Date of birth:

(Dundee/Schotland, Great Britain)

Date of death:

April 2003

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Before the war Wallis Heath worked as a card and postcard printer.
During The Phoney War he was stationed near the Maginot Line with the 51st Division and thereby avoided the encirclement of the main part of the BEF around Dunkirk.
The 51st Division were attached to the French 10th Army and were heavily attacked on the 5th and 6th June in the Somme region.
He escaped from France via Le Havre when the bulk of the Division was captured at St Valery on 12th June.
He was captured in an ambush and taken POW on 29th November 1942 in Tunisia. He was first sent to Oflag 8F POW camp and later moved to Oflag 79 near Brunswick.
While at Oflag 79 he was heavily involved in the successful production of escape maps for which he made good use of his pre war skills.
After the war he returned to the printing business and became the Dundee Works Manager. In 1961 he became general manager of ICIs Kynoch Press in Birmingham, where he remained until his retirement in 1975. He died aged 86 in April 2003.

Promotions:
28 mei 1938: 2e Luitenant (51 Divisional Highland Engineers, Territorial Army)

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Second-Lieutenant

Unit:

51st (Highland) Infantry Division, British Army

Awarded on:

October 18th, 1940

Citation:
"On the River Bresle on the 8th June, 1940 Second Lieutenant Heath and four other ranks remained under enemy fire until the last of the allied troops had passed the barricades. In spite of heavy enemy fire they then went forward and blew up several road junctions, thereby holding up the enemy advance. Second Lieutenant Heath carried out his duties under extreme difficulties with great confidence and determination, at grave personal risk."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With "1st ARMY" clasp.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• - The London Gazette Issue 34514 published on the 27 May 1938
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 34973 published on the 18 October 1940
  - Warwick & Warwick Medal Auctioneers