Shropshire piper's tribute to captured Highland men
A retired RAF captain from Shropshire was among hundreds of pipers around the world to join in a musical observation of an important anniversary.
Andy Young, from Whittington, a retired RAF group captain, played The Heroes of St Valery on his bagpipes at 10am on Friday,
He explained: "This was organised by Poppy Scotland, the sister charity to the Royal British Legion, in honour of the 80th anniversary of the infamous battle around St-Valery-en-Caux, which ended with the surrender and imprisonment of the bulk of the 51st (Highland) Division in 1940.
"Over 10,000 men spent the next five years as prisoners of war in Germany and Poland."
Mr Young was born and raised in Aberdeenshire, home of the Gordon Highlanders, who were an important part of the division.
Appropriately, he chose to play in Whittington's memorial gardens.
As well as playing the pipes, Mr Young is a member of the Orthopaedic Male Voice Choir and West Felton branch of the Royal British Legion. He has been playing his pipes regularly during the lockdown, adding a different dimension to the weekly 'clap for carers'.
