The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

[dhubthaigh]

This memorial is inside Kirriemuir Old Parish Church;

[Adam Brown]

From wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Anthony_Lyell,_2nd_Baron_Lyell

Charles Antony Lyell, 2nd Baron Lyell VC (1913–27 April 1943) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 29 years old, and a temporary captain in the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

He succeeded his grandfather as Baron Lyell in 1926. Between 1936 to his death, Lord Lyell was a member of Boodle's club in St James's, London.

During the period 22 April/27 April 1943 near Dj Bou Arada, Tunisia, Captain Lord Lyell's outstanding leadership and gallantry enabled his company to take its objective. On 27 April accompanied by a sergeant, a lance-corporal and two guardsmen, he led an attack on an enemy post consisting of an 88mm. gun and a heavy machine-gun in two separate pits. He destroyed the crew of the machine-gun with a hand grenade and then, three of the party having become casualties, and with the lance-corporal to give covering fire he leapt into the second pit, killing several of the crew before being overwhelmed and killed. Both the guns had been silenced.

From the CWGC

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2196663

LYELL, CHARLES ANTONY
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: Scots Guards
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 29
Date of Death: 27/04/1943
Service No: 57781
Awards: V C
Additional information:
2nd Baron of Kinnordy. Son of the Hon. C. H. Lyell, M.P., and of the Hon. Mrs. Lyell (nee Watney); husband of Lady Lyell (nee Trafford), of Kinnordy, Kirriemuir, Angus. B.Sc. (Oxon.): Christ Church. County Councillor for Angus.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: V. H. 5.
Cemetery: MASSICAULT WAR CEMETERY

Citation: The citation in the London Gazette of 12th August, 1943, gives the following details;
From 22nd April, 1943, Captain the Lord Lyell commanded his company with great courage, ability and cheerfulness. He led it down a slope under heavy mortar fire to repel a German counter-attack on 22nd April, and led it again under heavy fire on 23rd April in order to capture and consolidate a high point, which was held through a very arduous period of shelling, heat and shortage of water. In the evening of 27th April, Lord Lyell's company, while taking part in an attack, was held up by fire from a position which consisted of an 88-millimetre gun and a heavy machine-gun in separate pits. Lord Lyell led four men to attack this position; he was far in front of the others, and destroyed the machine-gun pit with a hand-grenade. Then, aided by covering fire from the only uninjured man of his party, he attacked the 88-millimetre gun pit before its crew could fire more than one shot. He killed a number of them before being overwhelmed and killed himself. The few survivors withdrew and his company was able to advance and take its objective. Lord Lyell's outstanding leadership, gallantry and self-sacrifice enabled his company to carry out its task, which had an important bearing on the success of the battalion and of the brigade.

Captain Lord Lyell VC is also commemorated on the Kirriemuir VC Memorial

[Adam Brown]

And the first & last names on the plaque

WYLIE, Lynsday Moncur
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps
Unit Text: 1 Coy.
Date of Death: 18/12/1941
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 32.
Memorial: SAI WAN MEMORIAL

Also commemorated in the same church with a stained glass window here

DORWARD, STEWART RYAN
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry
Unit Text: A.I.F. 2/29 Bn.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 19/01/1942
Service No: VX48469
Additional information: Son of John and Susan Dorward, of Geelong West, Victoria, Australia.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sp. Mem. 19. A. 5.
Cemetery: KRANJI WAR CEMETERY

[Adam Brown]

LOWTHER, THOMAS
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. Stronghold.
Date of Death: 02/03/1942
Service No: P/JX 161277
Additional information: Son of Thomas Lowther, and of Annie Lowther, of Kirriemuir, Angus.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 64, Column 2.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

From

http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-05S-Stronghold.htm

H.M.S. STRONGHOLD (H5O)

"S" Class destroyer ordered from Scotts of Greenock with Emergency 1917-16 Programme (12th Order). The ship was launched on 6th May 1919 and was the first RN warship to carry the name. Soon after entering service she was fitted with a catapult for experimental trials of Folland aircraft. She was deployed with the Hong Kong Local Flotilla in 1939.

March 1942
Escorted Dutch SS ZAANDAM with refugees from TJilatap bound for Fremantle.
02/03/194: Became detached from faster merchant ship and sighted by Japanese aircraft south of Sunda Strait. In action against IJN cruisers MAYA, ARASHI and NOWAKI with 2 destroyers. Sank after gallant fight. Survivors rescued by captured Dutch ship and later transferred to IJN cruiser MAYA. Exceptionally, they were well treated on board.

