The Scottish War Memorials Project

[David McNay]

The memorial for Airdrie is at the corner of a busy junction near to Monklands Hospital, so it's not easy to just jump out of your car and take a few photos. Hence the reason why there's only one picture at the moment. This one is on my list to go back and do properly.

[Adam Brown]

If you approach the junction near this memorial from a different direction you see another part of the inscription. The full inscription is something like

'In proud and honoured memory of the men of Airdrie who gave up their lives for their country in the Great War 1914-1919'

Unfortunately depending how far back the queue at the junction you are you only see words something like 'The men of Airdrie who gave up' which gives it rather a different meaning!

Adam

[David McNay]

I believe they've actually changed the inscription for this very reason!

I think they've removed the "up".

[Adam Brown]

David

I hope so. It's been quite a few years since I was there.

Adam

[AB64]

One of the names on the memorial is Mark Boreland of the 11th Battalion the Parachute Regiment as his Dakota was approaching the Drop Zone to the West of Arnhem on the second day of operations it was hit by Ack-Ack fire and crashed killing most of those on board






Alistair

[David McNay]

[David McNay]

Here, finally, are the names on the memorial.

First World War:

[David McNay]

Second World War:






I'd be interested to know why there appears to be a name removed after James Dunsmore...

[David McNay]

A few more photos of the memorial:

[DelBoy]

These are the first pics I've seen of this.
My great uncle Douglas Black is commemorated on it. He's buried in Germany.

Cheers, Del.

[Adam Brown]

DelBoy

Do you have any details of your Great Uncle you could post?

Regards

Adam

[DelBoy]

I've put up what I know and a pic on the "find a grave" website here: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=black&GSfn=douglas&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=12487954&

Douglas Black was the younger brother of my grandfather John Black and was born in Airdrie to a very large family, eight children in the family were in the uniformed services in WW2, six male and two female.
Douglas was the only one to die during the war.

Private
Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
6th Battalion
Service Number: 14741818
He died on April 5th 1945 aged 19.

He is buried in plot: 49. B. 16.
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Kleve
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Germany

The family story is that he was shot by a sniper through the head, who was later found up a tree. Don't know what happened to him though.

[jamiemcginlay]

The memorial was by monumental sculptors Messrs. Scott Rae of Glasgow, the daybook entry reads:
'Order no. 6870, Airdrie, Creetown memorial'.

[dhubthaigh]

I think the John Bain commemorated here is also on the War Memorial in Methven, Perthshire;
Name: BAIN
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Unit Text: 1st/6th Bn.
Date of Death: 22/08/1916
Service No: 2426
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. F. 23.
Cemetery: CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES
BORN: AIRDRIE, LANARKSHIRE
ENLISTED: PERTH

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=473&highlight=methven

[helen]

Thanks for this David, My husband has 4 great uncles on this memorial Sam Stallard from his fathers side and the three McDowall brothers from his mothers side, for a very long time my husbands greatest wish was to see this but as you say it is in a very awkward place and my husband is in a wheelchair which makes it even more difficult. Thanks again for giving him his wish.