Master Gamer
April 2015 - Apr 18, 2024 11:47:48 GMT
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Post by lockhopper on Apr 11, 2015 7:23:50 GMT
WarMemsApril15.kmz (245.56 KB)
I began this mammoth task four years ago to commemorate the 90th year of the Royal British Legion. There are tens of thousands of monuments, plaques, gates, windows, buildings and assorted fixtures that stand as a memorial to the war dead. Many new memorials have been dedicated in very recent times and happily, with the centenary commemorations, most memorials have had an extra special makeover. So far I have visited well over 500 and will, eventually, add photographs to as many as I can. Until then I will be updating the locations. I must thank the countless web sites, large and small, who have provided helpful links to the placing of many obscure memorials.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 11, 2015 11:32:12 GMT
Hi, Sue, A mammoth task indeed - I read somewhere that there are some 16,000 towns and villages in the UK; it's hard to find a comprehensive list. A worthwhile task, though - it could become a major resource for family historians. Virtually every one of these has a war memorial - in large towns and cities there might be several. There are only 50 villages in England that don't have a memorial to their dead; their young men all came back. These are known as the Thankful Villages, and even they will have at least a plaque commemorating the safe return of their servicemen. There are a cluster in Somerset - several of the Somerset regiments were posted to the Middle East and escaped in heavy fighting in the trenches of France and Belgium. There are no Thankful Villages in Scotland. I made a post of them years ago; I must bring it over to the nGEC. Meanwhile, here is the tiny village of Crosshill in Ayrshire; many of my ancestors came from this region. This is a photo from around the time of the dedication of the Crosshill war memorial in April 1921, from my mother's collection, and shows some of the village elders, minister, chief of police etc. I guess that they would have formed the committee that organised the memorial. The man on the left is my great grandfather William Quinn, farmer, and the local milkman. The tall man with bowler hat is the local Laird, Sir Charles Fergusson of Kilkerran, sometime 7th Governor General of New Zealand. He owned Kilkerran estate and many of my relatives worked for him, including my father, my grandfather and my great-grandfather. Sir Charles Fergusson Sir Bernard Fergusson His son, Bernard Fergusson, went on to achieve modest fame as a soldier and author; he fought with Orde Wingate and the Chindits in Burma against the Japanese in WW2 and also became the 10th Governor-General of New Zealand; a remarkable man. I have a number of his books, but he is best known for his war memoir Beyond the Chindwin.Here is the Crosshill War Memorial today, courtesy of Street View Please feel free to add any of the images and .kmzs to your collection. Unless otherwise credited, the images are either mine or Street View.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 11, 2015 23:14:55 GMT
This is Kirkbean Church, in Dumfries and Galloway. The church was recently deconsecrated and is now a family home, although the graveyard is still accessible and in use; my mother is buried here, as is the father of one of Kirkbean's most famous sons: His son, John Paul Junior, who erected the memorial, changed his name to John Paul Jones and founded the US Navy. This is Kirkbean War Memorial: Kirkbean Website
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 12, 2015 0:00:34 GMT
This is the War Memorial in the tiny village of Straiton, Ayrshire, where my great grandfather, Ben McVey, lived and worked as gamekeeper for the local Laird, Sir James Hunter Blair (Bart), of Blairquhan Castle. One of Ben's sons - my great-uncle Hugh McVey, for whom my father is named - was a Private in the Cameron Highlanders and was killed at the Battle of Loos on 25th September 1915, as was John Kipling, the 18-year old son of the writer Rudyard Kipling. Hugh's body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. Poignant to note that the sons of the landed gentry fought just as gallantly - and died just as tragically - for their country, as did the sons of their estate workers: two men of the Hunter Blair family were killed in WW2 and are also on the War Memorial. David was killed when his parachute failed to open after bailing out from a stricken Spitfire; Gaspard died when Junkers 88 bombers sank HMS Calcutta off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. Many of the Hunter Blairs have been soldiers: a fine columnar monument on a nearby hill also commemorates another James Hunter Blair, killed at the Battle of Inkerman in the Crimean War in 1854. Photos by Jamie McGinley, first published on The Scottish War Memorials Project
My Boy Jack“Have you news of my boy Jack?” Not this tide.
