A CHANCE find has revealed that a Highland Light Infantryman was in the first waves of troops on D-Day.
Over 300,000 allied troops including dozens of Scottish regiments were involved in D-Day on June 6, 1944, with commemorations and events held across the country for the 80th anniversary this week.
The Highland Light Infantry – which drew its recruits mainly from Glasgow and the Scottish Lowlands – fought through North Africa and Italy during the Second World War, but were allegedly dubbed “D-Day dodgers” by Viscount Lady Astor – a Tory MP – in 1945.
They later fought in Belgium and Germany as the war came to an end.
But a military “red book” for highlander Martin Baird, which lists army personnel movements, was found in a loft and reveals him landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Grandson Stuart Baird – who found the book – told The National: “My grandfather never told anyone in the family much about his service for the Highland Light Infantry. He took it to the grave. We knew he had served in Egypt, Sicily and Italy from his medals but he had never mentioned France.”
Stuart added that none of his family has ever known he was in the first waves at D-Day.
“He had volunteered to serve with the Highlands Light Infantry on the outbreak of World War Two in 1939 after his elder brother was killed in a roof collapse in a coal mine.
“When I saw D-Day on his records, it listed his service but also recorded a transfer to the Royal Armoured Corps. The family knew he served with tank regiments with the highlanders in north Africa.”
The red book also revealed he was back in England by July 4, less than a month later, after he was machine gunned in Normandy and later treated at a military hospital in Birmingham.
It doesn’t give details of his role, although he had been a tank driver previously and was an “experienced driver” according to military notes (below).
The Highland Light Infantry later landed in Belgium in October 1944.
Martin recovered from his wounds, married a Women’s Auxiliary Airforce service woman, Grace Coppard, who he had met on the south coast of England before setting sail to Normandy.
They settled in Yorkshire where he worked in the coal mining industry. They went on to have six children, and their son George later joined the army and served in west Germany and Aden (Yemen). Martin died in 1985 aged 67.
“Like a lot of his generation he was reluctant to talk about his service even to those he was closest to. I think he had done his service and wanted to forget and get on with his life,” Stuart said.
“After the war he would attend Remembrance Day events but it was said he wouldn’t wear his medals.
“He said that men had died in the pits digging coal for the steel mills in Sheffield and never received any recognition.”
