The Celebrate Gartmore's Tercentenary Year (Gartmore 300), Jordanhill College School, in conjunction with Gartmore School and the Gartmore Heritage Society, are reenacting the Mass Evacuation ('Operation Pied Piper') which occurred in 1939. 66 Schoolchildren and 7 staff will be evacuated from Jordanhill College School to Gartmore. As part of our WWII celebratory weekend this extraordinary event will take place on Friday 21st March 2025. Continuing our celebrations, on the 22nd March (Saturday) we present 'In The Mood', and on Sunday 23rd March we present 'Films of WWII' (and episodes of the BBC's Dad's Army to finish the day).
(see the separate SLHF listings).

Schedule

9.30am – leaving Jordanhill School
10.30am – arrive in Gartrmore (2 coaches)
10.30am-12.15pm – Rehearsal in the hall, then walk the children to the church to listen to a recording of the announcement of the outbreak of war. We also have some reminiscences written by an evacuee about his memories of hearing the announcement - then going to the church for a service.
12.15pm-1.15pm – Lunch and talk about WWII (Forth Valley in WWII)
1.30pm – performance in the hall (approx. 20 mins)
2.15pm – return to Glasgow at 2.30pm

Nestled amongst the rolling hills of Scotland, Gartmore and its neighbouring villages played an all-but-forgotten, top-secret role in World War II. As the site of 25 A.S.D. (Ammunition Sub Depot), Gartmore became a hidden fortress of war, stockpiling colossal amounts of ammunition scattered across thousands of covert locations throughout its forests and estates - critical supplies that would later fuel Operation Overlord and the D-Day landings.
These immense logistical and covert operations ensured an unrelenting supply of firepower for the international war effort. But Gartmore was not just a depot of destruction - it was also a sanctuary. Under ‘Operation Pied Piper,’ waves of schoolchildren, fleeing the horrors of war, the looming Nazi bombing campaigns, and the Blitz, were evacuated to the safety of the village and surrounding areas.
Against this backdrop of displaced children's laughter and clandestine military operations, Gartmore became a battleground of resilience - where both weapons and hope were quietly being prepared for the fight to save Britain.
From recently discovered War Office secret diaries (declassified in 2024) to personal documents and oral histories, this talk - the culmination of eight years of research - will unveil this astonishing story as seen through the eyes of those who lived it, revealing the truly remarkable role Gartmore played throughout World War II.