“When d’you think that he’ll come back?” Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
“Has any one else had word of him?” Not this tide. For what is sunk will hardly swim, Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.
“Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?” None this tide, Nor any tide, Except he did not shame his kind — Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.
Then hold your head up all the more, This tide, And every tide; Because he was the son you bore, And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!
My Boy Jack by Rudyard Kipling
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 12, 2015 22:16:05 GMT
The little village of Durideer nestles below the southern edge of the Lowther hills, on the old Roman Road through the Well Hill Pass heading towards Edinburgh. The main road north here now goes through the neighbouring Dalveen Pass, leaving Durisdeer quiet and peaceful. The War Memorial is carved in local granite, probably from the quarry at Dalbeattie, with fine bronze cast plaques. It's sobering to see how many relatives, probably brothers, were killed from this small parish. Internally, the church is very plain and unadorned. Religious images that depict people are frowned upon in the strict Presbyterian protestant religion - they are seen as "graven images"; even crucifixes are seen as "Popish". The church is unusual, in that it still has the old box pews. Note the hour-glass timer on the pulpit, used by the minister to time his sermons. I've often thought about the children at their Sunday church service eagerly watching as the last grains of sand passed through, and the looks of despair on their little faces when he turned it over and carried on! However, when you're a Duke, sometimes you can get away with a modest amount of ostentatious, self-aggrandising, latinate ornamentation, Presbyterian kirk or not! These are the Queensberry Marbles, in an annex located at the rear of the church, over the crypt containing the remains of the Marquesses of Queensberry and Dukes of Buccleugh. The figures are of the Second Duke and his Duchess, Mary; they are life-size, and were carved in 1713 by the Dutch artist, Jan Van Nost. The Dukes of Buccleugh descend from the line of the Clan Douglas, a powerful force in Scotland for more than 800 years. William Douglas fought with Sir William Wallace, the great Scottish guerilla fighter, and his son James gained notoriety as The Black Douglas; he was King Robert the Bruce's chief lieutenant. After the Bruce died, Douglas carried his embalmed heart on a Crusade and was killed leading a cavalry charge at the Siege of Teba. More here.More about DurisdeerAttachments:Durisdeer D G.kmz (956 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 13, 2015 15:47:27 GMT
This is the small village of Penpont, Dumfries and Galloway, in the rolling country of the upper Nith Valley and is home to the sculptor Andy Goldsworthy and the poet Hugh McMillan. The War Memorial consists of a fine life-size bronze figure of a soldier, by the sculptor Kellock Brown, on a granite base; the soldier is in the drill stance of "Rest on Arms Reversed". This respectful attitude is often used at ceremonial funerals. Interesting that the soldier is resting the muzzle of his rifle on his right boot; the drill manual calls for the muzzle to be placed on the toe of the left boot. I've often wondered if there is some arcane symbolism to this, or whether the sculptor's model or the sculptor himself simply got it wrong. The War Memorial at Kilmaurs looks to have been cast from the same mould, and, naturally, repeats the conundrum. The names on the 39-45 plaque Alexander Beck, David Carson, Hugh Edgar, William Fisher, Francis AJ Laidlaw, Robert McCormack, John McReady, Robert McKay and Robert R McLean.
