The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Perth hero gets France’s highest military honour
HONOUR: William Tavendale, 97, helped clear the way for evacuation of Dunkirk
A Perth war hero whose bravery helped clear the way for the Dunkirk evacuation has been given France’s highest military honour.
William Tavendale was presented with the Legion d’honneur at a ceremony in the city’s Balhousie Castle, home to the Black Watch Museum.
The medal, established by Napolean Bonaparte, was pinned to the 97-yearold’s chest by the Consul General of France Emmanuel Cocher as friends, family and fellow veterans looked on.
Mr Tavendale was a corporal in the Royal Army Service Corps’ 51st Highland division. He landed in France at Le Havre in December 1939 as part of an operation which made the Dunkirk evacuation possible.
“The 51st Highland Division were under French command and we occupied a section of the Maginot Line.
“We were given the job of holding the Germans back, otherwise Dunkirk would never have happened.”
He said: “Our section got an order to go and pick up The Black Watch and take them to St Valery where there were to be ships waiting to take us away. They got to St Valery and there wasn’t even a rowing boat. And the Germans were surrounding the town with their tanks.”
Mr Tavendale took another 40 soldiers from the Argyll and Southern Highlanders regiment to the town. “At St Valery, we stood watching the tanks circling. The captain of the Argylls said: ‘I think there’s a way out. If you’re willing to take a chance, I will lead you.’ Everyone put up their hand, and I was the driver of the lorry so my mind was already made up.”
They set off, only to be to stopped after a short distance.
“We got attacked by a plane. We managed to get away and headed on towards Montivilliers.”
There, Mr Tavendale was forced to abandon his truck and was told it was “every man for themselves”.
“There was a ship in the harbour and everyone tried to get on it,” he said. “The town was absolutely blazing, every building was on fire.”
Most of the group made it to the ship, which was divebombed by Nazi Stukas as it sailed off. “Thankfully, everything they were firing at us fell into the water,” he said.
The ship pulled into Cherbourg and the soldiers walked for about six miles to a nearby church.
“We were all just dead beat but they wanted us to go and defend Paris.
“We had absolutely nothing left to fight with, no ammunition or anything,” he added.
Mr Tavendale returned to France with the 51st division and helped recapture St Valery. He went on to fight in Belgium, Holland and German.