The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

dhubthaigh · Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:11 pm Post subject:

BLAIRGOWRIE ADVERTISER: 08.10.1921

MEIGLE WAR MEMORIAL INVEILED

DUKE OF ATHOLL ON NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL
AND NATION’S SERIOUS CRISIS

Favoured with ideal weather for an open-air function, the unveiling of Meigle’s War memorial took place on Saturday afternoon with conspicuous success. From all parts of the parish and far beyond a huge crowd, representative of all classes, assembled to witness the ceremony, which was performed by His Grace the Duke of Atholl, K.T. As already mentioned, the memorial takes the form of a handsome and substantial ornamental gateway, with stone slated roof, in the old English style of architecture, at the entrance to the victory park, the recreation ground for the village, and which will be opened next year.
The space in front of the gateway was reserved for those who were to take part in the proceedings, the War memorial Committee (Mr G. Tasker, Chairman; Mr and Mrs J. S. Fairweather, Mr and Mrs W. Tasker; Mr and Miss Cox of Cardean; Mr and Mrs J. A. Cox of Drumkilbo, Mr T. Gordon Richmond, Meigle House; Rev. H. Climie, Miss Whitton, Mr G. Dick, Mr A. Struthers, Secretary; and Mrs Struthers, relatives of those who had fallen in the war, and several others; and drawn up immediately in front and around both sides were the ex-servicemen, under Sergt. Arthur Beverley, who marched from the village led by Pipe-Major A. almond; the Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs, under the Misses Cox, Cardean; the Girl Guides, under Captain Tasker, Arnbog, and Lieut. Bruce, Drumkilbo; and the Public School children, under Misses Whitten, Munro, and Walker.
The Duke of Atholl was met by Mr G. Tasker, J.P., Arnbog, Chairman of the War Memorial Committee, and Sir George Kinloch, Bart., of Kinloch and before the programme was commenced he inspected the Girl guides and Boy Scouts.
Mr Tasker said they had met to see the unveiling of the memorial they had erected in memory of their husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, and nephews who gave their lives in the Great War that we might live. The Committee decided unanimously to have a soldier perform the unveiling, and he was sure that when he mentioned that His Grace the Duke of Atholl had kindly agreed to do so they would agree that the Committee could not have done better. Before asking His Grace to unveil the memorial, he would like to inform him that Meigle had not only erected that war memorial, but were to assist His Grace to erect the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh. In name of the Committee and of the inhabitants of Meigle, he took that opportunity of expressing their great indebtedness to the Duke of Atholl for coming to unveil the memorial, and to Pipe-Major Lamond and to Mr John walker, Alyth for the services they were to render this day.
The Duke of Atholl said that before saying anything else he would like to thank Mr Tasker for the kind reference he had made to him. He wanted them to remember that he was brought up in a school and came off forebears who had been soldiers, and he had always learned that the greatest honour a man could have was to fit himself to defend his country. His days as a soldier had passed now, but he thought that his family had shown that they had tried to do their best, in that line, however weak it may have been. He had been a long time in the Army, and was fret leaving it, and he was quite certain that it was the greatest privilege a man could have to be allowed to defend his country, and that it was his duty to fit himself to do so. It was really because so many had not fitted themselves that
SO MANY FELL IN THE WAR.
If we had been ready he believed that very possibly the war might not have taken place. Referring to the Scottish national War Memorial, he said he did not ask to undertake that job, but was asked to do it. It was a big job to carry on in these days. The last thing in the world they wanted to do was to interfere with local war memorials. The times were not favourable for raising money for the National Memorial, but practically every parish in Perthshire and most of the parishes in Scotland had contributed. They did not want thousands from this millionaire or that millionaire, but a few pence or shillings from everybody in Scotland in order to erect what would really be
A NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL,
not so personal as the Meigle one, but commemorative of the great spirit the nation showed during the war. Coming to the object in view that day, His Grace said what a happy thought they had there in combining the two memorials, thoroughly local. They had got their park, which they could use for public purposes and for the men who had gone out and come back, and those who were to succeed them, and they would pass through the gate, where they could read the example of those who had gone before. It was not right that the names of those who fought for all that made life worth living and sacrificed their lives should be forgotten. While a great national Memorial, like the one the Chairman had spoken of, might commemorate the spirit of loyalty, endurance, and sacrifice shown by the nation as a whole, it could not have the same personal element.
TESTIFYING THE LOVE AND ADMIRATION
of those who knew the men best and loved them most, that a local war memorial like this should be in the very centre of the community to which the men belonged, so that those who passed in future generations could read and point out the names of those heroes of their own locality – an enduring example of work nobly done, and an example of patriotism to future generations. Time was a greater healer of wounds, and as the years passed the first anguish and grief were replaced to a very great extent by a feeling of gratitude and of pride – gratitude that God had given us the victory, and that Providence had still willed that Scottish mothers could give us sons worthy of
THE BEST TRADITIONS OF OUR RACE.
We could never forget how the men flocked to the Standard at their country’s call, how those who could not fight backed up those who could, how the country realised that victory could alone be achieved by absolute unanimity, every man and and every woman working might and main for the object in view. It was literally for this country to choose between life and death as a nation, and possible death and slavery for its defenders. Surely for Scotsmen there could be no choice. While we knew all this we could not forget the great heritage left to us. Those who have gone, in conjunction with those who had lived and fought through that struggle, had captured the position, and it was for us who remained to make it secure, and we could only do that by working one with another and with all our might as if we were to be
WORTHY OF THAT GREAT INHERITANCE.
Every man who did not pull his weight was simply a drag upon the rest of the community – he did not care what section he came from. (Hear, hear) We were passing through the most serious internal crisis, perhaps, our country had ever had. Those who were disloyal we could easily deal with but there was another enemy – a far more difficult one to deal with – and that was the general apathy through out the whole country. People were tired, and there was still a great reaction after the war: the kick had gone out of them. It was very difficult to get up enthusiasm for anything. We all felt it. We had a desire to take a rest, and leave it to some other body to do the job. We were overburdened with taxation, and very nearly losing heart. We were trying to put the blame of the situation on almost everybody except ourselves. Well,
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO COULD POSSIBLY SAVE THE STATE
In a time like this were the people themselves, and we must not support that campaign by being downhearted. The way before us as we climbed the hill might be steep, and we might anticipate a period of difficulty and storm; but surely the way to meet it was to face the mountain and the brae with a smile, and be strong in heart and full of faith that He Who saw fit to give us the victory would also help us now to overcome our present difficulties. With His help let us pray that both victor and vanquished might yet work together to create throughout the whole world that spirit of unity and love that we all wanted and talked about, and which had received such a setback amongst the nations during the past few years. He would not say anything more, but unveil the memorial to the memory of those men of that parish who gave up their lives that we all might live in security.
On each side of the gateway is a marble tablet, the one inscribed:- ‘In grateful memory of those who gave their lives for King and country in the Great war 1914-1918’; and the other bearing the names as under:-

