The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

spoons · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:50 pm Post subject: Royal High School WW2, Edinburgh

I have no photos, have not visited and do not know if this info is correct but I thought it important to record it for future investigation before it is lost. The following is the text of a Wikipedia entry that has now been removed (for reasons unknown).

"Second World War

In 1949 memorial windows in the school hall were dedicated to the dead of the Second World War. Made with stained glass, they were the work of former pupils William Wilson and William G. Dey. Their theme is Scottish heritage. The west window is called the Heroes Window. It carries the school crest and military insignia of former pupils, and features famous warriors. The centre window is called the Royal Window. It depicts royal patrons of the school and symbols of constitutional and technological evolution. Beneath the arms of Scotland is Barbour's line: 'Fredom is ane nobil thing'. The east window is called the Thinkers Window. It displays the city arms and portrays poets and visionaries of Scotland. The lower corner panels of each window show a child training to maintain the national inheritance.

The Roll of Honour 1939-1945 contains 1243 names. The number of those who fell is 131. The following are among the decorations and awards:

One VC
One GC
One CIE
Two CBEs
Four DSOs
Five OBEs
18 MBEs
Two DSCs
Ten MCs
14 DFCs
Three AFCs
Two DCMs
One CGM
Three GMs
Two MMs
Three DFMs
One BEM
Eight TDs
Five TEMs
One RD
One AE
74 mentions in despatches
One Lloyds' War Medal for Bravery
One Cross de Guerre (Belgium)
One Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark)
One Order of Ismail (4th Class) (Egypt)
One Croix de Lorraine (France)
One Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau with Swords
One King Haakon VII Birthday Medal Ribbon

The VC recipient was John Cruickshank. The GC recipient (posthumous) was Douglas Ford."

\Paul

ADP · Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Posts: 467 Location: Edinburgh

I take it the window is (was?) in the building in Regent Road. The Royal High School moved away from this city centre location to the western outskirts at Barnton in 1968.

The Regent Road building was mothballed for years, and I think is still in limbo to this day. For years it was destined to be the Scottish Parliament building, but as the Devolution Bill was passed and the referendum voted for a Scottish Parliament to be recreated, it was decided that the Regent Road building was not fit for purpose. Then the process was started that created the new building at Holyrood that is now the Scottish Parliament. Various projects have suggested other uses for the building, but none that I can think of have ever come to happen.

ADP

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:04 am Post subject:

ADP

I'm not so sure the memorial will still be there. When a former pupil visited a few years ago they said on the London FPs website that they wished they hadn't gone because of the difference between his school and the present building.

I would hope it has gone to Barnton.

Adam

lost in tilloy · Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 111

Please see the WW1 thread for pictures of the memorial gates. Again my thanks to the Acting Rector David Simpson, the Business Manager Bev and the RHS FP President Martin by granting access and helping locate the memorials.

Regards
LIT

I will post a general picture of the three windows first:

The Heroes' Window:

The Builders' Window:

The Thinkers' Window:

lost in tilloy · Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 111

Now the WW2 casualty lists that are located underneath the windows and a couple of other WW2 memorials:

The WW2 memorial book:

Two extra WW2 memorials. One has a BB motif as well as the school badge the other lists two names of House Boys who were casualties:

Kelsa · Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:16 pm Post subject:

The windows were by Willie Wilson - articles at the time do not mention a William Dey and there is no record so far found that mentions him working with Wilson. Wilson's signature can be clearly seen in the photo.
Many of the figures were copied from the frieze at the Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh

SouthsideChaz · Joined: 18 Dec 2016 Posts: 50 Location: Edinburgh

I am having trouble locating a William Anderson.
He went to Royal High School in Edinburgh and according to their roll of honour he died in 1941 and was lost at sea. He was in the R.A.F.

Can’t seem to find him
_________________
Chaz

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 6:35 pm Post subject:

Chaz - might be this man

Aircraftman 2nd Class
ANDERSON, WILLIAM
Service Number 1345323
Died 19/08/1941
Aged 28
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of John and Mary Russell Anderson, of Edinburgh. M.A., Hons. (Edin.).
Commemorated at RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Location: Surrey

He was a passenger on the steam passenger ship SS Aguila when she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-201
See
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1063.html
and
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1063.html
_________________
Ken

SouthsideChaz · Joined: 18 Dec 2016 Posts: 50 Location: Edinburgh

Cheers
_________________
Chaz