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Bathgate War Memorial - Missing Names

 
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Roxy
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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Location: Elgin, Moray

PostPosted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 2:46 pm    Post subject: Bathgate War Memorial - Missing Names Reply with quote

A local historian is attempting to resolve the issue following his discovery that over 100 names are missing from the Bathgate War Memorial.

I don't know how to post a link from my iPad, but it's on www.deadlinenews.co.uk search for 'Bathgate' and the story comes up.

Roxy
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DelBoy



Joined: 12 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Over a hundred names missing on First World War memorial

A SCOTTISH historian has revealed that an incredible 150 names have been missed off the First World War memorial in his home town.

Neil Anderson is now campaigning for the names of the forgotten soldiers from Bathgate, West Lothian, to be added in time for the next year’s centenary of the outbreak of the conflict.

Mr Anderson stumbled across the remarkable extent of missing names after buying a medal in a car boot sale and finding that the soldier to whom it had been awarded came from Bathgate.

“After researching him I thought I would look into all those who died that were from Bathgate, and I started to find a huge list of names who were not on the war memorial,” he said.

He has so far identified 112 casualties who should definitely be added.

A further 34 names are still being researched and he has to start work on a further eight possible.

Local councillor Harry Cartmill and Bathgate’s Royal British Legion branch are planning to raise funds to pay for the extra names to be added.

Councillor Cartmill, whose grandfather and great-uncle served in the war, said he could hardly believe it when found out, and could not understand how they’d got it so wrong.

He said:“Neil explained to me that the whole process was very unscientific.

“An advert was put in the West Lothian Courier in 1922, asking people to come forward with any names and rank of relatives they wanted included on the memorial.”

He added: “We want to make the community aware of the omission of these men’s names and the fact that their lives ended so prematurely in the horrors of the trenches to preserve our way of life.”

Bathgate Royal British Legion secretary Bob Ness said they were shocked to discover the number of men missing from the war memorial, and were right behind the campaign.

“I have received a list of all the names from Neil and I’ve asked the members to see if there are any more names they know of that should be on the memorial.

“We have one already who has come forward with a possibility so we are looking into that.”


150 names sounds a lot to have been overlooked at the time, even if it was a very rough way of accumulating names at the time. I'd be interested to know how the 112 are linked to the area.

Derek.
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kinnethmont



Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 4:37 pm    Post subject: Bathgate War Memorial - Missing Names Reply with quote

Derek

I would also find this very hard to believe, if true, that 150 were left off a town like Bathgate. Given the scale of the existing memorial, I would expect considerable research went into ensuring those named matched the War Memorial Comittee's criteria. The inscription they left behind states " men from Bathgate ". I would take this to mean those who left Bathgate for the war 1414-1919 and those in service in August 1914.

If they are now turning up names of people born there and left as a child (or the like) these should be absent. This looks a bit of the rewriting of history nonsense we are starting to see to coincide with the start off WW1. Strange they have not been missed by their kith and kin for nearly 100 years.

To state that " the whole process was very unscientific. " would seem to be nonsense. Regardless of how the Commitee did their work , there will have been decisions made, as to who did, or did not, qualify. Like now, their decisions will not have suited everyone who put a name forward.

Also, families often did not want to be involved. Their choice, not ours.


It looks like the Legion are in again with both feet , without thinking. They never seem to learn.
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Last edited by kinnethmont on Sat May 11, 2013 8:18 am; edited 1 time in total
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Kenneth Morrison



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PostPosted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got to agree. On a very rough count there's about 300 names from WW1 on the memorial (I really couldn't be bothered being accurate)
So nearly half again were "missed - off"? I hae ma doots.
And why the assumption that they were missed off? Doesn't sound very historically accurate.
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It looks like there has already been an additional panel added to this memorial which suggests the process of identifying missing names has already been carried out once before in Bathgate. Which begs the question why were these missing names not added then?

Adam
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kinnethmont



Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:22 pm    Post subject: Bathgate War Memorial - Missing Names Reply with quote

Quote:
Which begs the question why were these missing names not added then?


Adam

I agree totally. I defies belief that another 150 could be missing.
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If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk
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