The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

[IanA]

[IanA]

[IanA]

My apologies re lack of detail/ information. I took these some years ago, for my own interest, before this site was a twinkle in its daddy's eye!

[jamiemcginlay]

The sculptor was Percy Portsmouth who was also responsible for the memorials at Elgin and Lossiemouth. The figure looks very similar to these other memorials and so I take it it represents the allegorical figure of 'Peace and Victory'.

[Adam Brown]

From the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) website

Thurso, Sir John's Square, War Memorial

Type of Site: War Memorial
NMRS Number: ND16NW 51
Map reference: ND 1162 6828
Parish: Thurso
Council: Highland
Former District: Caithness
Former Region: Highland

[David McNay]

Can anyone local to this memorial possibly provide closeups of the name panels?

[ADP]

[ADP]

Memorial: Thurso Parish, Caithness
Location: Sir John's Square, Thurso
Grid Ref: ND116682
WMR: 5947
Sculptor: Percy Herbert Portsmouth (1874-1953). (Mod edit: Adam). See also here
Count: WWI=152, WWII=36

Here is my transcription of the Thurso War memorial.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
1914-1918

George Alexander, Sea.Hrs.
William Alexander Angus, Sea.Hrs.
James Anderson, R.N.
Magnus Alexander Baikie, Sea.Hrs.
George William Bain, R.G.A.
Allan Hugh Redpath Bremner, M.M., C.E.F.
Peter Brims, R.F.A.
Alexander Budge, Sea.Hrs.
David D. Cairnie, M.C., Sea.Hrs.
William G. Calder, R.N.R.
Donald Campbell, C.E.F.
Donald William Campbell, Sea.Hrs.
George Campbell, C.E.F.
Robert W. Campbell, R.F.A.
William Campbell, Sea.Hrs.
Sinclair Williamson Cowan, M.M., M.G.C.
Frank Donovan, R.A.S.C.
Alexander Doull, Sea.Hrs.
Donald Doull, Sea.Hrs.
Donald Dunnet, Sea.Hrs.
William Dunnet, A&S.Hrs.
James Elder, Sea.Hrs.
William Farquhar, C.E.F.
George Alexander Forbes, A&S.Hrs.
Alexander Kennedy Fraser, R.N.A.S.
Thomas MacKay Fyfe, R.N.R.
James Murray Geddes, C.E.F.
Alexander P. George, R.N.V.R.
George Georgeson, R.Hrs.
Louis Gray, Cam.Hrs.
John Gunn, R.Hrs.
Donald Gunn, Sea.Hrs.
Alexander Gunn, Sea.Hrs.
Alexander John Henderson, Sea.Hrs.
James Henderson, A&S.Hrs.
Benjamin Henderson, R.F.A.
John Hendry, M.G.C.
Robert Hepburn, West Yorks.
James Walter Hunt, Mer.Marine
James Hunter, C.E.F.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
David Inkster, Duke of Corn.L.Inf.
Sister Christina Jack, R.R.C., Nursing Service
Donald Gordon Jack, Sea.Hrs.
Neil Johnstone, Sea.Hrs.
George H. M. Johnstone, Cam.Hrs.
Gordon Leed, Sea.Hrs.
Andrew Lindsay, R.E.
William Manson, Gor.Hrs.
Benjamin Manson, Cam.Hrs.
David Sinclair Manson, Sea.Hrs.
Malcolm Martin, Sea.Hrs.
James A. Martin, Sea.Hrs.
| James Alexander Masson, R.G.A.
| Duncan Matheson, Gor.Hrs.
John Matheson, R.G.A.
James R. Meiklejohn, R.Scots
Ben R. Meiklejohn, M.G.C.
George Melville, Sea.Hrs.
George Wm. Grant Miller, R.N.R.
Alexander Morrison, A&S.Hrs.
Donald Morrison, Sea.Hrs.
Frederick Charles Morrison, Ches.Reg.
John Morrison, C.E.F.
Alexander Mowat, R.Scots
John Mowat, D.S.M., C.E.F.
Donald L. Mowat, Sea.Hrs.
Peter Munro, R.F.A.
Sinclair Smith Munro, Sea.Hrs.
William Munro, Sea.Hrs.
| Sinclair Murray, Sea.Hrs.
| John Budge Murray, A.I.F.
John Murray, Sea.Hrs.
David Alastair A. MacAdie, M.C., Sea.Hrs.
| Alexander MacAdie, Sea.Hrs.
| William MacAdie, Sea.Hrs.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
John MacAdie, Sea.Hrs.
| Donald Waters MacBeath, Sea.Hrs.
| Charles Angus MacBeath, Sea.Hrs.
| William MacBeath, Sea.Hrs.
William MacDonald, R.F.A.
Alexander MacDonald, U.S.A.
Alexander M. MacDonald, Scot.Rif.
Robert MacDonald, Sea.Hrs.
William MacDonald, Sea.Hrs.
Donald MacDonald, Sea.Hrs.
Donald MacDonald, Scot.Rif.
David MacDonald, A.I.F.
William MacGregor, Cam.Hrs.
Hugh MacIntosh, R.N.R.
Joseph M. MacIvor, C.E.F.
Alexander MacKay, Mer.Marine
Charles MacKay, Mer.Marine
George William MacKay, R.N.R.
John MacKay, R.E.
John W. MacKay, Sea.Hrs.
Sinclair MacKay, L.N.Lancs.Reg.
George MacKay, Sea.Hrs.
James MacKay, Sea.Hrs.
Robert Charles MacKay, Sea.Hrs.
William MacKay, Sea.Hrs.
James MacKay, Scot.Rif.
John MacKenzie, Nth.Fus.
Alexander Mackenzie, Sea.Hrs.
Ian Douglas MacLennan, Sea.Hrs.
James MacLennan, R.A.M.C.
William Thomson MacLeod, R.N.R.
Allan Sutherland Macleod, Scot.Rif.
Donald Macleod, Sea.Hrs.
George Oag, Sea.Hrs.
| James Oag, K.O.S.B.
| David Ross Cormack Oag. K.O.S.B.
Alexander Paterson, Sea.Hrs.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Donald Hugh Rankine, C.E.F.
Donald MacBeath Reid, Mer. Marine
Alexander Robertson, R.N.R.
James Robertson, Scot.Rif.
Benjamin Robertson, R.Scots
William David Robertson, Sea.Hrs.
Alexander Rosie, Sea.Hrs.
Peter Ross, R.Scots
Benjamin B. Ross, Sea.Hrs.
Peter Cormack Ross, Scot. Rif.
Lauchlan Waters Shearer, C.E.F.
Joseph Sinclair, Sth.Afr.
| William Baikie Sinclair, R.N.
| Andrew Bremner Sinclair, Sea.Hrs.
Alexander Sinclair, Sea.Hrs.
| Alastair Henderson Soutar, M.C., R.E.
| Frank Henderson Soutar, R.Hrs.
James Sutherland, Sea.Hrs.
William Elder Sutherland, R.Scots
Samuel Sutherland, Sea.Hrs.
William Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
Alexander Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
Angus Swanson, R.N.R.
Donald Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
| Benjamin Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
| John Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
David Swanson, R.N.R.
James Swanson, C.E.F.
James Miller Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
George William Swanson, R.G.A.
John Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
John Taylor Swanson, R.S.Greys
Donald Taylor, Sea.Hrs.
David Taylor, R.W.Surrey.Reg.
Hugh Thomson, R.N.R.
James S. Waters, C.E.F.
John Robert Waters, Gor.Hrs.
William Williamson, Gor.Hrs.
Daniel S. Williamson, C.E.F.
John Wylie, Sea.Hrs.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

