The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

jamiemcginlay · Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 930 Location: Glasgow

Turnberry - Kyle & Carrick District
The Turnberry memorial stands on the Golf Course and commemorates the men and women of the R.A.F. Training School based here during both wars. Its an unusual tall and slender granite cross on a pedestal and with an inverted sword and the R.A.F. Crest on the face at the head of the cross. The WWI names are listed on the face of the pedestal; and the WWII names on the angled granite panels set around the base of the pedestal. I think the best approach is to call in at the Caddie's Howff to check about crossing the golf course to reach the memorial

The inscription on the face states:
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE OFFICERS
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
AND MEN
OF THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS
ROYAL AIR FORCE
AND THE AUSTRALIAN AND
UNITED STATES AIR SERVICES
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
FOR THEIR COUNTRY
WHILE SERVING IN THE SCHOOL
OF AERIAL GUNNERY & FIGHTING
AT TURNBERRY MCMXVII - MCMXVIII
THEIR NAME LIVETH
FOR EVERMORE

AS ALSO THOSE COMMEMORATED BELOW
WHO DIED IN THE
1939 - 45 WAR

WWI:
Hull E.C. Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant
McNair R.S. Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant
Stevenson J. Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant
Appleton S.C. Royal Flying Corps Sergeant
Bowers C.W.H. Royal Flying Corps Sergeant
Hall E.E. Royal Flying Corps Second Air Mechanic
Towlson H. Royal Flying Corps Second Air Mechanic
Butler H.R.H. Australian Flying Corps Second Lieutenant
Grove R.H. Australian Flying Corps Second Lieutenant
Squires G. U.S.A. Aviation Lieutenant
Reed R.B. U.S.A. Aviation First Lieutenant
Smith H.R. U.S.A. Aviation Second Lieutenant
Brader G.A. U.S.A. Aviation Cadet
Child J.M. Royal Air Force Captain Manchester Regiment
Henderson I.H.D. Royal Air Force Captain Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders
Brown J.S. Royal Air Force Lieutenant East Lancashire Regiment
Fletcher C.A. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant Worcester Regiment
Milligan J. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant Royal Irish Rifles
Hepburn A.A. Royal Air Force Flight Cadet Gordon Highlanders
Lilley J.E. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Tuckett J.S. Royal Air Force Sergeant
King T.A. Royal Air Force Corporal
Inglis T. Royal Air Force Second Air Mechanic
Elliot H.W. Royal Air Force Lieutenant
Lamburn G.A. Royal Air Force Lieutenant
Makepeace R.M. Royal Air Force Lieutenant
Redler H.B. Royal Air Force Lieutenant
Dunbar J.D. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant
Godfrey C.H.A. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant
Hillock C.A. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant
Janes C.W. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant
McLure T.A. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant
McFarlan A. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant
Rymal W.A. Royal Air Force Second Lieutenant
Hughes J. Royal Air Force Flight Cadet
McLean A. Royal Air Force Flight Cadet
Downing G.G.B. Royal Flying Corps Lieutenant
Buntine W.H.C. Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant Sherwood Forresters
Cooper C.A. Royal Flying Corps Second Lieutenant East Yorks Regiment

WWII:
Aldous F. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Gardner G. Royal Air Force A.C.1
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Bateson J. Royal Air Force Squadron Leader
Gray W. Royal Air Force Flying Officer
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Battrick D. Royal Air Force Pilot Officer
Royal Air Force Pilot Officer
Miles R. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Campbell J. Royal Air Force L.A.C.
Hall J. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Chambers W. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Harrild E. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Noble K. Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant
Clarke T. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Harris H. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Padfield E. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Comley P. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant
Doherty T. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Hirst E. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force A.C.2
Hiscock J. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Quin R. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Captain
Hunter A. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Smallie D. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Flight Captain
Hunter H. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Smith F. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Fisher F. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Sorensen D. Royal Air Force Flight Sergeant
Forsyth-Johnson J. Royal Air Force Flight Sergeant
Lowe B. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Walpole H. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Whitehurst G. Royal Air Force Flying Officer
Royal Air Force Second Officer
Webber J. Royal Air Force Sergeant
Wilcox G. Royal Air Force Flying Officer
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force Sergeant
Wild J. Royal Air Force L.A.C.
Burns B. Royal Australian Air Force Sergeant
Johnstone J. Royal Australian Air Force Flying Officer
Roy E. Royal Australian Air Force Flying Officer
Huggins N. Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant
McDonald D. Royal Australian Air Force Sergeant
Tamblyn T. Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Jenkins J. Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant
McGrath J. Royal Australian Air Force Sergeant
Wright P. Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Lee E. Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Riordan A. Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Buttimore L. Royal New Zealand Air Force Flying Officer
Jones J. Royal New Zealand Air Force Pilot
McDonald D. Royal New Zealand Air Force Flight Sergeant
Greeb S. Royal New Zealand Air Force Flight Sergeant
Royal New Zealand Air Force Sergeant
Smart A. Royal New Zealand Air Force Flight Sergeant
Jolly M. Royal New Zealand Air Force Flying Officer
Barnie D. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Highmoor F. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Newman J. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Brezina F. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Lacerete C. Royal Canadian Air Force ?/Lieutenant
O'Neill J. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Calder J. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Leyland J. Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Shaw G. Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Gale W. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
MacLean J. Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Taylor D. Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Lieutenant
Glay L. Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Sergeant
Malcolm D. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Vacheresse W. Royal Canadian Air Force Sergeant
Harris W. Royal Canadian Air Force W.O.2

