The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

KOF · Joined: 29 Nov 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Scottish Borders

Hello there,

My name is Colin MacNeil, KOF is my tinternet moniker (an old tenpin bowling name that seems to have stuck).

I am an artist by trade, living near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders with my wife, a border collie and a rather annoyingly whiny cat.

Recently I've been doing some research about my grandfather and his battalion (7th RHR, Black Watch) for a book and I came across this forum/project. My grandfather was a member of the honour guard for the unveiling ceremony of the 51st Highland Division Memorial, Beaumont Hamel in 1924. The memorial features heavily in my project, so any help you could provide in suggested avenues for research would be greatly appreciated. Likewise anything new I find out, I will post up on the relevant thread.

I'm able to immediately to help you with information about a memorial that hasn't been listed so far. It's a memorial to my great uncle, Dugald MacColl, 8th A&SH, 301311 who died in France in 1917. He is remembered in the church at Duror, near Ballachulish. I can't remember the name of the church, but it's not far from the Post Office there. There is a stained glass memorial and a cross which bears his name in the church itself.

I had been hoping to get back there this year, but with weather these last number of weeks it's been impossible. However, if anyone is passing that way do pop in and have a look. Take photos and start a thread ( I was hoping to do this myself, but with the weather it won't happen till the spring now), I can fill in details about Dugald for you from family stories that I heard. Is this the sort of info you're interested in? Not just the mere facts, but also some of the personal stories which bring the name on the memorial (for the lack of a better word) alive.?

Anyhoo, I've probably rambled enough for a first post.

Cheers for now

Colin
(KOF)

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 4:29 pm Post subject:

Hi Colin and welcome.

I see that Dugald McCall is listed on the Duror and Kentallan War Memorial
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=2664&highlight=

Did you know that there are some photos of the 8th A&SH memorial at Beaumont Hamel at
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=750

There are photos of the 51st memorial, including some of the dedication, at http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=1320
_________________
Ken

KOF · Joined: 29 Nov 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Scottish Borders

Thanks for the welcome, Ken.

Yup, that's my great uncle Dugald. I should mention that there is another "memorial" to him in the form of a pipe tune. It's "Dugald MacColl's Farewell to France" by his uncle, the esteemed piper John MacColl, written in 1918 for Dugald's parents. I'm happy to say that I still have the original draft of the sheet music written by the hand of John MacColl. It was given to Dugald's mother and then passed down to his sister, my grandmother, and thence to my mother and finally to me.

When I do finally have the opportunity I'll get it scanned and put it up with photographs of the Duror church memorial. Is this okay for this forum? Would it be of appropriate interest to the project to be included on the database?

Cheers

Colin

David McNay · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:21 pm Post subject:

Colin,

Absolutely we would be interested in whatever information you have. One of the main objectives of the project is to put faces to names, add "flesh to the bones". So we welcome any information you might have.

Regards,

David

KOF · Joined: 29 Nov 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Scottish Borders

Hi David,

So would photographs of Dugald, in France and before the war, be of interest too? I can recall some stories I heard about him and his life, these too? You did say you wanted "flesh" and "face".

I'll find the time to properly sit down and collate the various bits of information about him and add them when I get photos of the Duror church memorial posted up for you. However, if a member is around that way and gets photos and wants to start the thread, then that's fine too. As it may well be into the Spring before I can get over that way.

Anyhoo, I'll stop before I start to ramble.

Cheers

Colin