Highlander soldier shot by the Nazis after being betrayed
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A search has been launched to trace the family of a 51st Highland Division soldier who was shot after being betrayed to the Nazis.
Poppy Scotland is hoping to find relatives of Keller Len Scott (or Len Scott Keller) ahead of next month's anniversary of the Battle of St Valery-en-Croux.
Days after the mass-evacuations at Dunkirk, thousands of men from the 51st Highland Division remained in mainland Europe supporting their French allies.
As Nazi troops advanced through Normandy, the 51st fought valiantly, protecting French citizens, and hoping that evacuation by sea would be forthcoming.
On June 12, 1940, Nazi tanks surrounded the division at the coastal commune of St Valery.
This, alongside a curtain of heavy fog, made the long-awaited flotilla rescue unviable, and they were forced to surrender.
Those not killed in the fighting were marched to POW camps in Eastern Europe, where they remained for five gruelling years.
However, one brave soldier miraculously evaded capture and was taken in by a local French family who hid him from the occupying German forces.
The search to find the relatives of this man was launched after a current resident of St Valery contacted Legion Scotland.
Patrick Prieur's grandparents and father remained in the town during the entirety of the war.
Recalling the tale his late father told him, Monsieur Prieur said: "A soldier from the 51st Highland Division was hidden by a local family in the village.
"They bonded, and the family learned that he was a married man with a wife and two daughters waiting for him to return home.
"For several weeks, the soldier remained hidden, but regretfully he was eventually discovered by German troops and marched through the town to the municipal cemetery.
"After being forced to dig his own grave, he was positioned against the cemetery wall and shot.
"His death deeply upset the townspeople – who had been aware of his hiding – and especially my father, who was only 11-years-old at the time.
"In later years, the Franco-British military cemetery was built, and his body was moved there.
"His grave is marked as ‘Known unto God’, and my father and other villagers tended to it for decades after the war ended.
"My father had been gifted a piece of paper on which the soldier’s name was written, ‘Keller Len Scott’, and this became his prized possession.
"He wanted to find the soldier’s family to tell them what had happened to their beloved and where he was laid to rest, but having very little information, he struggled."
This remarkable story emerged following the 80th anniversary of the Battle of St Valery last June, which saw hundreds of pipers around the world play in unison in tribute to the ‘Forgotten 51st’.
Dr Claire Armstrong, the chief executive of Legion Scotland, said: "Until last year the battle of St Valery was relatively unknown, but we set that right with commemorations that reached around the world.
"Now, as we approach the 81st anniversary of the battle, we hope to identify this Scottish hero, give him the recognition he deserves, and bring peace to his family."
It is believed the name order on the piece of paper may have been written in military fashion, with the surname preceding any given names.
That means the family name might be Keller.
However the search has now reached an impasse, so an appeal is being put out to the wider community for help.
Dr Armstrong said: "We are urging anyone who believes they know of or has any information about our Unknown Solider – no matter how small – to get in touch.
"This brave man fought valiantly for his country.
"To repay our debt to him for his service would be an honour, not only for Legion Scotland, but for his family, Monsieur Prieur’s father, the people of St Valery and, ultimately, for all the Unknown Soldiers who sacrificed their lives for us."
Anyone who might have pertinent information that could assist in discovering the soldier’s identity should visit poppyscotland.org.uk/stvalery
