaches of Dunkirk. The Royal
Scots’ contribution to the battle of Dunkirk was vital, yet most of the survivors of Le Paradis would
spend the next five years as prisoners of war.

Though the Royal Scots had been in continuous action for seventeen days, had travelled over 200
miles and had suffered heavy casualties, their fighting spirit was undaunted. Those who escaped
through Dunkirk would live to fight another day, through the courage and sacrifice of The Royal
Scots.

Afterwards, at a hospital, a German officer, on handing over some wounded Royal Scots to a
Chaplain stated, “They fought like lions”. Sometime after the war, the captured French liaison
officer, Lieutenant Michel Martell, attached to The Royal Scots wrote “..during the five years of
waiting for our freedom, after living with The Royal Scots, I could never despair of seeing Germany
beaten.”

Explanatory Notes:

Website addresses:
• Home Page: http://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/
• BEF Deployment 1939: http://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/2nd-world-war-ww2/
• Le Paradis defence: http://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/le-paradis/
• Regiment’s history: http://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/history/

In 2006, The Royal Regiment of Scotland was formed from its predecessor Scottish Infantry
Regiments; after 373 years of unbroken service The Royal Scots left the British Army’s order of
battle.

Social Media links:
https://www.facebook.com/TheRoyalScots
https://www.facebook.com/TheRoyalScots
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Wj9U1GMbA78Qg-
bCfhhJg/videos?view_as=subscriber

Photos and Graphics:

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)

THE ROYAL SCOTS

(THE ROYAL REGIMENT)