The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

[dhubthaigh]

Situated in the memorial gardens adjacent Dunfermline Abbey
Carved into the wall above and below the name panels is the inscription
IN MEMORY OF THOSE OF THIS CITY WHO DIED IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 - 1945

[dhubthaigh]

Surname GRAY
Firstname Stuart Robert Tennant
Service number 25022697
Date of death 04/11/2004
Decoration
Place of birth Edinburgh
Other
SNWM roll THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT)
Rank Sgt
Theatre of death Iraq

http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.org/Black%20Watch%20Iraq.htm

[dhubthaigh]

This casualty is also on the Blairgowrie & Rattray War Memorial and Blairgowrie High School Memorial Board:-
Surname RITCH
Firstname Robert W
Service number 2758276
Date of death 01/06/1940
Decoration
Place of birth Dunfermline
Other
SNWM roll THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT) and THE TYNESIDE SCOTTISH
Rank Pte
Theatre of death France and Belgium Campaign, 1939-40

Name: RITCH, ROBERT WILSON
Initials: R W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: between 22/05/1940 and 01/06/1940
Service No: 2758276
Additional information: Son of James and Margaret Ritch.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 66.
Cemetery: DUNKIRK MEMORIAL

[spoons]

A shame that someone saw fit to polish William R Richards name - at least I presume that is what it is.

[spoons]

From Sunday Times magazine, 28 Oct 2007 (Stuart Gray)

[spoons]

Does anyone know if Scott Kennedy (killed in Basra June 2007) has been added or is due to be added to this memorial?

\Paul

[gourdongirl]

I visited this memorial yesterday and his name does not appear to be there.

Don't know of any plans for it to happen.

Shona

[A Morris]

Film showing the construction of the memorial:

http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=1793

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

[DelBoy]

Thomas McPhillips aged 30 died whilst a prisoner of the Japanese.
He was aboard the Suez Maru along with 640 other POW's which was sunk by the US submarine Bonefish. Although approximately 250 men managed to get out of the hold, they were subsequently massacred by the Japanese escort vessel.

Name: McPHILLIPS, THOMAS
Initials: T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Aircraftman 1st Class
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Date of Death: 29/11/1943
Service No: 621000
Additional information: Son of Alexander George McPhillips, and of Helen Blair McPhillips, of Dunfermline, Fife.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 428.
Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL

Derek.

[dhubthaigh]

Corporal Tom Mason, Black Watch has been added to the War Memorial;

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/11343/i-think-about-him-last-thing-at-night-and-first-thing-in-the-morning-mother-s-tribute-to-corporal-tam-mason.html

[Adam Brown]

Here's an article from today's 'Dunfermline Press' about Corporal Mason's name being added.

http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/roundup/articles/2011/03/04/410817

Memorial tribute to West Fife Black Watch soldier

By Gary Fitzpatrick. Published 4th March 2011

FAMILY, friends and comrades of fallen Black Watch corporal Tam Mason gathered at Dunfermline War Memorial to remember his life and mark the occasion of his name being added to the memorial plaque.

In a poignant ceremony held in bright early spring sunshine on Monday, accompanied by a bugler and piper, the Rev Seoras Mackenzie, Black Watch padre, said Tam gave his life so others could enjoy peace.

"He was prepared to put his life on the line for people like us.

"That life was taken by that dreadful act of terrorism," said the Rev Mackenzie.

He added, "Tam died so that others were free not to live in fear and under repression."

Tam grew up in Rosyth and lived later in Dunfermline. He was 27-years-old when he died as a result of severe injuries he sustained in an explosion in Afghanistan.

He was flown back to the UK but died in hospital in Birmingham six weeks after the horrific blast.

Tam, who was on his second tour in Afghanistan, had joined the army in February 2005 and qualified as a mortar fire controller, earning promotion to corporal two years later.

His mum, Linda Buchanan, who lives in Kelty, said after the ceremony, "It's been a very emotional occasion.

"There's an element of pride of course because Tam died doing the job he loved.

"He was proud to be in the Black Watch and he always said there could be no greater honour than to die doing the job he loved so much.

"He used to say, 'Whatever they say about the army, the Black Watch is different and we're like one big family'.

"He was one of the last to join before the change came in over to the Royal Regiment.

"Tam is the first thing I think of every morning when I wake up and the last thing I think of when I fall asleep and I know that will always be.

"He was fun-loving, loved a challenge, was very motivated and because he was like that it rubbed off on those around him.

"He was respected by those who knew him."

Meanwhile, Tam's family are delighted with the response to their petition calling for a memorial garden to be built for the families of those who have died in recent conflicts.

More than 700 people have signed the petition which has been left in shops around West Fife and is also being backed by the Press with dunfermlinepress.com users able to sign online.

"We've had tremendous support from the public and from the other families," said Mrs Buchanan.

"People have been getting in touch from all over Scotland so if we have this quiet place where people can go to remember their loved ones, people could be coming to Fife from all over."

[stuartn]

WMR 8517

The Iraq plaque has since been replaced with one which reads-
KOSOVO/ROBERT DONKIN-2001
IRAQ/STUART GARY-2004
AFGHANISTAN/THOMAS MASON-2009
NORTHERN IRELAND/BRIAN HALL-1971

but Scott Kennedy's name is not there- field visit 6 August 2019

[Kenneth Morrison]

JACK MELVILLE.

Named on the Galashiels War Memorial in Selkirkshire as:

ORD. CODER J. MELVILLE, R.N.
John Melville – age 37 – Ordinary Coder (C/JX 361352) H.M.S. Dasher, Royal Navy.
Jack had been a teller in the British Linen Bank in Galashiels for about five years and was a well known local singer. A member of the Amateur Operatic Society, he also sang in the East Church choir. Prior to joining the navy he was a Group Warden with the Civil Defence Organisation. He was serving on the escort aircraft carrier “Dasher” when she exploded and sank in the Clyde Estuary between Ardrossan and Arran.
Born 1905 in Dunfermline, Fife. Son of George and Bessie (Dick) Melville of Dunfermline. Husband of Euphemia (Toshack) Melville of 164 Wood Street, Galashiels who he married in 1938 in Dunfermline.
Died on Active Service on 27 March 1943 and buried in Ardrossan Cemetery, Ayrshire.
Also named on the Galashiels East Church memorial and on the British Linen Bank memorial in the Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh
_________________
Ken

[Mike Morley]

Name: OPIE, ARTHUR SEYMOUR
Initials: AS
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Merchant Navy, SS Gloucester Castle (London)
Date of Death: 15/7/1942
Age: 30
Additional Information: Son of William John and Edith Mary Opie.
Panel Reference: Panel 52
Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial.

[Kenneth Morrison]

RICHARD BARBER

Named on the Dunbar Burgh and Parish War Memorial in East Lothian as:

RICHARD BARBER
Richard Barber – age 33 – Lance Corporal (2699280) Scots Guards.
Richard was an assistant flesher in Dunfermline, Fife when he married in 1934 and he was a butcher living at 28 Boroughdales, Dunbar in 1940. He was killed near Bois de Homme and was re-interred in April 1946.
Born 1911 in Dunfermline. Son of Alexander and Gertrude (Fowler) Barber. Husband of Jean or Jane Wilson (Hunter) Barber of Dunfermline who he married in 1934 in Dunfermline.
Killed in Action on 1 August 1944 and buried in Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery, France.
_________________
Ken