The Scottish War Memorials Project

David McNay

This memorial is situated in the ground of the Hamilton Sheriff Court, and is looking in need of a good cleaning.

It's also very close to the boundary fence, which makes it very hard to get a good photograph of the entire memorial.

First World War names:

Second World War names:

Keptie · Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 661

RPOAS news Oct 2010 -magazine of the Retired Police Officers Assoc Scotland : page 21:

Lanarkshire Branch : Lanarkshire Constabulary's Forgotten War Heroes:

In 2008 a member of the RPOAS Lanarkshire branch imformed the Branch Committee of the discovery of Lanarkshire Constabulary's War Memorial in what is now Car Park No 8 of Hamilton Sheriff Court . In reporting the find the Committee learned that the names of the memorial had faded and the Branch took action to have the War Memorial refurbished and the names restored .

The Memorial , sadly partially concealed from view by a hedge , is in the shape of a Celtic Cross and stands about 12 feet high. On one side it bears the inscription "Lanarkshire Constabulary the Great War 1914 to 1918 in Memory of the Fallen Comrades " along with the names of 24 Police Constables who had lost their lives in that War. The opposing side bears the inscription , " 1939 to 1945 in Memory of Fallen Comrades" with a further 10 names of Constables who fell in the Conflict .

The matter of the state of the Memorial was raised with the Sheriff Clerk's Office at Hamilton resulting in it being renovated in time for the Armistice Service on Sunday 8th November 2009 at which time there was a service of rededication . The Service was conducted by the Police Chaplain in the presence of a contingent of Strathclyde Police Officers , members of the British Legion (Scotland ) and the Salvation Army , along with members of the Sheriff Court and , of course the RPOAS Lanarkshire Branch Committee .

Additional funds have since provided by the Strathclyde Police Benevolent Fund to aid the further restoration to former glory to the names of Lanarkshire Constabulary's No Longer Forgotten Heroes .

Further information on the Memorial or the names of the fallen can be obtained from the RPOAS Lanarkshire Branch Secretary .

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(patrick W anderson )
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