The sacrifice of thousands of Highland and islands soldiers, who were captured in 1940 at St Valery in France, has been remembered by communities across the Western Isles
Numerous men from all parts of the islands fought at St Valery.
Pipers and other musicians across the world paid tribute by playing The Heroes of St Valery on the 80th anniversary of the battle
The piping tune was composed by a veteran of the battle, pipe major Donald Maclean from the village of Ballantrushal, Lewis. He was one of 10,000 taken captive and marched through Belgium to Germany onto a prisoner of war camp in occupied Poland.
The main ceremony in the Western Isles was at the war memorial at the Stornoway drill hall where around 90 of the soldiers were based.
Aaron Ingram played the bagpipes and the Last Post was sounded by Tom Blunt on the trumpet. The small gathering fell silent Western Isles' Lord Lieutenant Donald Martin laid a wreath.
A brief ceremony was held in Benbecula where Western Isles army cadets have organised an annual service over the past twenty years.
Similar events took place at the Lewis War Memorial in Stornoway as well as the Nicolson Institute, and in North and South Uist and in Harris.
Eighty years on, remembering the sacrifice at St Valery
12 June 2020
