The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:05 pm Post subject: Lasswade War Memorial, Midlothian

Lasswade War Memorial, Midlothian
Location: In public Park
OS Ref: NT 305 662
Memorial Type: Obelisk

Adam

john duncan · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 26

This is an account of the death of Sgt Richard (Dick) Peacock and Pte George Proudfoot 8th Royal Scots from the Dalkeith Advertiser of 1914.

“ I thought you would have heard about Dick’s death, he was killed on the 20th November by a German sniper, and was only two trenches away from me. Dick was sniping at a German , but the German caught Dick right in the forehead, and knocked him right out. I never saw him, it would have sickened me. We were in the trenches for three days and three nights, and it was on our third night that he was killed, and we were relieved that night. He was just buried in the back of the trench and Jock Young got some of the stuff he had in his pockets and Kitchen got his watch.

It was funny coming away that night and leaving him there. The Germans never bothered us until the day after Dick was gone, and then they started to shell. I was well under cover but it was very cold, and my feet were frostbitten and are sore yet. The people at home think the Germans cannot shoot, but they can, they call them snipers, and it was one of them that caught poor Dick and Proudfoot”

The other man referred to in the letter was a *G Proudfoot Private 4651 , he was killed in action on the 30th November, 1914. He hailed from Lasswade and is buried in Boulogne Eastern cemetery.
It was reported that his mother , who had fallen ill at Lasswade Gala Day earlier in the year, took an apoplectic shock on hearing of her son’s death and died also. Sadly I do not know Private Proudfoot’s first name as it is not recorded anywhere, it does however seem that like Dick Peacock he was killed by a snipers bullet to the head. The British Army still wore soft headgear in the field at this stage of the war.

*George Proudfoot.

john duncan · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 26

2ND LIEUTENANT JOHN DARG LAING, R.F.C., was born in December 1898, and was at Loretto from 1907 to 1916. Prefect. XV. XI. Sergeant, O.T.C.

He was also an exceptionally fine golfer. From Loretto he passed into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, but, having accidentally injured his knee whilst there was invalided from the Academy and classed as " unfit for general service ". With some difficulty he managed to get a commission in the Flying Corps, but had only been on service a short time in France when he was killed in an aerial fight on October 24, 1917.He was killed in action by Walter Von Bulow a celebrated German ace.

For more info follow link

http://www.freewebs.com/eltoro1960/2ndltjohndarglaing.htm

DerekR · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 2:42 pm Post subject:

Missing from the memorial but born in Lasswade:

Surname BEATTIE
Firstname Robert Lockie
Service Number S/7495
Date Death 18/08/1916
Decoration
Place of birth Lasswade Midlothian
Other 1st Bn.
SNWM roll THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS)
Rank Pte
Theatre of death F.& F.
_________________

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

DelBoy · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:37 pm Post subject: Memorial Transcription

WW1

David Anderson
James Anderson
James Bisset
James Bowman
James Cairns
Arch. Cunningham
Timothy Dempsey
Andrew Elder
John Hutchison
John Johnstone
John King
Charles Knowles
John Darg Laing
Henry Lumsden
David Mallin
John McFadyen
James McGhee
George Masterton
William Masterton
William Murdoch
George Proudfoot
John Purves
John S. Rae
David Robertson
William Scott
Robert Smith
Charles Stewart

WW2

Joseph Cousins
Robert Dundas
Ronald Forrester
Henry Graham
Charles Michael
Neil N.M. Morris
George McQueen
Andrew Scott
MacKenzie Sharpe

DelBoy · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 2:47 am Post subject: Pte. George Proudfoot

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:26 am Post subject: unveiling report

Unveiled on Saturday 19th of July by Lord Polwarth.

Is the park part of the memorial too then?

Derek.

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: unveiling report

DelBoy · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:37 am Post subject: L.Cpl. David Robertson

WW1
David Robertson

(Glasgow Herald 3rd April 1915)
"Intimation has been received of the death of Private David Robertson (6506), 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, Lasswade, a son of Mr & Mrs James Robertson, Dundas Terrace, Lasswade. He received a bullet wound in the head while in the trenches, and died in hospital the following morning. A letter from the Army chaplain giving this information states he was rendered unconscious, and never regained consciousness. He conducted Robertson's funeral in the churchyard at Lochre, a few miles away from Bailleul. A wooden cross with his name burnt upon it marks the place of internment. Private Robertson enlisted over two years ago at Edinburgh, and went to Ayr. For some years he was a ploughman."

CWGC
ROBERTSON, D
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 6506
Date of Death: 05/01/1915
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Fusiliers 1st Bn.
Grave Reference: II. E. 12.
Cemetery: LOKER CHURCHYARD

SNWM
Surname: ROBERTSON
Firstname: David
Service Number: 6506
Date Death: 05/01/1915
Place of birth: Forfar
Other: 1st Bn.
SNWM roll: THE ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS
Rank: L/Cpl
Theatre of death: F.& F.

Adam Brown · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 10:46 pm Post subject:

One of the Second World War names

Interesting to see so much detail on the First World War plaque. Often church memorials give little more than names.

Here is one of the Second World War names. His relative - an uncle? Was killed at Gallipoli and is listed under the First World War names

DUNDAS, The Hon. ROBERT MALDRED St. JOHN MELVILLE
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Service No: 79150
Date of Death: 05/06/1940
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: Royal Armoured Corps, 1st Lothians and Border Horse
Panel Reference: Column 6.
Memorial: DUNKIRK MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Henry Charles Patric Brouncker Dundas, 8th Viscount Melville, and of the Viscountess Melville (nee Ross), of Melville Castle, Lasswade, Midlothian; husband of Margaret Dundas, of Dunning, Perthshire.

Cauther Lassie · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 59 Location: West Lothian

Lasswade War Memorial and remembrance for David & Sheila in Canada for John Shillinglaw Rae their Gt Uncle.....[/url]
_________________
Slàinte maith, h-uile latha, na chi 'snach fhaic!
(Good health, every day, whether I see you or not)

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:15 am Post subject:

WW2 name ANDREW SCOTT.

Named on the Annan War Memorial in Dumfriesshire as:

SCOTT, A. Gordon Highlanders.
Andrew Scott – age 31 – Corporal (2888055) 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders.
The 2nd Gordons landed at Normandy on D-day 6 June 1944. They made a crossing of the Seine at the end of August at St. Pierre du Vauvray where Andrew was killed and where he was buried. He was re-interred at Tilly-sur-Seulles in March 1946.
Born 1913 in Lasswade, Midlothian. Son of James Walker Scott and Margaret Wilson (Black) Scott who married in 1904 in Lasswade. Husband of Mary Evelyn (Douglas) Scott of Annan who he married in 1941 in Annan.
Killed in Action on 27 August 1944 and buried in Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery, Calvados, France.
_________________
Ken