The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

[jamiemcginlay]

Dalgetty Bay - Dunfermline District
The Dalgetty Bay war memorial is a rustic sandstone pedestal surmounted by a column and cross. The dedication and names of the fallen are set out on a polished granite tablet set into the face of the pedestal. The monument stands at Saint Bridget's Church although when I was taking the photographs a local told me that this was not the original site and that it was moved there in the 1980's (I can't verify this).





WWI ROLL OF HONOUR:
Bell Robert Royal Naval Reserve Engineer
Binning James Scottish Horse Trooper
Binning Robert Royal Garrison Artillery Gunner
Dickie Henry A. Fife & Forfarshire Yeomanry Lance Corporal DCM
Downie Robert M. Royal Air Force Royal Flying Corps Master Mechanic
Duncan James Gordon Highlanders 2nd. Private
Edwards Albert G. Royal Scots 9th. Private
Farquharson Alexander Royal Army Medical Corps Private
Haldane James Royal Scots 13th Battallion Lance Corporal
Hewitt James F. Cameronians Lieutenant
Hewitt William G. Royal Scots 3rd. Second Lieutenant
McNeil John Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders Lance Corporal
Morris Robert S. Black Watch 2nd. Private
Moubray Percy L. Black Watch 3rd. Captain
Robertson Henry Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders Sergeant
Short Andrew D. Lancashire Fusiliers Second Lieutenant
Watson Adam Scottish Horse Lance Corporal
Webster Donald A. Seaforth Highlanders 6th. Private



WWII ROLL OF HONOUR:
Deas Elizabeth W.A.A.F. L.A.C.W.
Inch William Royal Artillery Driver
Machin William W. Royal Engineers Major
Marks Bertie J. Royal Air Force Flying Officer

[john burnett]

This is the original site of the War Memorial. I believe it is a civic memorial situated outside a church.
UKNIWM 44476
OS Map Ref NT167846

[john burnett]

This is one of the gravestones within the churchyard where the war memorial was originally sited.

[A Morris]

Gunner Robert Binning. Born in Hillend in about 1894. Son of David and Jane Binning and younger brother of James Binning born in about 1892.

Robert died from wounds received on the 4th November 1916 in France. He is buried in Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte on the Somme.

James enlisted originally in the Black Watch on the 12th december 1915. He was medically discharged from the army after receiving GSW to the back and shoulder on the 28th April 1917. He died on the 21st February 1919.

Both men are also commemorated on the Inverkeithing War Memorial.

[A Morris]

Henry Anderson Dickie. Born in Dalgety Bay Fife in about 1898. Son of Henry and Elizabeth Dickie and younger brother of Marshall and Robert Dickie.

Died of wounds received on the 4th September 1918. He is buried in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe on the Somme in France.

[A Morris]

Henry Robertson was born in Inverkeithing in about 1895. He was the son of Henry and Margaret Robertson and the younger brother of Alexander (born in about 1891).

Henry enlisted in the 11th Battalion A&SH on the 15th December 1914. His apparent age is listed as 20 and he was 5ft 6in. tall. Clearly, Henry must have been a promising Private as he was promoted to L Cpl in September 1916 then Corporal in December of the same year. He was promoted to Serjeant in July 1917.

His service record shows that he was admitted to hospital on 10th November 1915 having accidentally shot his left thumb. The RAMC officer recorded the incident as 'trivial and accidental'

Henry was killed in action on the 20th April 1918 and is buried in Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun near Arras in Northern France.

[A Morris]

Adam Shirving Watson was born in Inverkeiting in about 1888. He moved to live in Parton in Kirkudbrightshire - but enlisted in Inverkeithing.

He served as 611 in the Scottish Horse (sorry, not sure exactly what this regiment is - maybe some members can help here) then was transferred to the 10th Battalion Cameron Highlanders where he was L/Cpl. 225960 Watson.

He was killed in action on 31st January 1917 and is buried in Struma Military Cemetery in Greece.

[A Morris]

Name: Robert McGaw Downie
Rank: Airman 2nd Class
Service Number: 44942
Service: Royal Flying Corps
Date of Birth: 1898 - Gatehouse Kirkudbrightshire
Date of Death: 8th January 1918
Buried in Dalgety Bay
_________________
Remembering my Great Uncle - 963 Private Charles Lockhart 2nd Btn Gordon Highlanders - KIA 29/10/1914

[A Morris]

Name: Robert Morris
Rank: Private
Service Number: S/19721
Unit: 2nd Battalion
Regiment: Black Watch
Date of Birth: 1884 - Dalgety Bay
Date of Death: 24th August 1917. Died in Mesopotamia and was buried at sea.
Commemorated on the Basra Memorial
_________________
Remembering my Great Uncle - 963 Private Charles Lockhart 2nd Btn Gordon Highlanders - KIA 29/10/1914

[Kenneth Morrison]

[Kenneth Morrison]

Another one of those "I never knew that"

From CWGC
After the fall of France in 1940, the French possession of Madagascar, which lay across the Allied lines of communication in the Indian Ocean, became of strategic importance to the Axis powers and, later, Japan.
In May 1942 the large naval base and harbour of Diego Suarez was seized in Operation 'Ironclad', the first amphibious assault undertaken by Commonwealth forces in the Second World War.

MACHIN, WILL WEST.
Rank:Major
Service No:64931
Date of Death:30/05/1942
Age:32
Regiment/Service:Royal Engineers
38 Field Coy.
Grave Reference4. H. 2.
CemeteryDIEGO SUAREZ WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of William and Elizabeth Machin; husband of Ella Stewart Machin (nee Rose), of Dalgety, Aberdour, Fife, Scotland.
_________________
Ken

[A Morris]

Hi Kenneth,

I may have made a wrong assumption. I could find only one Lance Corporal Adam Watson serving with the Scottish Horse with any connection to Inverkeithing district. His UK Soldiers Died in the Great War shows his birth and enlistment location as such.

What is normal protocol here - should I delete my entry?

Rgds,
Alex
_________________
Remembering my Great Uncle - 963 Private Charles Lockhart 2nd Btn Gordon Highlanders - KIA 29/10/1914

[Kenneth Morrison]

Alex - no, don't delete anything.
Until now I've just assumed that the reference to Inverkeithing was an error. Now, thanks to your post, we now know that there is a link to Dalgety/Inverkeithing. All we have to do is find out what it was
_________________
Ken

[Kenneth Morrison]

[Kenneth Morrison]

There's some kind of "odd" link between Dalgety and Kirkcudbrightshire.
So far we have Downie (Gatehouse) and Watson (Parton) and now I've noticed that the two Hewitt brothers were born in Gatehouse. They are listed on the Anwoth/Girthon Memorial in Gatehouse (as well as on memorials in Aberdour)
_________________
Ken