Most War Memorials have wreaths of poppies at Remembrance Day (11 Nov), but these men in Penpont always seem to have flowers; I don't know who tends them. Attachments:Penpont D G.kmz (930 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 14, 2015 15:11:03 GMT
This is the small village of Closeburn, a dreary wee linear village about 11 miles north of Dumfries, straggling along the A76 main road from Dumfries to Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. It lies in the valley of the River Nith under the Queensberrys, a rolling range of beautiful velvety hills, despoiled for a generation by the erection of a large windfarm at Dalswinton; like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a well-loved friend, as Prince Charles might have said. Its main claim to fame is its proximity to Closeburn Castle, seat of the powerful Kirkpatrick family until the 1700s. Sir Roger Kirkpatrick was the Laird in the 1200s and was an ally and supporter of Robert the Bruce, later to become King Robert 1 of Scotland, in the Scottish Wars of Independence. Bruce had had a long-running feud with a rival, John "The Red" Comyn; they had agreed to meet on sanctified ground in Greyfriars Kirk in Dumfries to try to patch up their differences; however, a heated argument developed and Bruce stabbed the Red Comyn. Bruce came out to his supporters and said that he thought he had killed the Red Comyn. "Aye?" said Kirkpatrick, drawing his dagger, "I'll mak' siccar!" and went into the kirk to finish the job. (siccar = secure = sure in Old Scots). Bruce was sincerely repentant for the slaying of the Red Comyn; probably not for the death of Comyn, per se, but more for the fact that he had done the deed on holy ground and thereby imperilled his own mortal soul. He vowed to go on a Crusade as a penance, but fighting the war against the English and ruling his newly-liberated country got in the way and he didn't get to the Holy Land. On his deathbed he requested that his heart be removed and taken on a Crusade and this was done by friend and chief lieutenant, Sir James Douglas (The Black Douglas). Douglas took the heart on a Crusade to Spain and was killed leading a cavalry charge against the Moors at the Siege of Teba. The heart was returned to Scotland and buried in Melrose Abbey, one of the great Border Abbeys. Melrose was sacked during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the time of King Henry VIII and the whereabouts of the heart became lost to memory. It was rediscovered in 1921, put back, re-examined in 1996, and finally reburied in Melrose in 1998 on the anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, Bruce's final victory over Edward II's English army at Stirling. The War Memorial at Closeburn is a tall, dignified Celtic cross, carved in relief with Celtic knotwork in granite, probably from the quarry at Dalbeattie: Attachments:Closeburn D G.kmz (822 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 14, 2015 19:10:10 GMT
Thornhill is a small town in Nithsdale, some 16 miles up the A76 from Dumfries. It sits beside the River Nith at the edge of the Southern Upland ranges of hills and is a popular destination for walkers, shooters and salmon fishers. Although the village is believed to have been settled since Roman times, (the old pack road to Edinburgh went through a pass in the hills some miles north of Thornhill) the town in its present form was designed by the Duke of Buccleugh in the 1700s for his estate workers and most of the town - including the shops and pubs - belonged to the Duke until the late 19th century. There are a couple of fine examples of coaching inns; the neat houses and the broad streets, lined with lime trees, combine to give the place a prosperous air. This is the view northwards from the Mercat Cross; Pegasus, the flying horse, is the emblem of the Dukes of Buccleugh. (Mercat being Old Scots for Market, leading some irreverent youngsters to call poor old Pegasus "the Meerkat!" )
Thornhill, view northwards up Drumlanrig Street, the main streetYou would take a right at this crossroads to find the War Memorial some 70 yards down the road, tucked into the north side of East Morton Street. The memorial is of a greyed sandstone with inset granite plaques. Unusual in that it shows the dates in Roman Numerals as 1914 - 1919; strictly speaking, that's correct; although an armistice was signed on 11 Nov 1918, Germany did not formally surrender until the following May. Thornhill War Memorial on East Morton StreetUnusual as well in that there is an addition to the front of the memorial at the very bottom, commemorating Cpl Possee, who was killed in the Korean War. Attachments:Thornhill D G.kmz (960 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 15, 2015 16:48:25 GMT
Sanquhar is a pleasant small town in upper Nithsdale; a former mining and textiles town, its population has decreased from its heyday, but it still has a friendly and vibrant feel to the place. More about Sanquhar here