1939-1945

Alexander Banks Allan, Sea.Hrs.
Charles Angus, R.N.R.
George Alexander Booth, Sea.Hrs.
John Martin Brown, Sea.Hrs.
Alexander Bruce, Sea.Hrs.
Alexander M. Cameron, R.N.R.
Alastair William campbell, R.A.F.
Huntly Gordon Cumming, R.A.M.C.
William Alexander Dundas, Scot.Horse
Alastair John Black Elder, R.A.F.
John Brown Ferguson, Sea.Hrs.
Donald Gordon, Sea.Hrs.
Robert Taylor Grant, Sea.Hrs.
William Gunn, Sea.Hrs.
John D. R. S. Heddle, R.A.F.V.R.
Walter Swanson Latimer, R.N.
Andrew Robertson Lindsay, R.N.
William Swanson MacDonald, Sea.Hrs.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Alexander MacKay, R.A.F.
Hugh MacKay, M.N.
Neil Mackay, R.A.F.V.R.
Robert MacKay, R.N.R.
Alexander MacLeod, R.A.
William J. S. MacPherson, Sea.Hrs.
Ian Malcolm, R.A.
George Mowat, M.N.
Donald M. Munro, R.E.
Robert Ranson, M.N.
Alexander Sutherland Sinclair, M.N.
James Smith, R.N.
Hamish Sutherland, Fleet Air Arm
Robert Alexander Sutherland, Sea.Hrs.
Murdoch MacKay Swanson, Sea.Hrs.
William Wallace, A.C.C.
David Alexander Watt, R.N.
Henry Swanson, M.N.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

ADP

[Adam Brown]

According to the Dictionary of Scotts Architects website, Thurso based Architect Sinclair Macdonald worked with the designer Portsmouth on this memorial.

