The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

john hendry · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 77

I found this WW2 memorial in the village next to the shop. No sign of a WW1 memorial. Although the village looks modern, the books say it was a fishing village in the 19th C. There is a church but I didn't stop for a look round.

In memory of the men of Pirnmill district who lost their lives in the Second World War:

Sgt W M McGarvie A & SH KIA 02/5/40
Lt Commander Ian Roberton RNVR lost by enemy action 04/3/42
Lt W W McBride SR KIA 26/10/44.

spoons · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 2:30 pm Post subject:

UKNIWM Ref 21269

Photo needed

OS Map Ref NR 875 439

UKNIWM describes this as a small pink granite pillar

"The memorial originally had a very large concrete base with ten steps. By 1996 they were cracked and difficult for the elderly to climb, so the column was reset in a walled garden designed by Mr Charles Anderson of Pirnmill."

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 12:42 am Post subject:

Near the South end of the village. This memorial can be seen on Google Maps Street View here

Regards

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 12:46 am Post subject:

At here is a snapshot taken from Google Maps Street View.

Adam

acass · Joined: 19 Mar 2010 Posts: 2

Pirnmill: the WW1 memorial is the Arran War Memorial Hospital in Lamlash. Although some villages put up there own memorials also, Pirnmill only contributed to the hospital.

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 1:02 pm Post subject:

Acass

Many thanks for the update about the Great War names. The War Memorial Hospital has been recorded on the fourm here:

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=3611

Interestingly the plaque in the hospital lists four names for the Second World War under Pirnmill but the memorial here only has three names.

Thanks

Adam

john burnett · Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 790 Location: Fife

UKNIWM 21269

FionaL · Joined: 05 Oct 2012 Posts: 19 Location: Isle of Arran

This is the memorial in my village, so perhaps I could give a bit of the background if I may.

Adam states above that there are 3 names on the Pirnmill memorial, but four on the memorial at the hospital in Lamlash. This is true but only 2 of the names here match those at Lamalsh.

Lamlash
Pirnmill & Lochranza
Neil Hendry
John Kerr
Ian Robertson
William McBride

Pirnmill
William McGarvie
Ian Robertson
William McBride

The memorial in Pirnmill is for the men of Pirnmill District both Neil Hendry and John Kerr were Lochranza men, which doesn't have a war memorial- although John Kerr is buried in the local cemetry and recieved the Lloyds War Medal for Bravery at Sea.

Anecdotally William McGarvie had been working in the Pirnmill District when the war started so the locals felt it was only right that he was remembered on the memorial here.

The sister of William McBride only died a couple of years ago and it really brought it home every Remembrance Sunday as she shed a tear for her brother during the silence, Ian Robertson's son still lives in the village.

john burnett · Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 790 Location: Fife

Thanks for update Fiona, it is good to get some background.
I was in Arran recently and would you believe it rained every day!

I believe there is a war memorial in the school. Do you know if it is still there and if so can you get access to it?

FionaL · Joined: 05 Oct 2012 Posts: 19 Location: Isle of Arran

A copy of the Roll of Honour for the village is in the village hall behind the school. Will get a picture of it soon hopefully. I will ask if there is a memorial in the primary school and let you know.

FionaL · Joined: 05 Oct 2012 Posts: 19 Location: Isle of Arran

The WW2 memorial at Pirnmill has now been joined, after many years of fundraising, by a memorial to the 8 men from the area who lost their lives in WW1. It is constructed of Admiralty Brass and although the village is very small it was designed and fabricated by an Architectural metalworker in his workshop in the village.

Those commemorated are soldiers
John Craig Black Watch died 25/9/1915
James MacCormack KOSB died 1/7/1916
brothers Duncan Robertson CEF died 25/4/1915 and
Ronald Robertson Black Watch died 25/9/1915
John Stevenson HLI died 23/5/1915
James Thomson KOSB died 10/11/1915.

Also commemorated are Merchant Seamen
Archibald McMillan died 7/5/1918
Robert Skillen died 13/6/1917

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Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 2:25 pm Post subject:

What a superb and beautiful amalgam!
_________________
Ken

FionaL · Joined: 05 Oct 2012 Posts: 19 Location: Isle of Arran

Thanks Ken, we were trying to make sure the memorials sat well together and I think the designer/fabricator(Simon Horne) has pulled it off magnificently they really do compliment one anther.

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Fiona,

Thanks for that. The WMR/UKNIWM record has been amended accordingly, and should refresh to the public view overnight.