The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

[DerekR]

Plockton
UKNIWM Ref: 44528
O/S map ref: NG 800 331
N57 20.169 W5 39.417

Hidden to the right of the road in the trees and scrub as you descend into Plockton, some 200 yards above the Primary School, a small, insignificant slate tablet points towards the memorial. An overgrown track takes you some 10 yards to the memorial, which consists of a large Celtic Cross contained within a metal railed enclosure.
The memorial tries its best to rise above its surroundings but it is being swamped.

Lists 20 names from the Great War and 8 from the Second World War.


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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

[DerekR]

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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

[DerekR]

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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

[DerekR]

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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

[DerekR]

In Memory Of
The Following Young Men
“Of Plockton”
Who Died In The Service Of
Their Country During
The Great War
1914 – 18

R.N.R
K.N. Macdonald O.S
Wm. Reid O.S

Seaforth Highlanders
Capt. Mackenzie Hamilton Fraser “Stromeferry”
Cpl. C. Macrae
Pte. D Gillies
Pte. R Mackenzie
Pte. W Macdonald
Pte. T Ross

Cameron Highlanders
L/Cpl. A.C Macrae
Pte M Matheson
Pte J. Mitchell?

A.I.F
Pte D Matheson

NZEF
Pte J. Mitchell

Royal Scots
Pte D. Campbell
Pte L Macdonald

Royal Engineers
Cpl. A Stewart

Gordon Highlanders
Cpl V.C Macrae

I.C.S
A.R Macrae

Pte. M. Macdonald A&S Hrs
Pte A.R Mackenzie Seaforths

“DILEAS CU BAS”
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

[DerekR]

1939 – 45

M Maclennan, Capt. 4/5th Seaforths
D.L Matheson, Lt. 6th Seaforths
R. Mackay, Capt. RAMC
T.J.A Moore, Lt(E) R.NR
J.D Cload, 2nd Off. MN
A Gillies, A.B MN
F. Maclennan A.B MN
W. Gillies, Pte. 4/5th Seaforths.
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

[DerekR]

The Attestation papers for this man show that he was born in Plockton on 10th January, 1886.
Interestingly there is an M.Matheson of the Camerons listed on this memorial.

Name: MATHESON
Initials: W
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment)
Unit Text: 28th Bn.
Age: 36
Date of Death: 27/08/1918
Service No: 907085
Additional information: Brother of Thos. Matheson, of High St., Fortrose, Inverness-shire, Scotland.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. D. 21.
Cemetery: LIGNY-ST. FLOCHEL BRITISH CEMETERY, AVERDOINGT
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

[Keptie]

Roll of honour for Skye and Lochalsh by Graham Ross . Copies held at Portree library and at Inverness .

Plockton War Memorial:

The Plockton War Memorial stands just off the main road into the village at the Glaick , overlooking the Obbe , and takes the form of a polished granite obelisk topped with a Celtic cross. This is above a carved sheild , which is being thrust through by a sword held in a forearm and hand.
The names of the Twenty Men who died in the 1914 -1918 war are inscribed onto the face of the Memorial , and the names of the 8 Men who died in the 1939 -1945 War are inscribed onto the polished base.

.

Patrick W Anderson

[DelBoy]

[Adam Brown]

From the online Aberdeen University Roll of Honour

Son of Kenneth MacDonald, ship's carpenter ; born Lochcarron, 25 September 1897 ; educated Plockton Higher Grade School. After a year at Aberdeen Grammar School, he entered the University in 1914 with a Bursary, and began his Arts course with a view to studying Medicine later. As soon as he reached military age, however, he volunteered for the Navy ; and after a course of training at Devonport, saw service in St. George's Channel, the Atlantic and the North Sea. He was awarded a special prize for gunnery, and upon the day before his death an enemy submarine was sunk by gunfire from the mystery ship in which he was then serving. On 14 August 1917 his ship struck a mine and was lost with all on board. Kenneth MacDonald was only 19 when he died, and was one of those who seemed to have every possibility before them. Through all his school and College days he passed with effortless distinction, easily first in his classes, and intellectually clear and brilliant beyond his age. Added to these qualities of mind were the still more attractive ones of humility and goodness, courage and readiness for sacrifice. Like so many who had much to give, he gave it willingly.

