The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Keptie

The Courier for Tuesday 5th August 2014 recorded this story

TREE PLANTED IN MEMORY OF YOUNG EDZELL SOLDIER :

A tree has been planted to Commemorate an Angus man who died during the Second World War .

LIEUTENANT JAMES RUSSELL, grew up at THE BURN , in EDZELL , was killed in action in Italy on July 24th , 1944 , aged 21.

His parents , George and Marjorie Russell , decided to use The Burn as a memorial after the war , and the house became an academic retreat.

During a recent ceremony , Former Lord Lieutenant of KINCARDINESHIRE John Smart planted an Italian cypress ,

At the Ceremony , current Burn Bursar David Turner said a great legacy stemmed from a family tragedy .

He said , "James may not have lived to reach his full potential , but in recognising his sacrifice , his parents have helped many thousands of students to achieve their goals and objectives ".

In 1948 the Russells entrusted the house and approximately 200 acres of land to the Dominion Students' Hall Trust - now known as Goodenough College .

Burn Trustee Professor Jane Geddes said the Russells thought the Trust , which provides accommodation to overseas students studying in London , was a good fit with their vision for The Burn.

"The Burn ahs been welcoming students from across the world for more than 64 years and continues to operate in Memory of JAMES , who was only 21 when he died , " she said .

---

( I think that The Burn is partly in Angus and in Kincardineshire (now Grampian )

Patrick W Anderson

Mutley · Joined: 19 Nov 2014 Posts: 9 Location: Scotland

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

WMR 85680