C.Q.M.S. JOHN HUNTER, R.H.
SERGT. THOMAS BROWN, M.M., S.H.
L-CORP. GEORGE SMITH, S.H.
PTE. FREDERICK BAXTER, R.H.
TR. ALEXANDER BRUCE, R. CAN.D.
PTE. JOHN EASSON, CAN. R.H.
PTE. WILLIAM S. GUILD, C.R.F.
PTE. GEORGE KEITH, CAM H.
PTE. DAVID A. LINDSAY, G.H.
GUN. THOMAS MURRAY, R.F.A.
PTE. ANDREW C. J. M’BAIN, R.H.
PTE. CHARLES C. P. RENNIE, R.H.
PTE. FRANKLIN G. ROBERTSON, R.H.
PTE. DAVID SHEPHERD, R.H.
PTE. CHARLES STURROCH, R.H.
PTE. PETER YOUNGER, R.H.

The tablets were covered with Union Jacks, and while His Grace withdrew that on the tablet with the names, the other was withdrawn by Mr W. Tasker, Rockville.
‘The Flowers of the Forest’ was then played by Pipe-Major Lamond, and the dedication prayer, offered by Rev. Hugh Climie, parish minister, followed.
Led by an instrumental quartette party from Alyth (Mr John Walker, conductor; Masters Campbell Walker and Burton Walker, and Mr J. W. Howe - three cornets and euphonium) which was very effective, the company sang Paraphrase ixvi., after which ‘Lochaber No More’ was played by Pipe Major Lamond, and the ‘Last Post’ sounded by Messrs J. and C. Walker.
Mr G. Tasker then placed a magnificent wreath in the form of a cross, from the War Memorial Committee, underneath the tablet containing the names of the deceased soldiers. Another beautiful wreath, heart shaped, of everlasting flowers, was inscribed ‘A tribute from the Women’s Rural Institute’; a third, of white chrysanthemums, carnations, lilies, and ferns ‘From the Meigle Public School’; a fourth, of white chrysanthemums and asparagus ferns - ‘In loving memory of 1166 Pte. F. Baxter. From his mother, sister, and brothers’; and a fifth, a bunch of carnations &c., was anonymous.
The programme was concluded with the National Anthem, led by the instrumental quartette party, His Grace meantime standing at the salute.
The Duke subsequently inspected the Wolf Cubs and the ex-servicemen, making kindly inquiries at the latter as to their welfare, and then took leave of the gathering.
The spectators lingered around for some time and made a closer inspection of the memorial, which was designed by Messrs Bruce & Martin, architects, Dundee, the work being carried out by Mr T. Howe, Alyth, mason; Mr W. M’Intosh, Meigle, joiner; and Mr A. Crichton, Meigle, slater.

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:38 pm Post subject: Pte. Charles Gardyne Sturrock

Lindsay · Joined: 29 Sep 2012 Posts: 108

Killed In Normandy
Mrs Cuthbert. The Square, Meigle, has been notified that her son, Pte. Robert Stewart Cuthbert, has been killed in action in Normandy.
Pte. Cuthbert who was 29, joined up in 1940, and served in El Alamein. He was wounded on the Mareth Line in March, 1943.
A grocer to trade, he served for some years with Messrs Edward, baker and grocer, Alyth and Meigle.
Evening Telegraph 3 August 1944

anne park · Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 6:12 am Post subject: Thomas B Brown update

Thomas B Brown Sjt 265375 MM 6th Seaforth Highlanders b Newtyle e Forwatt Age 30 Killed in Action F & F 16/05/1917 Son of Thomas & E Brown, Burnside Cottage, Meigle, Perthshire. Born at Nether Mill, Alyth Junction, Perthshire. Morayshire Roll of Honour: Page 36: Occ: Gamekeeper. Memorial: Kellas. Brown's Copse Cemetery, Roeux Fr 0604 Plot II Row A Grave 03 The Scotsman 16-06-17 P9: Meigle. Dallas & Kellas & Meigle
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Researching WWI info from Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire & Morayshire.