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:26 pm Post subject:

Jim

The Inscriptions of the Second World War names has a modern look to it. Were these done recently do you know?

Adam

jamiemcginlay · Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 930 Location: Glasgow

Sorry Adam, I don't have much information on this one. Pictures were taken mid/late 90's and I didn't notice anything unusual about the WWII panels, I suppose as its not a civic memorial the process of organising the commemorative panels would have been slower as veterans associations either formed or planned, and I think many of the regimental memorials following WWII were erected later in the 50's or even the 60's.
Its an interesting memorial, on the R.A.F. WWII panel there are two Fairweathers next to one another, one of them a Mrs. Fairweather. I don't know if this is a married couple? Also there is an 'Unknown Airman' listed. I don't know how this came about.
Its well worth a visit, a beautiful place to have your piece and flask on a summers day.

spoons · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:36 pm Post subject:

The memorial was designed by Mr Hugh Wallace.

The four sections which comprise the base and have the WW2 names were added in 1990.

UKNIWM Ref 56952

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:34 am Post subject:

The Fairweathers mentioned in Jim's post above. They did both serve in the Air Transport Auxiliary (rather than the RAF as listed) but died on different dates.

FAIRWEATHER, The Hon. MARGARET
Rank: Flight Captain
Regiment/Service: Air Transport Auxiliary
Age: 42
Date of Death: 04/08/1944
Additional information: Daughter of the Rt. Hon. Walter Runciman, P.C., D.C.L., LL.D., J.P., 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford, and of the Viscountess Runciman of Doxford, J.P. (nee Stevenson), of Doxford, Northumberland; wife of Capt. Douglas Keith Fairweather, Air Tpt. Aux.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. (White) Joint grave 295.
Cemetery: DUNURE CEMETERY

FAIRWEATHER, DOUGLAS KEITH
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: Air Transport Auxiliary
Age: 53
Date of Death: 03/04/1944
Additional information: Son of Sir Wallace Fairweather and Dame Margaret Eureka Fairweather, of Glasgow; husband of Flight Captain the Hon. Margaret Fairweather,.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. (White) Joint grave 295.
Cemetery: DUNURE CEMETERY

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:38 am Post subject:

The name of Douglas Fairweather's mother is interesting

Dame Margaret Eureka Fairweather

They both came fom well to do families and were both probably keen pre-war fliers. Given Captain Fairweather's age I wonder if he had been in the RAF in the Great War? It might be worth a look around on the internet for their names.

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:53 am Post subject:

From http://www.airtransportaux.org/firsteight.html

The Hon. Mrs. Margaret Fairweather

Margaret Fairweather, daughter of Lord Runciman, became the first woman to fly a spitfire. Prior to the war she already had 1,000 hours of civilian flying and was an instructor with the Civil Air Guard. This groundbreaking episode opened the doors for women of the ATA to progress from light training aircraft to armed fighters and eventually to, large heavy four-engine bombers.

Her husband, Douglas Fairweather was also a pilot and one of the first to sign on with the ATA. He set up the Air Movements Flight at White Waltham in 1942, and his wife later joined him. In 1944 Ms. Fairweather was killed on a communications flight while landing a Proctor. Her husband was also killed in the war.

From http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/heritage/heritage_transport/heritage_air.htm

Flying really became popular after World War I, especially the Flying Circus. Sir Wallace Fairweather*, a chairman of Renfrew County, had an Avro Avian plane in a field at King Henry’s Know, Newton Mearns. Both Douglas Fairweather and his wife were killed in plane accidents in 1944; they had been flying for Air Transport Auxiliary for about 4 years. Douglas was asked to bring a seriously wounded Canadian soldier from the Northern airfield to the South for an operation. The weather was very bad but he went nonetheless with a nursing Sister; they never arrived. Later Douglas’s body washed up on the shore. His wife died shortly afterward in an emergency landing.

