64th Anniversary of the 51st Highland Division's Rearguard Action at St Valery

That the Parliament recognises the sacrifice made by the 51st Highland Division in June 1940 as they assisted the French Army in making a stand against the German invasion, relieving the pressure on the Channel ports, action which ultimately lead to the capture of the division at St Valéry-en-Caux; further recognises that this action by the 51st Highland Division helped win time for the Royal Navy to evacuate over 300,000 British and French soldiers from Dunkirk; notes that, without the evacuation from Dunkirk, Britain and her allies might well not have been able to regroup and reorganise and ultimately return to French soil in 1944; recognises how different Britain, and indeed Europe, might have been today without this vital contribution, and invites the First Minister, when he takes part on behalf of the Scottish people in commemorative activities to mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day, to also pay tribute to the 51st Highland Division's contribution to the evacuation from Dunkirk and then ultimately to the success of D-Day.

The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

S2M-1330 Iain Fearchar Rothach: 64mh Ceann-bliadhna de Ghluasad Cùl-choimhead an 51mh Roinn Ghàidhealach aig St Valéry— Gu bheil a’ Phàrlamaid ag aithneachadh na h-ìobairt a rinneadh leis an 51mh Roinn Ghàidhealach anns an Ògmhios 1940, nuair a chuidich iad Arm na Frainge ann a bhith a’ seasamh an aghaidh an ionnsaigh Ghearmailtich, agus nuair a thug iad faochadh do phuirt a’ Chaolais, rud a dh’ adhbhraich glacadh na Roinne ann an St Valéry-en-Caux aig a’ cheann thall; gu bheil i cuideachd ag aithneachadh gun do chuidich am feart seo gus barrachd ùine fhaighinn dhan Chabhlach Rìoghail gus còrr is 300,000 saighdear Breatannach is Frangach fhaighinn a-mach à Dunkirk; gu bheil i a’ toirt fainear gur dòcha, às aonais falmhachadh Dhunkirk, nach b’ urrainn do Bhreatainn agus do a caidreabhaich fhaighinn còmhla a-rithist agus ath-eagarachadh a dhèanamh agus a thilleadh do dh’ thalamh na Fhrainge ann an 1944; gu bheil i ag aithneachadh dè cho eadar-dhealaichte ’s a dh’ fhaodadh Breatainn, agus gu dearbh an Roinn Eòrpa, a bhith às aonais na h-oidhirp ro-chudthromaich seo; agus gu bheil i ag iarraidh air a’ Phrìomh Mhinistear, nuair a bhios e a’ gabhail pàirt às leth poball na h-Alba ann an tachartasan gus an 60mh ceann-bliadhna de D-Day a chomharrachadh, gun toir e moladh dhan phàirt a chluicheadh leis an 51mh Roinn Ghàidhealach ann an falmhachadh Dhunkirk agus, aig a’ cheann thall, ann an soirbheas D-Day.