[DelBoy]

WW1
GORDON HIGHRS.
Cpl. V.C. MacRae

(Glasgow Herald 1st May 1915)
"Information has been received that Sergeant Alexander Skinner, son of Mrs Skinner, Dingwall, and Corporal Victor C. MacRae, son of the Stationmaster at Plockton, of the 1/4th Gordon Highlanders, (Territorials), were recently shot dead in the trenches. Sergeant Skinner who completed special studies at Glasgow University, was for a time teacher at Dumbarton, and joined the Gordon Territorials when attending the Provincial Training College at Aberdeen, rejoining the regiment at the outbreak of war. Corporal MacRae was a student at Aberdeen University, wher he was a first class honours man and a leader in sports, he was 24 years of age."

From the Aberdeen University Roll of Honour

"Son of Donald MacRae, stationmaster ; born Inverness, 12 October 1892 ; educated Plockton Higher Grade Public School, and Aberdeen Grammar School; entered the University as 8th Bursar in 1910, graduated M.A., 1914, with First Class Honours in Classics, a remarkable performance, as by a chain of unforeseen circumstances, he had to undertake the necessary work within one year. His Professor wrote: "he was a strikingly able student". While still at the Grammar School, he had joined "D" (then the School) Company of the 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders. With it he was mobilized in August 1914, and crossed to France in 1915. A few weeks later, on 21 April 1915, he was killed, while attempting to remove a wounded comrade from a dangerous corner. That sniper's bullet ended a career of unusual possibilities, for Victor MacRae had a brain and a personality that might have carried him to the top of almost any ladder he chose to climb. He had versatility without shallowness, and a humorous philosophy of life that would have kept him unchanged through any vicissitude."

CWGC
MACRAE, V C
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 2537
Date of Death: 20/04/1915
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders "D" Coy. 4th Bn.
Grave Reference: II. F. 4.
Cemetery: WYTSCHAETE MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Donald and Jane Ferguson Macrae, of 123, Blenheim Place, Aberdeen. First Class Honours, Graduate of Aberdeen University.

SNWM
Surname: MacRAE
Firstname: Victor
Service Number: 2537
Date Death: 20/04/1915
Other: 4th Bn.
SNWM roll: THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS
Rank: Cpl
Theatre of death: F.& F.

[Kenneth Morrison]

I.C.S
A.R Macrae

Brother of Victor (above)

MacRAE, ALFRED REGINALD
Rank:Assistant Comissioner
Date of Death:01/07/1916
Age:28
Regiment/Service:Palestine Police Force
Grave ReferenceIV. R. 23.
CemeteryBASRA WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Donald MacRae, of 123, Blenheim Place, Aberdeen. Born at Inverness.

What do the initials stand for (ICS)?
Something a bit "odd" here - all the records say that the Palestine Poice Force was not formed until 1920.
In 1916 Palestine was still part of the Ottoman Empire.
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Ken

[Kenneth Morrison]

From http://www.abdn.ac.uk/historic/mem_single.php?memid=102

University of Aberdeen - Special Libraries and Archives

Name MacRae, Alfred Reginald
Rank Assistant Commissioner of Police
Regiment Indian Police Service
Biography Son of Donald MacRae, stationmaster ; born Inverness, 26 January 1888. Educated at Aberdeen Grammar School. On leaving the University where he studied from 1905-08, he took the highest place in the examination for the Indian Police Service. Most of his time in India was spent in Delhi, where he had the chance of doing good service at the time of the Durbar ; while later he became an officer of the new Delhi Province. There he acted until April 1915, gaining a reputation among his superiors as one of the most promising officers of the Punjab Police. In April 1915 began his more definite war-service. He was sent to Mesopotamia as Assistant Commissioner of Police under the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India. There he had the difficult and important duty of organizing a new police force, and this was a piece of work which made demands upon all the skill in dealing with men, which had always characterized him. On 1 July 1916 he died of cholera near Nasiriyeh. He was one of the many who gave their lives for their country whose name appeared in no casualty list. Such service as his, given with simplicity, modesty and devotion, lays the foundation of order and peace in restless and unsettled territory ; and in him was lost not only a man of goodness and charm, but a loyal, efficient and valued officer of the Force he had served so well.
Honours
Date of Death 01 July 1916
Burial details Buried at Basra War Memorial Cemetery, Plot 4, Row R., Grave 23.


So a bit clearer but why Palestine Poice Force?
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Ken

[Adam Brown]

ICS will be Indian Civil Service. Palestine Police must be an error by IWGC.

Adam

[Kenneth Morrison]

Adam - an error by IWGC - Don't think you should have said that
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Ken