The Scottish War Memorials Project

spoons · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:27 pm Post subject: Munition Workers on memorials

I don't believe there are any munition workers memorials in Scotland (just one in York and one in London for specific accidents) and I only know of one Munitions Worker whose name appears on a memorial in Scotland; Roberta Ewart Robertson on the Dumfries memorial.

I know that other munitions workers lost their lives for example George Henry Pike who died 12 March 1917, Jonathan Leah, James Peason from Edinburgh who died 18 October 1916, Frederick Arthur Bird and Arthur Gillam. All of those died as a direct result of munitions factory accidents.

Do any of them appear on memorials anywhere?

\Paul

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 8:15 pm Post subject:

Hi Paul - There is one at Gretna:

Name: ROYAL
Initials: J
Rank: Worker
Regiment/Service: Australian Munitions Worker
Date of Death: 09/08/1917
Service No: 810
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: D.26.1.
Cemetery: GRETNA CEMETERY, Dumfriesshire.
_________________
Ken

spoons · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject:

Thanks Ken but that brings another mystery. Why is Royal listed on CWGC when none of the others are? Roberta Robertson for example was killed in a factory explosion.

\Paul

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 8:51 pm Post subject:

Paul - I've just been skimming some stuff on GWF (via Google - Australian Munition Workers) and it seems that the Aussie Government decided that such workers contributing to the war effort would be treated like any other member of the military. There apparently quite a few on the CWGC casualty details.
_________________
Ken

Jim · Joined: 30 May 2008 Posts: 178

You'd think (and I've been unable to search) there'd have been some deaths at Nobel at Ardeer.

dhubthaigh · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:54 am Post subject:

W. Douglas MUNITns commemorated at Muthill;

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=274

I have often wondered where I can find out anything about him/her ?

Scanned the Strathearn herald but nothing obvious.

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1447 Location: Aberdeenshire

The Australian Munitions and War Workers fall into the category of Recognised Civilian Organisations (RCO).
Each Dominion deemed which organisations from their countries were RCOs and, in certain circumstances, afforded CWGC status.

These Australians were organised as a body to serve overseas and were numbered ( the example above is 810). They were contracted as a unit and could not leave and return home at will like any civilian worker back home.
Australia deemed them to qualify under certain conditions.

To qualify for War Grave status they had to die in the UK or en route between 04.08.14 and 11.11.18 (or dying by 31.08.21 of injury/illness caused in UK before 11.11.18). Any dying in Australia do not count, they had to be on overseas service.
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

spoons · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:06 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info Jim.

Mark, the only way I found out about Roberta Robertson was to get a copy of her death certificate. There was minimum info in the paper on the grounds of national security.

\Paul

dhubthaigh · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:49 pm Post subject:

Spoons recent thread re munitions workers brought me back to this one and W. Douglas at Muthill. The unveiling report lists the names and it states - William Douglas. Tried linking someone by that name to Muthill, so far, without success. Were there dozens of munitions factories in Scotland ? My thinking was if I could have narrowed down a death search to a particular area of Scotland, albeit he could have been employed anywhere in Britain. This one's frustrating, as some of you know how this can be. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

adb41 · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 146 Location: Stornoway

Found on the war memorial at Tolsta Chaolais, 20 miles west of Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis

On the left-hand face of the memorial you can just about make out, 4th from bottom:

CATHERINE MACLEOD

Although Catherine appears not to have been in the Armed Forces during the 1914-1918 war, her name is included on the Tolsta Chaolais list because she is mentioned on the village War Memorial
Last address in Lewis: 23 Tolsta Chaolais
Daughter of John and Mary Macleod
Is thought to have worked in a munitions factory
Died in Dundee, possibly of influenze
Buried in Tolsta Chaolais cemetery
Local memorial: Tolsta Chaolais

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:37 pm Post subject:

During WW1 there was a ordinance munitions factory at Crombie pier by Charlestown in Fife, it's still one today.

I've previously come across WW2 munition worker deaths also. One was in an explosion at the Royal Ordinance Factory at Bishopton in 1944.

Derek.

DelBoy · Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 1:45 am Post subject: Ardeer Munitions Deaths