The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

DelBoy · Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 1:17 pm Post subject: 2nd Lt. Robert Weir D.L.I.

(The Scotsman 16th October 1917)
"In Dunbeth United Free Church, Coatbridge, on Sunday, there was unveiled a baptismal memorial font to the memory of the late Second Lieut. Robert Weir, Durham Light Infantry."

Derek.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 1:49 pm Post subject:

WEIR, ROBERT
Rank:Second Lieutenant
Date of Death:09/04/1917
Age:27
Regiment/Service:Durham Light Infantry
15th Bn. formerly 1st/7th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Grave ReferenceD. 5.
CemeteryCOJEUL BRITISH CEMETERY, ST. MARTIN-SUR-COJEUL
Additional Information:
Son of Alexander and Margaret Mungle Weir, of Dunbeth Manse, Coatbridge. Native of Kirkcaldy. United Free Church Probationer.

Medal card of Weir, Robert
Corps Regiment No Rank
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 5378 Corporal
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 277185 Corporal
Durham Light Infantry Second Lieutenant
_________________
Ken

mhomac · Joined: 15 May 2010 Posts: 779 Location: South Lanarkshire

Taken from the page in the Dunbeth Church War Memorial Book which is now in New St. Andrew's Church, Coatbridge

Robert Weir M.A.
2nd Lieutenant
15th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry
Killed in Action 9th April 1917
Age 27

Prior to enlistment Lieut. Weir, who graduated at Glasgow University, took his theological training in the Glasgow U. F. College and was assistant minister in Selkirk when he enlisted as a private in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. After some hard fighting in France he had the distinction of being promoted to commissioned rank on the field.

Only son of Rev. Alexander and Margaret (nee Mungle) Weir,
Dunbeth Manse, Coatbridge.
Native of Kirkcaldy, Fife.

United Free Church Probationer.

His name is listed on the following Memorials:

Cojeul British Cemetery, St. Martin-Sur-Cojeul, France.
Grave/Memorial Reference: D5 and Section 20.

Coatbridge Civic Memorial.

St. Giles Edinburgh (Ministers, Probationers and Divinity Students.)

There is an inscription on the family gravestone in Old Monkland Cemetery, Coatbridge.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 8:52 am Post subject:

He has an entry (with photo) in the Glasgow University Roll of Honour.
http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/ww1-search/?submit=y&sname=weir&fname=robert&rank=&regiment=&degree=&awards=

(MODS - should these posts be moved to "Individual Memorials" ? )
_________________
Ken

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:00 pm Post subject:

Ken

Yes we have a lot of information so if Delboy can start a new thread in Lanarkshire Individual memorials with **Photographs Required** in the title, we can get this information in the new thread and delete these recent posts which are not relevant to this thread.

Thanks

Adam

DelBoy · Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:44 pm Post subject: WW2 New Lanark?

I see New Lanark memorial is WW1 only, anyone know if there's WW2 names in the area?

Could a mod change thread so it shows it's WW1 only please.

Derek.

Adam Brown · Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 8:10 am Post subject:

Derek

I would think if there were WW2 names for New Lanark there was room for them to be added. I think we should leave it as is until we know of another WW2 memorial in the village or if there were no WW2 names to be added.

Cheers

Adam

David McNay · Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 10:13 am Post subject:

I don't know of a WW2 memorial for New Lanark.

The mills closed in 1968 and they had been in decline for some time before that - two floors of one of the mills had been removed in 1945 so it may be there were few men serving in WW2, and those that were have been included on the main Lanark town memorial.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 9:31 am Post subject:

This turned up on "Google" search (for something else!)

www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/.../carfin-set-for-memorial-1-3298530‎Cached
7 Feb 2014 ... North Lanarkshire Council have made available £13,000 from area partnership ...
to support Carfin Community Council's efforts to create a war memorial for the
village, ... More than a quarter of Scots who served were killed.

I did try to load the link but "lost the will to live" while waiting.
Anyone know what's happening/has happened???
_________________
Ken

spoons · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:10 pm Post subject:

I don't remember seeing anything about this new memorial on the forum.

From the Sunday Post 10 Aug 2014

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Newbigging- UKNIWM 44806 has now been deleted from the database.

Thanks for the advice

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 4:30 pm Post subject:

The Hamilton Advertiser of 8 July 1915 p.6 reports the unveiling of a brass tablet in the Parish Church of Lanark to the memory of Major DOUGLAS CLARK who died of wounds at Gallipoli on 28 June 1915.
Clark was born in Kirkcudbright (and is named on the WM there) He set up in business as watchmaker and jeweller in Lanark in 1902.
He is named on the Lanark War Memorial as Major Douglas Clark 8th HLI.
At the time of his death he was attached to the 1/7th Royal Scots, presumably to make up for the losses at the Gretna Rail crash.
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:18 am Post subject:

He was in fact transferred to the 1/7th before the crash.

London Gazette 27 April 1915 Supplement: 29146 Page: 4155
8th (Lanark) Battalion,- The Highland Light Infantry; the following- announcements are substituted for those, which appeared in the London Gazette of the 17th March, 1915 : —
The undermentioned are seconded for duty with the. 7th Battalion, The Royal Scots: — Captain Douglas Clark. Dated 19th November, 1914. Captain John R. -Torrance. Dated 18th December, 1914. Second Lieutenant James Ballantyne. Dated 8th December, 1914. Second Lieutenant Alexander S. Elliott. Dated 19th November, 1914. Second Lieutenant-William C. McGeachin. Dated 19th November, 1914. Second Lieutenant Tyndall McClelland. Dated 19th November, 1914.

The 8th HLI never did go to war and was disbanded in 1916.
_________________
Ken

Mike Morley · Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 7:15 pm Post subject:

I am reading through a book of old photographs of Roberton, Wiston, Lamington and Coulter. It includes a photograph of Wiston Church which was sold in 1986, becoming a private residence the following year. The text states that the church contains a number of arts and crafts inspired stained glass windows. However, this sentence made my ears prick up, "The church also has stained glass windows in memory of villagers who died in the First World War."

Wiston's war memorial is in the churchyard and has three names on it, but perhaps the names are also commemorated within the building.

Mike Morley · Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 3:43 pm Post subject:

I was talking to a lady today who has lived in Roberton since the 1940s. She says that the old parish church had two stained glass memorials in it but, when the church was sold (over 20 years ago) the new owner took them out and sold them in London. I will try and find out more.

Meanwhile, she also said that the old East Church in the village, also now a private home, still has a memorial in it. When I see the owner I will ask.

For such a tiny village two churches is somewhat mind boggling in the current secular age. As there is no civic memorial it does seem plausible that there could be something hidden away.