*Sir Wallace Fairweather was Douglas Fairweather's father

Tey are buried together in Dunure Cemetery. Dr Jon has posted their headstone on the SWGP
http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/scottishwargraves-ftopic491.html

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:02 am Post subject:

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:07 am Post subject:

This website confirms there was no patient on board when the plane crashed but says the other fatality was a nurse

http://www.gmam.ca/anson_update_jul07.htm

Capt Douglas Fairweather, founder of the Flight was a middle-aged Anson devote who chain-smoked his way through any weather to get his exhausted and sleeping loads back to base, often with Service hitch hikers "strap hanging" in the gangway. He and a nursing sister lost their lives somewhere in the Irish Sea in Anson N4875 on April 4, 1944. while trying to reach Prestwick in appalling weather to pick up a serious hospital case.

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:20 am Post subject:

And here is some more detail about the other crash

http://www.militaryltd.com/forum/world-war-ii/m41430-spitfire-women.htm

.....Margie Fairweather, the first woman to fly a Spitfire, was not so fortunate.

Married to Captain Douglas Fairweather, one of the ATA's bravest and best-loved male pilots, she was heavily pregnant when her husband flew into a fog bank - and the Irish Sea - en route to Prestwick in the spring of 1944. She was still mourning him four months later when she took off in a Percival Proctor from Heston bound for Hawarden, near Liverpool. She was acting as air chauffeur for a male VIP and her own sister, the Hon Mrs Kitty Farrer, who served as adjutant to the commandant of the ATA's women's section. Less than 20 miles from Hawarden the Proctor's engine coughed and died.

Fairweather tried to restart it by switching tanks, but accident investigators found the port tank's vent pipe had been carelessly blocked by a skin-like membrane of weatherproof paint. If no air could enter the tank, no fuel could leave it.

Unflustered, Fairweather chose a field in the lower reaches of the Dee valley for a forced landing. It was ploughed at right angles to her direction of approach, which should have been bumpy but not deadly. The Proctor's wheels stuck in a furrow and its nose tipped forward. Kitty Farrer was thrown clear and injured, but not fatally. The VIP, Louis Kendrick of the Ministry of Aircraft Production, broke his thumb. Fairweather was slammed forward, shattering her spectacles. Shards of glass went through her eyes into her brain. She died the following day at Chester Royal Infirmary.

Self-deprecating Fairweather was not widely known. But she was remembered, not least by those she taught at Glasgow Flying Club before the war. Two of them joined the RAF and fought in the Battle of Britain. When her brother-in-law visited the crash site the day after her death, he found them there in tears.

Another gives a nickname for Captain Fairweather and confirms the chain smoking

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/dianabw2.html

During her time with the ATA she meet several remarkable pilots, one of whom was 'Poppa' Fairweather. As part of the ATA instructions each pilot had to carry their own maps. Nowhere did it say to what scale. Poppa's was about three inches square; he only carried it because of regulations. Instead he used to measure his journeys by the number of cigarettes he smoked. A journey from Belfast to White Waltham took 23 cigarettes, or 2 hours 40 minutes!

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject:

Two of the Americans listed are buried in Girvan cemetery. Paul 'Spoons' has posted their headstones on the War Graves forum:

http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/viewtopic.php?p=16320

George Squires
1st Lieut Aviation Corps
US Army
Born at St Paul Minnesota
31st March 1896
Killed near Kirkoswald
18th May 1918

George A Brader
Pennsylvania
PVT 1 CL AVN SEC
Sig Res Corps
USA
April 5 1918

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 6:13 am Post subject:

Many of the Second World War airmen are buried in the CWGC plot in Dunure cemetery. See here:

http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=491

Adam

pr1066 · Joined: 13 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: West Lothian

Does anyone have information on the child born to Margaret after Douglas's death?

I'm trying to trace my rather more distant Kerr cousins, of whom DKF was one and his child also.

thanks

Peter Hastings
Murieston

James Stevenson · Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 1 Location: Devon

Hello Peter
Margie and Douglas Fairweather's daughter was christened Margaret Elizabeth, and was born 8 April 1944 and educated at St Leonards School, St Andrews. Her mother (Margie) was the daughter of my father's aunt Hilda and husband Viscount Runciman of Doxford. My brother is in touch with Margaret Elizabeth so please email me for further information.

friarsgoos(at)btinternet.com

James Stevenson

pr1066 · Joined: 13 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: West Lothian