Stories of Faith from WWII: John's Story
In 1940, at the age of just 20, John Borland was serving with the 51st Highland Division when he was captured by the Germans. John’s faith and a single page of Bible verses became his source of strength during his five years as a prisoner of war.
From 10th to 12th June 1940, John and his comrades made a final stand at St. Valery, Normandy, where they were part of the British and French line of defence. At this time, most of the British Expeditionary Force and the French army had been successfully evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk. However, the 51st Highland Division was left behind to hold the line, alongside their French allies, as the German forces advanced.
Their goal was to reach the French port of Le Havre for evacuation, but this plan was foiled by the German forces, who had secured the cliff-top positions above the beach. With no escape route available and German tanks firing down from the cliffs, evacuation became impossible and highly dangerous.
John recalls his experience on the beach: “There was great confusion, and a lot of gunfire from the clifftop (it turns out Rommel's tank corps was stationed there). I met up with a sergeant, and we took shelter in a nearby lighthouse. As we were deciding what to do, the sergeant was shot and killed within minutes. I was left without food, water, or ammunition, and had a wound in my foot.”
The following day, on 11th June 1940, John was captured by the Germans. “I was marched off with a revolver at my back,” he recalls. “As I walked, a piece of paper fluttered across my path. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. That night, before falling asleep, I looked at the paper and discovered it was a page of printed Bible verses. It was called 'Good News to All Men' and on it someone had written 'Don't give up'. It became a window in my prison house.”
“That night I slept on top of the cliff as a prisoner of the Germans. I never woke once, though I was soaked through when I did. The Germans lit a huge haystack, and all of us prisoners stood around it to dry. About 300 men were there in total, mostly Scots – though none of my friends were among them. My morale was low that day. I felt ashamed and wondered what my parents would think of me. I became a POW for the next five years.”
By 12th June, General Fortune of the 51st Highland Division made the difficult decision to surrender, and 8,000 soldiers were taken prisoner. John recalls this time: “The printed Bible tract became my Bible for the next five years. With it, I held short services for some of the boys in the prison camps. I still have it today, and I would never part with it. I promised that if I got home safely, I would serve the Lord. I did, and I always felt there was a guardian angel watching over me that day on the beach.”
As a prisoner of war, John endured deprivation and hunger. The only time he left Stalag 20A, the camp where he was held, was to work on farms. However, on one occasion, he managed to capture a chicken and smuggled it back into the camp to share with his fellow prisoners.
In January 1945, as the Russian forces advanced, the prisoners were forced on a death march through Poland. Many died along the way, but in April, John managed to escape by rolling into a ditch. He was later picked up by an American tank.
After the war, John fulfilled his promise to serve the Lord. He mentored boys in the Christian faith through the Boys' Brigade, Sunday school, and football coaching in Govan and Rutherglen. One of the most famous boys he mentored was Sir Alex Ferguson, who recently shared the following about him:
“John Borland was one of the biggest influences on my earlier life and I always held him in deep affection. He instilled a sense of discipline and Christian values into my life and many other boys – through the Boys’ Brigade, Sunday school and football training. He always took such a passionate interest in our formation and well-being. He was my mentor, a lifelong friend, and a hero.”
John passed away at the age of 92, having faithfully lived out his commitment to the Lord.
Private John Borland's story is featured in our WWII Commemorative Edition of the Gospel of John. Available now.
Edited by: Bethan Walker