The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

David McNay · Last edited by David McNay on Sun Jul 02, 2017 9:26 am; edited 3 times in total

New Stevenston is a village in Lanarkshire which is in-between Bellshill and Motherwell.

The memorial is in rather poor condition, and I personally hope that some restoration work can be done on it before the damage is too great to repair.

Here's a scan of a postcard I have of it in better times:

postcard by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

And here it is as it stands today:

DSCN9629 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

As you can see from this shot, the rifle the figure was holding is long gone:

DSCN9630 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

One of his feet has also been damaged and very clumsily repaired with a completely different substance to the rest of the figure. It looks like concrete:

DSCN9631 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

The inscriptions of the names are also damaged and fading:

DSCN9634 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

DSCN9633 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

DSCN9632 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

Hopefully at some point in the future North Lanarkshire Council will do something to restore this back to its former glory.

David McNay · Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:21 am Post subject:

A transcription of the names can be found on this webpage.

KevinStoke · . Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 175

I thought Larkhalls memorial was a bit run down and needed a little T.L.C. this memorial is in a shocking state and needs cement surgery. Come on North Lanarkshire council get your finger out.

Rockford · Joined: 21 Jun 2008 Posts: 7 Location: Lanarkshire

Good afternoon,

I passed this memorial this afternoon - some of the inscriptions are still difficult to read [which is why I logged on here tonight!], but there is evidence of work being done to improve the state of the memorial and the surrounding area - it's now possible to walk right round the memorial as it has been paved and it looks like some planting is in progress. As far as the memorial is concerned, the rifle has now been replaced.

I didn't get too good a look at it, as I was just passing - I'll pop by and take some updated photos in the next couple of weeks.

Best wishes

Brian

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:35 pm Post subject:

Brian

Great news, thanks for updating us on the progress.

Regards

Adam

Rockford · Joined: 21 Jun 2008 Posts: 7 Location: Lanarkshire

Good afternoon,

I have [finally] taken some updated photos of the New Stevenston memorial, showing that the rifle has been replaced, the soldier's foot repaired and the area landscaped.

However, I'm having difficulty linking the photos to the site. They are hosted on 'flickr', but I can't get the [img] tags to work. Can anyone suggest what I may be doing wrong?

Best wishes

Brian

spoons · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject:

probably best if you post what you have got (even if it doesn't work) then one of us can edit to get it working and advise you accordingly.

\Paul

Rockford · Joined: 21 Jun 2008 Posts: 7 Location: Lanarkshire

Here are the pictures.....

I haven't uploaded any photos of the name panels, as David's are better than the ones I took. There is no indication of restoration having been done to the names, and one of the three panels remains very difficult to read.

Best wishes

Brian

spoons · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:06 pm Post subject:

what you have posted are URLs of web pages, you need URLs of actual photos. From the flickr website.................

'To use the URL of a photo (like when you add a photo to your Blogger profile), you must provide the web address (URL) of the image itself, not the address of the web page where the image is displayed.

Here's an example of a correct URL for a photo. Note the .jpg at the end:
» http://www.flickr.com/photos/132375_0ca82ae31e.jpg

Here's an example of an incorrect URL for a photo. It points to the web page where the image is displayed, not the image file itself. Notice there's no .jpg at the end.
» http://www.flickr.com/photos/eric/132375/

To get the URL of the actual image file, find the photo you want to use. Click the "All Sizes" button above it and select the size you want. If the photo is yours, two text fields appear below the photo. The first contains a snippet of HTML that will produce the photo on your web site, with a link back to the photo page on Flickr. The second contains the URL of the image itself. Simply copy and paste the one you want into your web site.'

I suggest you select the 500 size.

\Paul

Rockford · Joined: 21 Jun 2008 Posts: 7 Location: Lanarkshire

My earlier post has now been edited to show the photos.

Thanks to Paul for his technical assistance...

Brian

David McNay · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:31 am Post subject:

This memorial was unveiled on Sunday 4th June 1922 by Sir Adam Nimmo. The life model was a Sergeant of the Cameronians who was based at the Depot in Hamilton.

DelBoy · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 2:25 pm Post subject:

The name panels have been repaired, as well as the foot and rifle now.

http://www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/news/Restoration-work-complete-at-New.5900628.jp

dhubthaigh · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:52 am Post subject:

A re-visit of this memorial with updated photos of the restoration work would be good.

David McNay · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:59 pm Post subject:

I'll see to it this weekend.

DelBoy · Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:40 am Post subject: Sgt. Thomas Miller

WW2
Sergeant (Nav.) Thomas Miller, R.A.F.

(Glasgow Herald 7th November 1945)
"Previously reported missing from air operations over Munich, 7th January 1945, now officially presumed to have lost his life on that date, Sergeant Navigator Tom Millar, beloved only son of Mr & Mrs John Millar, 52 Jerviston Street, New Stevenson."

Name: MILLER, THOMAS
Initials: T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Nav.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force)
Unit Text: 170 Sqdn.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 07/01/1945
Service No: 873380
Additional information: Son of John and Barbara Miller, of New Stevenston, Lanarkshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 4. H. 26.
Cemetery: DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY

SNWM
Surname: MILLER
Firstname: Thomas
Service number: 873380
Date of death: 07/01/1945
Place of birth: Lesmahagow
SNWM roll: ROYAL AIR FORCE and DOMINION AIR FORCES
Rank: Sgt