The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Adam Brown

From today's Dunfermline Press

http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/roundup/articles/2011/02/10/410086-help-press-back-familys-call-for-memorial-to-fifes-fallen-heroes/

Help Press back family's call for memorial to Fife's fallen heroes
Gary Fitzpatrick • Published 10 Feb 2011 09:14

THE family of West Fife war hero Tam Mason (pictured) want a memorial garden built in the Kingdom to commemorate the dead of recent conflicts.

Tam, a Black Watch corporal who grew up in Rosyth and spent much of his life in Dunfermline, died in October 2009 at the age of 27 from severe injuries received from an improvised explosion device in Kandahar Province.

He was flown back to the UK but died in a Birmingham hospital several weeks after the bombing and his funeral saw 300 mourners pack into a Cowdenbeath church.

A ceremony to mark Tam’s name being added to the Dunfermline war memorial will take place later this month.

However, his family want to see a garden of remembrance built where relatives can go to place flowers and quietly remember their loved ones, with Pittencrieff Park one suggestion.

They believe the garden should be specifically for the victims of recent conflicts such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown backs the idea and it also has cross-party support on Fife Council.

And the Dunfermline Press is also backing the campaign, allowing readers to pledge their support for the memorial garden on our website.

Tam’s sister, Kelly Mason (24), of Lawrence Street, Kelty, said, “Many families do not have the chance to visit the memorial garden at Westminster Abbey and this garden is only open for the week of remembrance.

“My mother has written to Gordon Brown, who whilst Prime Minister said he’d help us with a number of issues, one being that we would like a memorial garden in Fife for all the fallen heroes of the recent wars.

“We feel that whilst there are remembrance gardens for the lives lost in the First and Second World Wars, the recent wars have been overlooked.

“It has been suggested that this remembrance garden should be in Pittencrieff Park as Dunfermline is the ancient capital of Scotland.

“However, other suggestions are welcome. We would like to collect as many names as possible in support of the memorial garden and this would allow us to take the idea forward to Fife Council and Gordon Brown, who are both in favour and start raising funds.”

Kelty councillor Alex Rowley. who met Tam’s mother, Linda, this week, said, “A few months ago I raised this with the leaders of the other parties on the council and there was broad support.

“I’ve also spoken to Steve Grimmond, head of community services, who is also supportive of the idea in principle. Gordon Brown is also fully behind the idea.

“These situations obviously have to be dealt with very sensitively and so it is important the initiative is family-led.

"That way the families can get together and decide the details of the memorial and where it should be.”

Kelly also hopes the families of all the Kingdom’s victims can work together and achieve a memorial garden fit for heroes.

"She can be contacted via kellycrouch1986@gmail.com and a facebook page has been started under ‘Memorial garden in Fife’.

You can pledge your support for the campaign for a memorial garden in Fife on the Press website.

We will pass on the petition to Corporal Mason’s family and the relevant authorities.

There has been one comment added:

YES put a memorial stone up with all the soliders names on it but they do not need a garden .A lot of familys have got there loved ones in cemetery that they go and visit .THE council go on about all the lights and nick nacks that loved ones put up just now . IM for supporting for a memorial stone to go up