Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Second World War escaper’s M.M. awarded to Private J. Farrell, Seaforth Highlanders, who was captured in June 1940 and returned to England in January 1942 after his fifth escape attempt

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2819021 Pte., Seaforth) edge bruise, otherwise nearly extremely fine £800-1000

M.M. London Gazette 12 May 1942.

Private John Farrell was captured at St Valery-sur-Somme on 12 June 1940, whilst serving in the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, with the 51st Highland Division in France. He escaped on 28 June and made his way to Doullens, via Waterloo, where he found refuge working on a farm. In mid-September he decided to make his way to Unoccupied France, which he did on foot via Amiens, Paris, Chateaudun, Blois, and Blere, where he crossed the demarcation Line on 21 October. From there he made his way to Lyons where he visited the U.S. Consulate who sent him, along with 23 others, to Marseilles. In Marseilles he was arrested and interned in Fort St Jean, being transferred to St Hippolyte early in January 1941.

From St Hippolyte he made three unsuccessful attempts to get away. The first was in April when he got as far as Lourdes where he was arrested and taken back. In May he bent the bars of the dining hall window and got out but was immediately caught and got 14 days imprisonment. In June he got away again and sought refuge with a farmer nearby who betrayed him to the local Gendarmerie. He was taken to the local prison by the gendarmes who proceeded to beat him but eventually sent him back to the camp where he was imprisoned for a month.

On the 1st September he escaped from St Hippolyte with Private MacRae of the Camerons, and they made their way to a small house near Nimes, where they were joined by Private J. T. Clarke. The three men set out for Spain with a guide but MacRae was captured at Narbonne Station. Clarke and Farrell continued with their guide to Perpignan and Canet Plage but, after eight days there, they were returned to Nimes and sent by bus to Prats de Mollo. Here they were taken up the Pyrenees by a Spanish guide until they were in sight of Spain, after which they walked alone to Barcelona, arriving there on 18 September, and reported to the British Embassy. Farrell was sent to Gibraltar on 5 November and arrived back in England on 4 January 1942. Sold with a full copy of his very detailed M.I.9. interview report.