The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

[Raymond Bell]

The Cairn at High Wood is to remember the 192 members of 9th (Glasgow Highlanders) HLI who died trying to take the wood on 14-15th July 1916.

The Cairn was constructed and self funded by a Glasgow Engineer (Alex Aiken) - his uncle Jim Aiken was wounded during the battle.

The Cairn is constructed of 192 stones taken from another area known as High Wood which is near Culloden in Scotland and transported to where it stands to-day. Each stone is to represent a soldier who fell during the battle.

The Cairn stands 5 foot 7 inches tall which was the minimum height required to join the Glasgow Highlanders at the time. The top stone that completes the height is a Glasgow Street cobble stone.

I visited the Cairn in May 2008 and noticed there is some damage to the flagstones surrounding the Cairn and that the plaque is showing wear and tear through time.

Surely this memorial must be maintained/repaired before further damage happens and we lose a piece of history?

It appears that Alex Aiken passed away about 5 years ago and I believe that he had ensured the maintenance of the Cairn up untill his passing

Dinger

[Adam Brown]

Many thanks to Morag Sutherland of Brora for her photograph of the cairn.



Regards

Adam