Many of the “war” graves at Leuchars Cemetery are of personnel who died outwith times of conflict. These may have been due to flying accidents. There was, of course, an RAF air base at Leuchars well into this century.

Squadron Leader David Nelson, RAF, 9/1/1989, age 38, Flight Lieutenant Chris Lackman, RAF, 23/9/1988, age 30:-

Pilot W Fraczek, RAF, 1/7/1949, age 29, Pilot Officer J B Lightfoot, 12/2/1954, age 22:-

Air Commodore N A N Bray, DFC, RAF, 8/7/1953 age 39, Reverend (Squadron Leader) Bryan McNeil, RAF, 3/1/2005, age 45:-

Pilot Officer J S Murray, RAF, 14/6/1955, age 23, Flying Officer H J Gourley, RAF, 24/7/1954, age 23:-

Leading Aircraftman J T James, RAF, 17/6/1959, age 18, Flight Lieutenant R A Mackintosh, RAF, 15/2/1960, age 49:-

Flight Lieutenant C R Bainbridge, RAF, 15/8/1962, age 28, Senior Aircraftman G E Lewis, RAF, 27/3/1970, age 26:-

Junior Technician Kenneth Ewan Hamilton, RAF, 22/5/1988, age 25, Flight Lieutenant Robert F Westhead, RAF, 20/2/1989, (age obscured):-

Junior Technician Laurence G McK Forbes, RAF, 25/6/1990, age 25, Crporal John Philip Airey, RAF, 24/5/1992, age 35, Warrant Officer Mick Cromer, RAF, 11/5/1993, age 50:-

Flight Lieutenant Nigel David Morton, RAF, 2/7/2009, age 43, Flight Lieutenant Gary Dunlop, RAF, 4/6/1988, age 38:-

Flight Lieutenant Stuart J M Walker, RAF, 8/7/1994, age 32, in loving memory of Sergeant J B (Tug) Wilson, once RAF, died 15/10/1993, Corporal David E Stevenson, RAF, 27/81990, age 24:-

Warrant Officer C Blevins, RAF, September 1987, age 45, Corporal A M Dagujar, RAF, 29/5/1977, age 26:-

Corporal PC Mill, RAF, 13/8/1969, age 29, Flight Lieutenant J M Knight, RAF, 21/11/1960, age 27, Flight Lieutenant J M Owen, RAF, 28/8/1964, age 31:-

In addition there is this non Commonwealth War Grave gravestone for Lieutenant Eric John Campbell Kirby, RAF, died at Dunfermline 8/81919 from injuries received on flying duty, aged 19:-

Plus the grave of a retired RAF serviceman, Flight Lieutenant John B Hind, RAF, 25 years service, mostly flying, latterly 23 Squadron Lightnings. 2/3/1931 – 19/9/1976:-

Most of the war graves at Leuchars Cemetery are lined up before the Cross of Scarifice. I photographed these in groups.

Flight Sergeant W P W McQueen, RAF, 28/8/1947, Flying Officer F D Foote, RAF, 1/6/1941, Flying Officer G J Dunn, Navigator, RAF, 14/9/1941:-

Warrant Officer G J Forbes, RAF, (something – wireless? -) operator, Air Gunner, Royal New Zealand Air Force, 14/9/1944, Flight Sergeanty J H Williams, Royal Australian Air Force, 14/9/1944, age 24, Flying Officer J W Bayard, Royal Canadian Air Force, 14/9/1944, age 24:-

Flying Officer A Tulloch, Royal Canadian Air Force, 20/7/1944, age 23, Flight Sergeant J C L Small, Royal Australian Air Force, 20/7/1944, age 21, Flight Sergeant E P Smithl, Royal Australian Air Force, 20/7/1944, age 26:-

Flying Officer W M Ferguson, Navigator, RAF, 11/7/1943 and Flying Officer E F Kirwan, Pilot, RAF, 11/6/1943, age 28:-

Flight Officer E Davidson, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, 24/11.1943, age 43, Flying Officer A F Shapcott, 8/8/1943, age 29:-

Flying Officer J H Benton, Navigator, Royal Canadian Air Force, 11/7/1943, age 29, Flight Sergeant A I Wheatcroft, Bomb Aimer/Navigator, RAF, 24/5/1943, age 22:-

Warrant Officer T A Pertus, Royal Canadian Air Force, 5/2/1943, age 22, Squadron Leader C T E Smith, RAF, 24/1/1943, age 49:-

Aircraftman 2nd Class L Dale, Wireless Operator, RAF, 1/12/1939, Pilot Officer R M Wuilliams, Pilot, RAF, 1/12/1939, age 25, Pilot Officer H G Yelland, RAF, 1/12/1939, age 25:-

Flying Officer C H Clark, Pilot, RAF, 10/10/1939, age 27, Pilot Officer W E Lockley, Pilot, RAF, 19/10/1939, and Sergeant H Letchford, Pilot, RAF, 4/10/1939 age 24:-

Aircraftman 1st Class, C A Bates, Wireless Operator, RAF, 4/10/1939, Pilot Officer J W C McFarlane, Pilot, RAF, Pilot Officer R A Barker, Pilot, RAF, 4/10/1939, age 24:-

My general overview of Leuchars Cemetery was posted here.

