The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

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

Captain John Lauder of the 1/8th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders was the son of the famous Scottish music hall entertainer and comedian Sir Harry Lauder who erected this monument in memory of his son near the family home of Glen Branter House (demolished) were he was staying at the time when his son was killed. The death of his son is said to have inspired Lauder to write the song 'Keep Right On'. The monument was designed by Henry Vallance who I believe was related to Lauder's wife, and the sculptor was S. Cameron, dated 1918.
The memorial stands in an enclosure surrounded by a cast iron railling on the top of a small wooded hill on the east side of the A815 in the hamlet of Glen Branter. There is a sign post on the road, just opposite a lay-bye.

David McNay · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 11:21 pm Post subject:

That's quite a nice memorial.

What's the other one behind it?

DerekR · Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:35 am Post subject:

John Lauder was a controversial figure:

Here is an extract from William Murray, Argylls veteran from the book:
“VOICES FROM WAR: Personal recollections of war in our century by Scottish men and women”.
Ian MacDougall, The Mercat Press, ISBN 1873644 450

“Lieutenant Lauder, Harry Lauder’s son, he was in the Argylls, too.
Oh he wis a ******. He wis very unpopular. Ah mean, he used tae wear a raincoat and ye didnae know if he was an officer or no. Ah think he did that deliberately. And ye maybe passed him and didnae salute and he would grab you. Ye would get a fortnight’s detention for no’ salutin’ an officer. Oh, he was very unpopular. He was shot in the back a’ right.
He had no confidence in his men at all. Ah mean, he jist treated them as outcasts. Ah don’t know whether he was class conscious or not. Ah didnae see why he should have been, because his faither wis only a comedian.
We were going over the top and he was shot in the back. It wis somebody in his own unit. I never had any dealings wi’ him but the men all knew he had been shot in the back, oh aye, they all knew. Well, if anybody is shot in the back it was deliberate.”

The above quote says that John was shot in the back. It may well be true, but it isn't a definate fact, just one mans opinion on John's character and possible fate.

John Lauder's grave at Ovillers on the Somme:

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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

DerekR · Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:58 am Post subject:

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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

dhubthaigh · Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject:

A monument was erected by his distraught father in the tiny family graveyard on his Highland estate near Loch Eck, 'Glenbranter', in Argyll.

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

David,
The two stones behind are private memorials. The memorial to Lauder's son was erected by Henry Vallance and the graves belong to James Vallance and his wife; and also Anne Vallance, 1873-1927, who was Lauder's wife.

DerekR · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject:

See also the listing for Innellan, Cowal, UKNIM Ref no. 44606, for a possible listing of John.

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?p=11253#11253[/url]
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.