The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

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

Letham (Dunnichen Parish) - Angus District (Forfar Landward)

The Letham war memorial is a freestone fluted classical column on a square pedestal. The commemoration and names of the WWI dead are listed on marble tablets set into the faces of the pedestal. The commemoration and names of the WWII dead are on an additional marble tablet set on top of the pedestal in front of the column.
The monument stands within its own railed enclosure in the park.

WWI ROLL OF HONOUR:
BALFOUR DAVID F. BLACK WATCH PRIVATE
BROWN WILLIAM J. BLACK WATCH PRIVATE
BRUCE DAVID C. HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY PRIVATE
BRUCE JOSEPH D.W. ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS PRIVATE
CRABB JAMES ROYAL SCOTS PRIVATE
DAVIE JAMES C.C. PRIVATE
DOUGLAS JAMES BLACK WATCH PRIVATE
DUNCAN JAMES A.G. ROYAL AIR FORCE SECOND LIEUTENANT
EDWARDS DAVID ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY DRIVER
FINDLAY JOHN L. BLACK WATCH PRIVATE
FLEMING ALEXANDER M. SCOTS GUARDS PRIVATE
FLEMING JAMES HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY PRIVATE
HAMPTON JOHN ROYAL ENGINEERS SAPPER
LANGLANDS DAVID ROYAL IRISH RIFLES PRIVATE
LINDSAY JAMES SCOTS GUARDS PRIVATE
LIVIE GEORGE ARMY VETERINARY CORPS PRIVATE
MARQUIS ERNEST GORDON HIGHLANDERS SERGEANT
MOLLISON JAMES BLACK WATCH PRIVATE
NAPIER WILLIAM S.I ? SERGEANT
NICOL GEORGE ROYAL ENGINEERS SAPPER
PIRIE JAMES AUSTRALIANS SERGEANT
REE JOHN NEW ZEALANDERS PRIVATE
REID GEORGE ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY LIEUTENANT
REID JAMES A. NEW ZEALANDERS SAPPER
SALMOND ALEXANDER B. SCOTS GUARDS LANCE CORPORAL
SIMPSON ROBERT G. S.F. LANCE CORPORAL
SMART DAVID F. C.I.? SERGEANT
SMITH GEORGE R. BLACK WATCH PRIVATE
SMITH JAMES A. ROYAL AIR FORCE A.M.
SMITH ROBERT BLACK WATCH PRIVATE
STRACHAN ALEXANDER D. ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY GUNNER
STURROCK WILLIAM ROYAL ENGINEERS SAPPER
TAYLOR WALTER R. BLACK WATCH PRIVATE

WWII ROLL OF HONOUR:
ADAM CHARLES
ANGUS GEORGE
BUICK DAVID
MCARTHUR ALEXANDER
RAMSAY GERALD
ROBERTSON WILLIAM H.
RODGER JACK
SHEPHERD JOHN

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:15 pm Post subject:

Jim

You have question marks against S.I. and C.I. Given they us A.I for Australian Infantry and N.Z.I for New Zealand Infanty. I'd guess C.I. is Canadian Infantry rather than the more usual CEF and SI is South African Infantry.

Looking up the CWGC database gives these names which must be the men listed:

Name: NAPIER, WILLIAM
Initials: W
Nationality: South African
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: South African Infantry
Unit Text: 4th Regt.
Age: 44
Date of Death: 15/12/1918
Service No: 8344
Additional information: Son of Charles and Anne Napier, of The Den, Letham, Forfar, Scotland. Born at Duninchen, Forfar.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 4. N.C. 29.
Cemetery: ROOIDAM MILITARY CEMETERY

Name: SMART, DAVID FARQUHARSON
Initials: D F
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment)
Unit Text: 28th Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 04/07/1917
Service No: 73081
Additional information: Son of David Farquharson Smart and Betsy Stewart Smart, of Kingsmuir, Forfar, Scotland.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: East of Church.
Cemetery: DUNNICHEN PARISH CHURCHYARD

Regards

Adam

DelBoy · Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 2:05 pm Post subject:

Newer Photos.

