The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Keptie

The Courier & Advertiser ( Angus & Mearns edition) Friday , 12 June 2009 :

VC PLAQUE WILL BE COMING BACK : - by Philip Murray.

Angus Council has reassured Carnoustie residents that the loss of a plaque commemorating one of the town's War Heroes is "only temporary."

A number of angry residents got in touch with The Courier and local councillors yesterday after the Memorial to VICTORIA CROSS medal winner GEORGE SAMSON disappeared from the entrance to the street that bears his name .

But the mystery behind the disappearance of the imposing plaque from its home on a wall in Samson Place has been answered , after council officials revealed it was being repaired and refurbished .

The news will come as a welcome relief to the community , which is very proud of Samson's actions in the First World War .

A seaman by trade he was serving on the HMS CLYDE during the ill fated Allied assault on Gallipoli in 1915 when he earned his medal for an outstanding act of bravery.

His ship landed to release part of the invasion force but came under heavy fire, and many of the troops who stormed the beach were cut down.

But despite the lethal volley of fire Samson braved the fusillade numerous times to ferry dozens of injured and dying men to safety.

And even though he too was struck by 19 separate machine gun bullets during his selfless rescue missions , Samson continued in his efforts before eventually collapsing himself.

Astonishingly surgeons saved his life , despite being unable to remove 13 of the bullets, and he untimately survived the war . He eventually died in 1923 from pneumonia , aged 34 .

Councillor Helen Oswald yesterday confirmed that Samson's lasting memorial would return after she quizzed council officers .

"I have been contacted by a number of concerned residents , as well as the chairman of the community council , all of whom were concerned at the removal of the commemorative plaque ," she said .

"I investigated this and discovered that the council workmen were asked to remove this as the owner of the property felt it was unsafe.

"I have been reassured by the head of housing that the plaque will be re-instated at an appropriate location in Samson Place in the near future .

"It is my sincere hope that when this is done , the council , in conjunction with the local branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland , will manage to arrange a re - dedication .

A council official has also confirmed that the Plaque will be " reinstated in due course ."

"The local British Legion is to be contacted should they wish to organise a small ceremony marking the reinstatement ."

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Keptie

In the book " Scotland's Forgotten Valour " by Graham Ross ( 1995) it has on page 46 info on Samson VC.

It was during the efforts to land these troops that the next Victoria Cross were won by 5 Sailors on board the "River Clyde ". They were acting Capt Edward Unwin, Midshipman George Drewry, Midshipman Wilfred Malleson, Able seaman William Williams , and CARNOUSTIE born
SEAMAN GEORGE SAMSON . The Scot was one of the 4 sailors who helped Captain Unwin get the lighters from the ship to the shore. The Seaman of the Royal Naval Reserve worked on a lighter a small flat bottomed boat used for unloading vessels anchored at a distance from the wharf all day under very heavy and accurate fire attending to the wounded and getting lines out . During the day he carried out many daring rescues of wounded men until he himself was severely wounded by machine gun fire. When he was eventually treated he was found to have 19 wounds on his body. However he recovered to receive at Buckingham Palace on 5 October the first Victoria Cross to be awarded to a Royal Naval Reserve Rating and the second to a Scottish sailor .

( Hope this is in the correct section as I know of three streets ( Memorials ) in Carluke named after VC holders of the Great War and WW2 )

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Patrick W Anderson

Adam Brown

FortyTwa · Joined: 12 May 2009 Posts: 128 Location: United Kingdom

Grave of George Samson VC in Bermuda

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

WMR 85764

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Does anyone have any updates on what happened to the plaque please? whether or not it was reinstated. Google Street View does not provide any definitive answers.

Thanks