The War Memorial at Sanquhar is unusual, in that there is no memorial in the usual sense. The Fallen of the Great War were originally commemorated by plaques on the front of a dedicated building, the Sanquhar Memorial Institute, which also provided recreational facilities for the returning soldiers. Curved plaques to commemorate the WW2 dead were added to the columns flanking the portico. Unfortunately the town could not afford the upkeep of the building and it was sold off, being finally demolished in the 1980s. The plaques were then set into a low sandstone wall in a recreational area near the old curling pond at the north end of the town: The War Memorial Plaques in their new wall setting.Some might think that the naked bronze water nymph is out of keeping with the War Memorial, but I'd bet that the lads on the memorial wouldn't have complained! The surrounding area is a park with a small lake and picnic area, and it's good to think that the Fallen have the noisy, cheerful company of the local children, rather than being out-of-sight and out-of-mind on a remote, half-forgotten plinth somewhere. Attachments:Sanquhar D G.kmz (885 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 16, 2015 19:46:01 GMT
Kirkconnel is another small former mining town in Upper Nithsdale, pleasant on a fine summer day, dreich and grey on a wet winter one. Although the mines closed after WW2, two pit bings (spoil-heaps) flank the town to the south, a reminder of its past. More about Kirkconnel here
The War Memorial in Kirkconnel consists of the stern figure of a soldier, dressed in the uniform of a Lowland regiment, on a granite plinth; it was made in a white stone by Scott and Rae of Glasgow; I'm unsure whether it was cast or carved, but its similarity to other memorials makes me suspect it's cast. Attachments:Kirkconnel D G.kmz (909 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 16, 2015 20:48:20 GMT
Tynron is a small village and parish in the glen of Shinnel Water, a tributary of Scaur water, itself a tributary of the River Nith. It's a very rural area with only 130 parishioners; the parish church, like so many surrounding parishes, is now closed for worship. It's most notable for Tynron Doon, a steep hill behind the village which is topped by an Iron Age hill fort, in intermittent occupation from around 1BC to the 1600s. "Tynron " by Ian Freeman. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsThe War Memorial consists of a Celtic wheel cross, rustically carved in the local granite, standing at a road junction to the south west of the village near the Shinnel Bridge. Attachments:Tynron D G.kmz (902 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 23, 2015 17:54:09 GMT
This .kmz contains all the known Civic War Memorials for the Scottish Borders region, encompassing the old counties of Peebleshire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire and Berwickshire. It also includes the old parish maps, but it doesn't include school memorials, regimental memorials etc: that'll come later. . Each placemark contains an image of the memorial. For family historians, I've also included a link in each placemark to the relevant page on the Scottish War Memorials Project; by following that link, you'll generally find the names on each memorial. Should you find any errors or omissions, please let me know and I'll take it up with the guys at SWMP. Equally, if you've done research that they haven't covered in any Scottish area, they'd be delighted to hear from you. Finally, my sincere thanks to the SWMP for all the research they've carried out over a large number of years, making it possible for us to collate and track down that information from our armchairs in a matter of minutes.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 25, 2015 19:42:36 GMT
This post covers the civic war memorials for Dumfries and Galloway, encompassing the old counties of Dumfriesshire, Wigtonshire and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. Again, my thanks to the Scottish War Memorials Project for most of the information that I used to find each memorial. Unless otherwise credited, all images are courtesy of Google Street View.
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Master Gamer
April 2015 - Apr 18, 2024 11:47:48 GMT
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Post by lockhopper on Apr 25, 2015 22:41:47 GMT
Thank you Frank, I shall be spending time placemarking those I don't have. I am trying to split my time between the nGEC and my memorial placemarking.
This memorial is my Mum's church, almost a Thankful Village, Private George Allsopp died as a result of his wounds. The village, like so many, is very proud of the war memorial in St Bartholomew's Church.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 27, 2015 23:25:44 GMT
This kmz contains the civic war memorials for the county of Ayrshire and includes an old parish map. Again, thanks to the Scottish War Memorials Project forum. All images are either mine or from Google Street View, unless otherwise credited.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on Apr 28, 2015 15:43:53 GMT
Gradually working up the country: this kmz contains the civic war memorials for Renfrewshire, that little bit between Ayrshire and Glasgow. Once again, thanks to the Scottish War Memorial Project for leading me to them.
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Master Gamer
April 2015 - Apr 18, 2024 11:47:48 GMT
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Post by lockhopper on Apr 28, 2015 19:09:09 GMT
Great work Frank, I shall be spending many a happy hour adding them to my collection Thank you. x
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Master Gamer
April 2015 - Apr 18, 2024 11:47:48 GMT
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Post by lockhopper on Apr 28, 2015 19:23:06 GMT
Butterton, a Thankful Village.
Visiting a friend in the Peak District I came across the small village of Butterton, near Leek. Always on the look out for war memorials I headed to the church, St Bartholomew's. Nestled in the wall of the churchyard was this stone poppy with the simple word REMEMBRANCE.