Some of the war graves there are in individual plots-

Pilot Officer A A Greenberg, RAF, 14/3/1940:-

Flying Officer E D Godfrey, RAF, 4/9/1939:-

Lieutenant P Hall-Smith, RAF, 1/8/1919:-

Sergeant R Gordon, Observer, RAF, 22/10/1941, age 21:-

Aircraftman 2nd Class J Kennedy, RAF, 21/8/1940, age 22:-

Leuchars is near St Andrews in Fife. No doubt because of the nearby airbase there are many war graves in this cemetery – sufficient for it to have a Cross of Sacrifice.

The three nearest graves on the left in the above photo are of Dutch nationals – Willem Hijkoop (left,) Anton Marie ten Herkel (centre,) C.A.F. van Otterloo (right.) Apparently 22 other Dutchmen’s bodies were transferred to Mill Hill cemetery in London:-

The day we visited there was a Commonwealth War Graves Commission van at the cemetery with one of its employees tending to the graves. The Commission does a magnifcent job of upkeep on war graves in Britain and abroad.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission van, war graves and Cross of Sacrifice:-

Behind where this photo was taken is a First World War memorial bench:-

Rochester lies on the A 68 between Otterburn and the Scottish border. Its War Memorial is of the tabernacle type.

Dedication: “To the glory of God and in proud memory of the men of this country-side who fell in the cause of right and freedom 1914 – 1918.” Plus Great War names:-

Great War names:-

Second Dedication: “Also in gratitude for service rendered in the same cause by” followed by the names of those who served:-

Hexham War Memorial lies in the grounds of Hexham Abbey. It takes the form of a Cross of Sacrifice:-

Dedications. “Here are inscribed names which bid us by service our debt repay,” with below, “This cross and S Wilfrid’s War Memorial Hospital are dedicated to the glorious memory of the men of Hexham who laid down their lives in the Great Wars 1914-1918 1939-1945.”

Names:-

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers memorial plaque by a memorial garden at Hexham Abbey. Dedicated to those of the 4th Battalion and 8th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers who died in the Second World War:-

In July we visited the Northumberland town of Hexham for the first time.

I spotted this statue to Lieutenant Colonel George Elliott Benson, Royal Regiment of Artillery, who died at the Second Boer War Battle of Braakenlagte, 30/10/1901.

Dedication:-

This memorial lies at the end of Canadalaan (see here) and commemorates the efforts of the Candian Corps in defending the southern parts of the Ypres salient during 1916. Information about the memorial and the battles fought there is here.

The memorial garden lies on a small plateau hidden as you walk up to it by a wall on which is situated this plaque:-

The memorial:-

Approach steps, here seen from the memorial side:-

The inscription round the memorial’s base reads, “HONOUR TO THE CANADIANS WHO ON THE FIELDS OF FLANDERS AND FRANCE FOUGHT IN THE CAUSE OF THE ALLIES WITH SACRIFICE AND DEVOTION.”

The dedication reads, “HERE AT MOUNT SORREL AND ON THE LINE FROM HOOGE TO ST. ELOI THE CANADIAN CORPS FOUGHT IN THE DEFENCE OF YPRES APRIL – AUGUST 1916.”
The memorial lies on Hill 62, though, not on Mount Sorrel:-

Looking east from the memorial:-

Looking south. Such peaceful countryside now:-

Sanctuary Wood Cemetery is one of the many Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves Commission cemeteries that lie in the countryside around Ypres (Ieper) in Belgium.

It lies near T’Hooghe (Hooge) off the Canadalaan (Canada Lane) itself coming off the Meenseweg (the Menin Road of dreadful memory.) Buried or commemorated in the cemetery are 1,989 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War of whom 1,348 are unidentified. For information about the cemetery see here.

I note from the link that this cemetery is the resting place (in Plot IV. D. 14) of Captain Robert Frederick Balfour, 1st Battalion Scots Guards who died on 28th October 1914, aged 31. He was the son of Edward Balfour, of “Balbirnie,” Markinch, Fife. I live a couple of hundred yards or so from the Balfours’ former home, Balbirnie House.

Sanctuary Wood Cemetery entrance:-

Stone of Remembrance and Cross of Sacrifice from entrance:-

Information board:-

Graves:-

Graves from south:-

I found one German War grave in the cemetery, Flieg Hauptmann Hans Roser, F Fliegerabt 3, 25/7/1915:-

Just outside Sanctuary Wood Cemetery there is a private memorial in memory of Keith Rae, 2nd Lieutenant, 8th Battalion the Rifle Brigade, “who died on this spot, 30/7/1915, in his 26th year.” “Also in memory of his brother officers and men who fell on the same morning and afternoon.”

No individual memorials were/are allowed inside Imperial/Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries. Whatever their differences in life (not least in military rank) in death it was decided that all should be treated equally, with identical headstones. Apart from name rank, number and their regimental insignia (and a special marking in the shape of that award if the deceased had won a Victoria Cross) only an inscription chosen by the deceased’s family and situated to the bottom of the headstone distinguishes one from another.

I presume this memorial was allowed by the Belgian authorities since it lies beyond Sanctuary Wood Cemetery’s boundaries:-

North Hall Cemetery is the older of Markinch’s two cemeteries lying to the north east of the town.

In it I discovered two dedications to Great War fallen.

The first was of two brothers (I assume) Captain John Drysdale Tullis, 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, wounded in action First Battle of Ypres, 11/11/1914, died on 18/11/1914. Buried at Wimereux and Captain William Tullis, 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, who fell in action at the Battle of the Somme near La Boiselle, France, 1/7/1916. The Tullis family through its paper mill latterly known as Tullias Russell was one of the main employers in the town until very recently.

Sergeant John Terras, during the Great War, died at the General Military Hospital Vancouver, British Columbia, 9/4/1918, aged 45:-