Bill McSkimming
Joined: 15 Sep 2007 Posts: 21 Location: North Ayrshire
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: West Kilbride Roll of Honour and Book of Remembrance. |
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The West Kilbride War Memorial Trust, Book of Remembrance on display in the Public Hall West Kilbride, is turned over a new page every day. At the time of going to print some details could still not be found, and may never be found. Research is still ongoing to find these details, and when found, will be added to THIS BOOK, which is a loose leaf copy.
THIS BOOK contains exactly the same details as the Book Of Remembrance, and is updated when new details are found. The West Kilbride War Memorial Trust reserve the right to alter, change, add to, the information in This Book so that the records are as accurate as possible. Anyone who has information to be added to This Book or can see any mistakes should contact the Trust, or give the information to the person in charge of the library who will pass it on.
When the information has been checked, and if found to be correct, then it will be altered or added in This Book and can be cross checked with the Book Of Remembrance.
In 1940 between 60 and 70% of First World War service records were destroyed in a bombing raid in England, and after eighty four years the details have been difficult to obtain. Not every man listed in this book was born, resident, and brought up in West Kilbride. Some had emigrated with their families before the war, and came back to fight for their country of birth. Some men worked in the Parish and stayed in “Digs” or on a farm and were accepted locally by the Villagers as one of them.
One thing is certain, they all had Connections to West Kilbride Parish in some way, and they fought and died for their country, and freedom, and that we might live in a safer World.
The details in the Book Of Remembrance and in This Book came from many sources and had to be put together like a jigsaw puzzle, West Kilbride War Memorial Trust therefore, has done all it can to eliminate errors, and can not be held responsible for any inaccuracies from other sources, bear in mind also that there was only a certain amount of time could be spent on research so that surviving relatives could see their loved ones names where they should be, on the Memorial, and in the Book of Remembrance, before they died. If there is a mistake here and there, then forgive us, but better a mistake, than have names of brave men lie in obscurity, perhaps, for eternity.
This book also contains a list of servicemen and women who went to the First World War connected to the Parish of West Kilbride, there is also a list of servicemen who won decorations for bravery, and other photographs of interest from that period. There are also some photographs of servicemen and women who served in the Second World War.
For a list of Servicemen and Women who served in the Second World War please consult the ROLL OF HONOUR in the PUBLIC HALL MUSEUM WEST KILBRIDE.
There is evidence enough we think, by people writing to us, telling us what their grandfathers told them, that a Roll Of Honour was made on a scroll for the First World War, and Placed in a time capsule at the foot of the Old War Memorial below ground, and the same for the Second War. On the First step in line with the panels bearing the inscription, there is a split in the sandstone, it is believed this is where the time capsules are buried. Someday they may be uncovered and read, before it’s too late, and a part of village history is lost forever.
Note:- On the 1st of June 2005 in continues heavy rain and with a limited budget, an investagation commenced to search for the “Capsules” in the two most likely places opposite the inscriptions, on the lower step. Thick concrete foundations added to our problems, we never reached as far as we would have liked, for fear of damage. No capsules were found, the Memorial holds its seceret.
William T. McSkimming
Founder / Treasurer
WEST KILBRIDE WAR MEMORIAL TRUST |
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