WW2 Addition.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 11:43 am Post subject:

DAVID FARQUHARSON SMART, Sergeant 73081, 28th Battalion, Saskatchewan Regiment died on 4 July 1917 and is buried at Dunnichen parish churchyard, Angus, near his birthplace at Letham. Smart was in the process of being invalided home for treatment of his tuberculosis when he died at Ontario hospital, Orpington, Kent, England. He was the son of David Farquharson and Betsy Ramsay (Stewart) Smart. David Jr. was an insurance agent when he enlisted at Saskatoon late in 1914.

This is extracted from the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial where there are links to lots of info on this man.
http://svwm.ca/casualty-display/?ID=A000005389
_________________
Ken

anne park · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 8:52 am Post subject: Sjt Ernest Marquis

Ernest Rodger M Marquis Sgt S/3160 MiD 8th Gordon Highlanders b Carnoustie, Forfarsh. e Dumbarton Age 25 Killed in Action F&F 25/09/1915 (Battle of Loos). Occ: Gamekeeper on Panmure Estate. Soldiers Effects: Mother: Roberta D J. Occ: After Gamekeeper was Policeman in Alexandria. Son of Mrs Roberta (nee Cockerill) Marquis, Westhaven, Carnourstie & the late William H. Marquis. Occ: A member of Alexandria Police Staff. 1891 Census: b 1890. Loos Memorial M. R. 19 Panel 115 to 119 Dundee Courier 17-04-16 Page 2 The Scotsman 18-04-16 P7 Bonhill & Carnoustie & Dunnichen
_________________
Researching WWI info from Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire & Morayshire.

Keptie · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:05 pm Post subject: dunnichen (letham angus

Now in position is a new Stone Section located on the rear of the war memorial are the Three WW1 Casualties who were not listed on this memorial . The Three are listed on the Ruined KIRKDEN PARISH CHURCH down in the Den of Letham . Dunnichen parish and Kirkden Parish over the burn were two different Parishes in WW1 days.

It would appear that Councillor David Lumgair applied to the Angus Council to have these three names added to this war memorial and it was approved . No space was available on the original war memorial

The New stone memorial reads :

THE GREAT WAR
1914- 1919
JAMES EDGAR ROBERT LEE
ANDREW SMITH

(NOTE I heard that this additional stone memorial section was in place in time for Remembrance Sunday of 2020 )

(Patrick w anderson )

Keptie · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:47 pm Post subject: dunnichen & district

CWGC

Pte 843 J EDGAR , australian Infantry AI F 19 Bn died 12th September 1915 East Mudors Military Cemetery 11 N244 Greece .
No next of kin shown on CWGC index

SNWM edinburgh castle :
Pte 843 James Edgar, death 12th September 1915 Greece
Australian Exp Forces , 19th Bn

(service records show that his father farmed Gask Farm , Letham Forfarshire before and the great war period

CWGC :

Pte 51294 Robert LEE, PPCLI ( East Ont Regiment ) death 8th may 1915 age 35
Ypres Menin Gate Memorial Panel 10 Belgium
son of John and Annie Lee, 40 Burnbrae Alexandria , Scotland

Note service records show his father was the headteacher at KIRKDEN SCHOOL , near Letham forfarshire from 1911 and the war .

SNWM

Pte 51294 Robert LEE , Born Campsie , Stirlingshire death 8th May 1915 . France and Flanders , KIA Canadian Ex Forces PPCLI

CWGC

Pte 266691 Andrew SMITH , Black Watch (RH ) 6th Bn
death 23 April 1917 , Arras Memorial Bay 6 France
No next of kin shown

SNWM
Pte 266691 Andrew SMITH, born Careston , Forfarshire
death 23rd April 1917 F & F Kia
Black Watch 6th Battalion

( Service records show his next of kin , William Smith resided at 36 Green street arbroath

(patrick W anderson)