British POW Liberated

My Grandad was also liberated from Bergen-Belsen in Apr 1945.

Except My Grandfather was a Highlander in the 51st Highland Division which was in 1940 in action further south of the main B.E.F being evacuated at Dunkirk.3 weeks after the Dunkirk evacuations ended btw,fighting a rearguard action,all the way to the french coast,My Grandads Div fought on until the British C.O General.Victor Fortune,was left with no option but to capitulate to the Germans?they were all surrendered to capture by Rommels 7th Panz Div at St Valery en caux on the French coast?My ‘Papa’ and 8000 fellow Jocks of his Division went ‘Into the Bag'(taken POW),most of them spending 5 years in all as Pow’s of the Nazi’s???He was in various stalags for a few years,tried to escape a couple of times i was told,and then for his ‘Temerity’ they threw him in Belsen?He spent the last 2 years of the war in Belsen camp,he was ‘7 stone and Lousy'(his words) when finally liberated by his fellow Brits in spring 1945?His experiences drove him to Drink which led to his far to early Death sadly at only age 63???that happened back when I was very young in the early 80s?I was told about some of his war experiences by my parents but tbh I still don’t know much and Im constantly searching for more info of his ‘Kriegsgefangener’ experiences during 1940-45?????

Rip my Papa John(Chuck)Melvin and God bless all who suffered and Died in that terrible Conflict,Peace now and always to you all.

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