Quite by chance I had arrived at a Thankful Village. Thankful indeed for all the men who left the village to fight in WW1 returned safely and maybe doubly thankful for WW2 - research is underway to trace all the men from the village who served in WW2.
From the village website - There is a photograph in the Church of the men from Butterton who joined H.M Forces. They are: R.Salt, S.Salt, J.Salt, A.Poyser, C(harles).Birch, W.Henshall, P(ercy).Denham, T.Wheeldon, R.Millward, W.Millward, J.Millward, J.Goldstraw, C(yril) E .Crump, J.T Titterton and R(alph) Mellor. It is believed the 3 Millwards were brothers Ralph, James and William.
Hellfire Corner have a dedicated page to Butterton here
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Master Gamer
April 2015 - Apr 18, 2024 11:47:48 GMT
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Post by lockhopper on Apr 29, 2015 18:34:09 GMT
BDJ's wonderful Hill Figures of England reminded me that one of them is officially recognised as a war memorial. The Fovant Badges, created in WW1 by soldiers awaiting embarkation.
Fovant Badges.kmz (944 B)
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Master Gamer
April 2015 - Apr 18, 2024 11:47:48 GMT
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Post by lockhopper on May 4, 2015 15:20:29 GMT
Maxstoke is a hamlet in North Warwickshire. An Augustinian Priory was established in 1331 and dissolved in 1536. St Michael's Church is the same age as the priory and the war memorial is set into the north wall of the churchyard.
The sandstone memorial is in a poor state, that being the nature of the stone used.
Maxstoke.kmz (722 B)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 10, 2015 18:59:39 GMT
Here are the civic war memorials for the county of Argyll and Bute. Again, my thanks to the Scottish War Memorials Project for pointing me in the right direction to find them. Images are from Google Street View, unless otherwise credited. Attachments:Argyll and Bute.kmz (10.22 KB)
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 16, 2015 22:19:06 GMT
Here are the civic war memorials for Dundee and Angus. Again, my thanks to the Scottish War Memorials Project and to Google Street View.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 18, 2015 21:35:08 GMT
This post contains the civic war memorials for the City of Edinburgh; thanks again to the Scottish War Memorials Project and Google Street View
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 24, 2015 0:43:26 GMT
Man, they've got a LOT of War memorials in Fife - and these are only the civic ones! Once again, thanks to the Scottish War memorials Project and to Google Street View.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 26, 2015 14:04:46 GMT
Civic War Memorial in Lanarkshire this time. More thanks to the SWMP and Google Street View
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March 2015 - Jan 23, 2023 9:58:32 GMT
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Post by Admin on May 26, 2015 18:12:48 GMT
I just started doing deliveries around Northern Ireland, it's amazing how many war memorials in the most remote locations, I will try my best to take picks of those I come across for you to add
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 26, 2015 20:02:45 GMT
Aye, thanks Steve, that would be good. A nice overall pic to show the general setting, then individual pics of each panel large enough to be able to read the names - that's what the family historians like to see. Mind you, I'm still ploughing a long furrow in Scotland. After all this time, I'm still less than half way up! Here's how it looks so far: Cheers, mate!
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 29, 2015 21:36:51 GMT
OK, the Lothians this time - these are the Civic War Memorials for East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian. Once more, thanks to the Scottish War Memorials Project and Google Street View for information and images respectively.
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Master Guide
March 2015 - Apr 14, 2022 20:01:57 GMT
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Post by frankmcvey (Angel) on May 30, 2015 18:49:29 GMT
Today has been mainly Stirlingshire and Central Scotland Civic Memorials, with thanks again to the SWMP and Google SV.
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March 2015 - May 1, 2023 4:20:37 GMT
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Post by diane9247 on Jun 5, 2015 4:30:43 GMT
This is an impressive thread, lockhopper and Frank. So many lives lost in so many wars... From Frank's Apr 13 post: The sculpture made me think of the one at the ANZAC Bridge in Sydney, so of course I had to check. Yes, it's got the gun right - or, I should say left. I have to say I was shocked by the Queensbury Marbles (Apr 12 post). Having grown up a Presbyterian, I had never seen such a thing in one of those churches! But, as you imply, a Duke can do as he pleases.
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