Letters recall story of lost D-Day hero

Kathryn Cairnie-Lyall shares an extract from a family book containing precious letters from her uncle, Sgt James Cairnie

“My uncle James, a Dundee man, was a sergeant in The Black Watch and died in the D-Day landings. “My granny kept all the letters he wrote to her from 1940-1945 and they lay for years in an empty chocolate box and passed on to my father when she died. “A couple of years ago I showed them to my daughter’s boyfriend, Paul Malgrati, who studies at St Andrews University, and he put the letters together, along with a narrative of The Black Watch movements, to set each letter into context into a beautiful book. “I am intending on donating a copy to the Wellgate Library, and any other libraries who would like a copy.” Here is an excerpt from the book: Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally, O? And join the bold hielanders, my Mally, O? Ye’ll hear the captains callin’ And see the sergeants crawlin’ And a’ the sodgers fallin’, my Mally, O. (‘Will ye go to Flanders’, Traditional Scottish song) James Cairnie was born in Dundee, in April 1919, to Mary Ann and Patrick Cairnie. He grew up with his older brother Francis and his younger brother John. Following in his dad’s footsteps, James began a career in the railway sector in the 1930s. A few years later, however, the outbreak of the Second World War was to change James’ life. According to the Conscription Act of 1939, James had to join the army in September of that same year. He was enrolled in the 5th Battalion of the Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch), part of the 51st Highland Infantry Division. James entered the 5th Battalion together with his close friends Jim Bearn and Robert Chalmers – both from Dundee. From the autumn of 1939 to the spring of 1942, James followed intensive training, in both Scotland and England. During this time, James proved to be a qualified soldier and was appointed sergeant in March 1942. Around the same time, James married Stella Strachan, whilst on leave, on April 6 1941 (his 23rd birthday). Stella then followed him in Camberley, in England, where James was billeted from April to June 1942. On 15 June 1942, James had to part with Stella at King’s Cross station, London, to embark on The Empress of Australia with the rest of his division. Little did he know that he would not come back home for a year and a half. After a two-month journey, James set foot in Egypt, where British and Commonwealth troops were preparing an important counter-attack against Germans and Italians. The battle took place in the desert near El Alamein, from October 23 to November 11 1942. For seven days, James’ battalion was at the forefront under a hail of fire. His war had begun. For seven months in the wake of the battle, James was engaged in a 1,500-mile long chase of the German Army, from Egypt to Libya and Tunisia. Although he was saddened by the death of many of his comrades, James could count on the friendship of Jim Bearn to keep up morale and remember the cheerful times they had spent in Dundee before the war. Together with Jim Bearn, James took part in the liberation of Tripoli, in Libya, and Sfax in Tunisia. A few weeks later, in April 1943, as they were fighting in the outskirts of Sfax, James and Jim were both wounded by German shells. Whereas James’ shoulder injury was light, Jim Bearn’s leg was severely wounded and he had to be sent home. When James came back from the hospital, he deeply missed his repatriated friend. Thankfully though, he was now in the same company as Robert Chalmers, who would prove to be a faithful companion until the end. After a couple of weeks on the Algerian coast, The Black Watch landed in Sicily in July 1943. Together with his battalion, James went through violent skirmishing in Sferro, next to Mount Etna, where he lost many more comrades in arms. Yet, James’ war was over – for a while at least. With Sicily under Allied control, the 51st Division was finally sent home in November 1943. Back in Britain, James was stationed in High Wycombe, near London, from where he took several spells of leave to Dundee. There he caught up with his family and helped Stella arrange their flat on Broughty Ferry Road. For a few months, James caught sight of what a postwar life could be like. However, history had decided a different fate for James. On June 3 1944, he embarked on the Invasion Fleet that was to land in Normandy. Such a movement was unexpected since the date of the invasion had been kept secret until the last minute. This prevented James from notifying his family about his departure – in fact, the Cairnies would not find out that their son was away until days later. On June 6 1944 James landed in Normandy on Juno Beach. A few days later his battalion was ordered to take the small town of Bréville to the north of Caen. As they entered the outskirts of the village, the Scottish soldiers were mown down by heavy mortar and machine-gun fire. In a small field, side by side with his friend Robert Chalmers, James Cairnie lay dead. James now rests in the British Cemetery of Hermanville, a few miles from Bréville.

Sergeant James Cairnie. Picture: Kathryn Cairnie-Lyall.