Adam

[Adam Brown]

From 'The Scotsman' - Saturday, 2nd September 1922, page 10

THURSO WAR MEMORIAL

In presence of a large gathering, Sir Archibald H. MrSinclair, Bart, of Ulbster, Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness, unveiled the war memorial at Thurso yesterday. Ex-Provost Mackay, chairman of tho Committee, presided, and accompanying him to the platform were Sir Archibald and Lady Sinclair, Colonel Keith Murray, Convener of Caithness; Major William M. Brims, Provost of Thurso; and Mr David Coghill, chairman of the Parish Council.
Sir Archibald Sinclair paid a high tribute to the gallantry of the North in the Great war, and urged that tho victory won by the sacrifices of the manhood of the country should not be allowed to pass, but that on that victory should be built a better world for all men to live in.
The memorial in design and execution was the work of Mr Percy Portsmouth, A-R-S.A., Edinburgh.
It takes the form of a bronze group placed on a stone pedestal of exquisite colour and texture. Bronze tablets on three sides bear the names of the fallen, whilst the front contains the inscription. The crowning feature of the memorial consists of a group in bronze representing Peace and Victory.

[jrah60]

Found this photo/postcard in an old family album.



John

[anne park]

William Manson Pte 310277 7th Gordon Highlanders born Thurso enlisted Thurso Age 21 Died of Wounds F & F 31-Mar-18 Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Manson, of 19, High St., Thurso. Native of Thurso. Father Charles Manson. Mother: Helen Henderson. 1901 Census: Swanson St; Thurso. City Roll of Honour: 118 Union Grove. Etaples Military Cemetery Fr 00404 Plot XXXIII Row B Grave 10A City & Thurso

[DelBoy]

WW1
Alexander MacAdie, Sea.Hrs.

(Glasgow Herald 2nd April 1915)
"Intimation has been received by Mr Alexander MacAdie, Shoemaker, High Street, Thurso, that his son, Private Alexander MacAdie, 1st Seaforth Highlanders, died from wounds on 10th inst. The information was conveyed in a letter from the Rev. F.T. McNeil, chaplain, who states that Private MacAdie died in action in the heavy fighting which took place on that date, and in tha advance made was wounded in the chest, Private MacAdie enlisted enlisted in October, 1913."

CWGC
McADIE, ALEXANDER
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 1264
Date of Death: 10/03/1915
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders "A" Coy. 1st Bn.
Panel Reference: Panel 38 and 39.
Memorial: LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander McAdie, of 34, High St., Thurso.

SNWM
Surname: McADIE
Firstname: Alexander
Service Number: 1264
Date Death: 10/03/1915
Place of birth: Thurso Caithness
Other: 1st Bn.
SNWM roll: THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS
Rank: L/Cpl
Theatre of death: F.& F.

[ADP]

A minor observation. At some time since the postcard picture was taken, the memorial has been moved back into the alcove. The wide pavement where it had stood has since been trimmed back in line with the onward pavement, to widen the road at the junction. This is more apparent on Google maps streetview.

ADP

[Keptie]

Not listed on this Thurso War Memorial is :

Major-General John Charles "Jock" CAMPBELL , VC., DSO & Bar, MC born THURSO on 10th January 1894 commissioned into the Royal Horse artillery in 1915 and awarded the MC. Then in WW2 he was a Lt Colonel commanding the artillery components of the 7th Armoured Div support group : Awarded the VC when Brigadier (acting) John Charles Campbell DSO,MC (135944) RHA. for recognition of his gallantry and devotion to duth at Sidi Rezegh on 21st and 22nd Nov 1941.

Killed on 26th February 1942 when his jeep overturned on a newly laid clay road surface

Seems a memorial to Major General "Jock" Campbell stands in his old school of Sedburgh in England


Listed SNWM at the Edinburgh Castle :

CAMPBELL, JOHN C.
service no 13595

death date : 26 February 1942

VC, DSO & Bar, MC

Born CAITHNESS

Staff ( colonel & above)

MAJOR GENERAL

Middle East (war zone


Also listed on CWGC index:

CAMPBELL , JOHN CHARLES ( jock)
Major General
26 February 1942
48 years
General Staff
Cdg 7th Armoured Div & Royal Artillery
VC, DSO & MC
grave K 171 Cairo War Memorial Cemetery Egypt

son of D A Campbell & Marion Campbell , Husband of Rosamond E Campbell, of Northampton


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pwa