Tag Archives: cwgc

Killearn War Memorial

Killearn is in the western district of Stirlingshire, formerly part of Lennox or Dunbartonshire.

In the mid 17oo’s the population was just under 1000 – fluctuating in the decades slightly up and down.  In 1831 the population was 1,206 and in the census of 1841 the village consisted of 1,187 souls  and again the population went up and down by about 20 people until in 1871 the number of people was 1,111. The 1911 census  the village had just over 1,000 with 583 males an 502 females.   In 2001 the number of people in the village was 1,781.

The village church, having close connections with the Orr-Ewing family  was opened in 1882 being in memory of Ella Orr-Ewing, who rests in the old kirkyard.

That’s a little bit about Killearn whose area boasts the most southerly Highland distillery at Drumgoyne – Glengoyne

Killearn War Memorial is set in a small grassed area on the corner of Main Street and Balfron Road.  The memorial is set on a risen plinth with a short run of steps leading up to the base and column.  The column is quite ornate and the whole memorial stands proud.

One of the names on the memorial has been mentioned on one of my memorial blog posts, Strathclyde, namely Wm G Edmonstone, who family owned Duntreath Castle and have done for many centuries.  Also mentioned is Hugh Lennie who served in the CEF.  Hugh was unusual as he was over 6′ tall and I can’t remember the last time I transcribed a name on a memorial to anyone who was over 5′ 10″.  He must have been a very strong young man.  And finally, there are the two McCuaig brothers.

You can visit the memorial and the young men by clicking here

Saline War Memorial, Fife

Saline War Memorial, Fife is situated outside Saline Parish Church, just off the main road.   On the day I visited there was a small herd of cows in the adjacent field and all seemed very curious as to what I was doing.

Saline is a small village, some five miles out of Dunfermline.  In the 2001 census the population was 1188 and in the previous centuries the main occupation was that of weaving, later mining became the main source of work for the local populaiton.  The village today, has a large number of listed buildings, mainly 18th century weavers’ cottages.

The War Memorial contains nearly 50 names of young men from the area who were either KIA or DOW in both the World Wars.

To see the transcript of Saline War Memorial click here

Baldernock War Memorial

Just added the finishing touches to Baldernock War Memorial in Dunbartonshire.

We visited on an overcast day but managed to find a gap in the clouds and take the war memorial and a few headstones in the kirkyard.  In fact, I think we found the memorial by sheer fluke and that won’t be the first time that has happened.

It is a nice memorial, set on an island of grass and as it was a late November day there were poppy wreaths and a patch of poppy crosses.  To one side of the memorial is the old kirkyard and the other has a larger cemetery.

It’s funny, most of the time I quickly get out of the car, quickly take the memorial and the names in small sections to ease transcription, and then jump back in the car.  But, sometimes a memorial touches you in some small way, it could be where it is and the view is wonderful, it could be a name on the memorial or it could just be that the memorial feels good, nice and peaceful – Baldernock feels just like that!

Who is mentioned :- William B Tinto, HMS Defence ; Major  C E Higginbotham ; Andrew Douglas MacArthur Anderson of Tullichewan Castle and George Hannah, AIF to name just a few.

To visit Baldernock War Memorial click here

Strathblane War Memorial

As I have said in previous entries I can spot a war memorial at a few thousand paces and my family always make a joke that whenever I go anywhere, there always has to be an ulterior motive i.e. a memorial or a CWGC headstone.

Over the years I have uploaded a lot of transcribed headstone from all over the country including France and Belgium  and have still many, many more to start work on.

So, today I have transcribed Strathblane War Memorial and for the majority of men have given their entry extra information – you know who were their parents, where they lived and were they finally rest or are remembered.

Some of the men include :- John Y Barr who was the son of Prof. Archibald Blair ; Wilfred Blake Moyes the son of Rev. W B Moyes and his wife Clara who was educated at public school and later Oxford and William George Edmonstone the eldest son and heir to Sir Archibald Edmondstone.

There will be a few, well more than a few other memorials being uploaded within the next week or so all from around the Stirlingshire, Dunbartonshire, Fife and Argyll and Angus areas.

Have fun and happy hunting

Military Abbreviations

We know what AWOL and POW is but have you ever come across A.P.or the B.W.I, or heard mention of D.B., or  E.R.A. , P.U.O. or even S.I.W?     Probably not!

We all abbreviate in some way and depending where you work or which hobby you pursue, there will be a set of abbreviations that all within those fields will know and feel comfortable using.  For example you are a lover of sport, the NVA will immediately become the National Volleyball Association, but belong to an association connected with the brave men who fought within the Normandy conflict in WW2 and NVA will mean The Normandy Veterans Association. The same few letters but within different groups mean totally different things.

As the heading says, we are talking about Military Abbreviations, so many to consider that you could never remember the more obscure ones. The military know the abbreviations, they use them every day but it is us that follow in our soldiers footsteps that are left wondering what regiment great uncle Fred served in and what he did during his service.

Many more military records are being placed on free, pay per view and subscription websites that it would be handy and ease the curiosity complex that all family historians seem to have to have a list of abbreviations.

Give a family historian something i.e. an abbreviation,  half a story or tell them that you would rather not say and woop! – curiosity mode pops up within seconds and won’t rest until there is a good answer with evidence to support the findings.

Where to go if you find P.U.O. or E.R.A. on a record, headstone of website………

look no further than here!