Cockburnspath Kirkyard contains several gravestones commemorating war dead.

This one names no less than three Paxtons who died in World War 1:-

William A Watson was killed in action in France on 24/4/1918:-

This is one of those grey stones of the kind that also appear in Crail Kirkyard. Guardsman T Scott died post-war on 22/11/1918 – 11 days after the armistice:-

Sergeant W Paxton, RAF, (a relative of the three WW1 Paxtons?) Died 1/10/1941:-

Sergeant A H S Evans, RAF. Died 24/2/1941:-

This commemorates Stephen Falconer Dunnett, killed in Malaya, 1945:-

There are several headstones in Crail cemetery which resemble Commonwealth War Graves ones but are in grey rather than cream/white.

Both the following two men died on 23^rd November 1918, hence after the armistice:-

Lieutenant Clarence Reginald Mundy

Air Mechanic F Green

A differently shaped headstone is for an RAF man, Second Lieutenant Cecil Sealey Davis, killed while flying at Crail in May 1919.

There are also graves for a Navy Reserve seaman, who died on 16^th March 1918, and an air cadet who died in December 1918.

R Watson, Seaman, RNR

Flight Cadet J A Scarratt

Just beyond the churchyard gates at Crail there was a sign saying Commonwealth War Graves are located here. You have to go to the other side of the church to find them.

Most of the dates are for 1941. There was a torpedo attack training base at Crail airfield during World War 2. I presume these graves are for people who died in the course of training or were injured/killed on a sortie and buried on their return.

First there are three which stand on their own.

Pilot Officer W R Constable

Note the first of these was a member of the Home Guard and aged only 19.

Further into the cemetery there is a larger plot of 22 graves:-

Most of the names here are of Australians or New Zealanders but one of the 22 graves is more unusual in that it is of a woman; a Wren named Sheila R McCormack.

The inscription reads, “In loving memory of my dear wife. Tread softly: my darling sleeps here.”

Very few women’s names appear on War Memorials. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman’s war grave before.

Crail is a fishing village set in the East Neuk of Fife almost as far east as you can get. Its War Memorial is a particularly aesthetically pleasing one set as it is into the churchyard gateposts.

The left hand gatepost (as you look at the above) contains WW1 names.

The other post holds WW2 names.

The bench to the left of the gates is also a memorial.

WW1 in general but the second plaque commemorates specifically Colour Sergeant J T Whitelaw.

As part of the effort to keep weight down the good lady and I try to go for hour or so long walks as often as possible.

One nice day last week we strolled along to the village of Kinghorn (3-4 miles away.)

This is the harbour there. Not quite as quaint as Crail up along the coast but nice enough.

All the way we were keeping pace with a yacht just off shore. Here it is (with another in the background. You can also just make out the twin stacks of Cockenzie and Port Seton power station on the Forth’s other shore.)

The island in the background makes this a good shot I thought.

Not quite the sort of thing you expect to see in a Fife fishing village but I suspect this is from the heyday of the railways when such buildings sprang up all over the place. It is away from the harbour a bit, on the road leading east, so it doesn’t affect the quaintness.

It’s not high Deco but is clearly of that stamp. The windows are modernish replacements and detract from the look somewhat. They make the building look as if its eyes are poked out. Typical pastel and white colouring, though.

This is the view from the east.

And the west.

That flat roof must be a nightmare in the Fife climate.

Here’s a link to the hotel’s website. The blue looks a bit bluer in their photo….