This chap is the only W. Cunningham in the RAF in the SNWM database and one of two W J Cunningham's on the CWGC database

CUNNINGHAM, WILFRED JAMES
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 214 Sqdn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 22/03/1945
Service No: 149252
Additional information: Son of William Frederick and Alexandrina Cunningham; husband of Edith Joan Cunningham, of Nottingham.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 266.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

In March 1945 No 214 (Federated Malay States) Squadron was using Flying Fortress IIIs in electronic jamming sorties.

OSLER, JAMES LOWDON
Rank: Flying Officer (Air Bomber)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 233 Sqdn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 27/09/1945
Service No: 166146
Additional information: Son of James Lowdon Osler and Mima Osler, of Kirriemuir, Angus.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 26. D. 23.
Cemetery: TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY

In September 1945 No 233 Squadron was flying Douglas Dakotas throughout South-East Asia on general transport work.

YOUNG, ROBERT MCKAY
Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 106 Sqdn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 28/01/1942
Service No: 1306078
Additional information: Son of Robert Morrison Young and Martha McKay Young, of Kirriemuir, Angus.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 11. B. 15-17.
Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY

From Lost Bombers

http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=4622

Hampden P4398

Type Hampden
Serial Number P4398
Squadron 106
X1D ZN-?
Operation M_nster
Date 1 28th January 1942
Date 2 29th January 1942

Further Information
"Serial Range P4389 - P4418. 30 HP52 Hampden Mk.B.1. Part of a batch of 120 Hampden B.1. P4285-P4324; P4335-P4384; P4389- P4418, of which:- P4304; P4306; P4312; P4315; P4347; P4369; P4373; P4395; P4401; P4418 were converted to Hampden TB (Torpedo Bomber). P4335 was the first Hampden fitted with balloon cutters. Delivered by The English Electric Co.(Preston) between Feb40 and Aug40. Issued initially to No.61 Sqdn, served also with No.83 Sqdn before joining No.106 Sqdn. P4398 was one of four 106 Sqdn Hampdens lost on this operation. See: X3058; AT121; AT122. Airborne 1755 28Jan42. Lost due to the severe icing conditions. All are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Sgt A.Sporny PAF KIA Sgt J.R.Anyan KIA Sgt A.J.Dickerson KIA Sgt R.McK Young KIA "

[Adam Brown]

And the rest

HARRIS, DONALD CAMPBELL
Initials: D C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Guardsman
Regiment/Service: Scots Guards
Age: 19
Date of Death: 25/11/1945
Service No: 2702828
Additional information: Son of James and Susan Harris, of Kirriemuir.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 1. Grave 361.
Cemetery: KIRRIEMUIR CEMETERY

RAMSAY, DAVID ANDERSON GOVE
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 04/08/1944
Service No: 2755969
Additional information: Son of Isabella Anderson Dickson, of Kirriemuir, Angus.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 13. H. 24.
Cemetery: TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY

In August 1944 2nd Bn Black Watch was part of 14th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Indian Infantry Division also known as Special Force or more commonly The Chindits.

GOURLAY, RONALD MCDONALD
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders
Age: 19
Date of Death: 14/07/1946
Service No: 14905991
Additional information: Son of William and Betsy Gourlay, of Kirriemuir, Angus.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. D. 11.
Cemetery: JAKARTA WAR CEMETERY

In July 1946 1st Bn Seaforth Highlanders were part of 23rd Indian Division on Java and were involved in handing back the Island to the Dutch. See here for more information

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9u8w10uVYyIC&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=seaforth+highlanders+java+1946&source=web&ots=tHYf6JUAS1&sig=FjMCkWU83zaNxja0oM5v0Zd_W1g&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result

WEIGHTON, EDWARD
Rank: Driver
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 255 Field Coy.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 17/12/1945
Service No: 14219017
Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Weighton, of Kirriemuir, Angus.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XI. F. 13.
Cemetery: BARI WAR CEMETERY

[Adam Brown]

Out of the eleven names five are buried in Far East graves. Two in the same cemetery in Burma even though they served in different Armed Services and died a year apart.

Even the sailor who is listed on the Portsmouth Memorial died off Indonesia. So that gives six deaths in the Far East on this small memorial.

The man listed on the Runnymeade memorial was in a squadron in 100 Group which used electronic jamming equipment. It was No 214 (Federated Malay States) Squadron, so there is a Far East connection there too!

Also four out of the eleven died after VJ-Day.

All are listed on the Kirriemuir War Memorial

Adam

[stuartn]

Since 2019 the Church has been known as Kirriemuir United Parish Church following the union with St Andrew's Church