Ayr’s memorial to the two World Wars is a slightly tapered column standing at the centre of Wellington Square. Each of its four sides bears a panel listing the names of Great War dead.  The names for World War 2 are displayed on the steps below:-

Great War dedication and names:-

Second World War dedication and names:-

Great War names:-

Second World War Names:-

Carstairs is a village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.It is perhaps best known unfortunately as being the location of the State Hospital,* a high security unit for psychiatric patients. The name also refers to the railway junction and village where the main West Coast rail lines from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London join (or split depending on whether you’re travelling south or north.)

Its War Memorial, a Celtic cross, stands at one side of a green area by the side of the A 70 road through the village:-

Dedication and Great War names:-

More Great War names:-

Second World War Dedication and names plus another for the Korean war:-

*Full disclosure. I have actually spent some time in the State Hospital. (I was visiting one of its inmates, a schoolmate of the good lady.)

West Calder is a village in West Lothian, Scotland. Its War Memorial lies at the junction of the  main A 71 road through the town with the B 7008.

Great War dedication and names:-

Great War names:-

World War 2 dedication and names:-

Robert Frederick Balfour was a scion of the Balfours of Balbirnie House, Markinch. He died at Gheluvelt in Flanders, 28/10/1914.

Markinch Parish Church was formerly known as St Drostan’s Church.

I featured other War Memorial plaques in St Drostan’s here.

Captain H J Westlake, Pioneer Corps, 10/7/1943, aged 45 and Captain M E C Steward, Royal Artillery, 12/10/1943, aged 55:-

Gunner J W Howarth, Royal Artillery, 23/6/1942, aged 21 and Gunner G MIller, Royal Artillery, 22/12/1942:-

Serjeant L Porter, RAMC, 24/5/1942 and Major G Hayward, Royal Indian Army Service Corps, 12/6/1941, aged 47:-

Nurse E Petrie, Voluntary Aid Detachment, 4/7/1941, aged 33, her brother Harry, Royal Corps of Signals, 9/12/1942 and Flight Lieutenant G C Challis, RAF, 23/11/1941, aged 53:-

Private C McDaid, Highland Light Infantry 28/12/1940:-

Private J Elliott, Pioneer Corps, 11/1/1941, aged 63:-

Milton of Buchanan is a village in Stirlingshire on the road between Drymen and Balmaha, near Loch Lomond.

On its eastern edge there is a cemetery which contains 19 Commonwealth War Graves. All are from the Second World War.

Rifleman W Clabby, 29/1/1943:-

An MC and DSO recipient, Brigadier F H Witts, Irish Guards, 9/51941, aged 54:-

Captain W S Race, Royal Engineers, 4/2/1945:-

Major E H Williams, REME, 1/11/1945, aged 55 and Gunner F H Searle, Royal Artillery, 27/8/1945 aged 39:-

Private T F Dodd, Pioneer Corps, 29/4/1944 aged 19 and Corporal T Lloyd, Pioneer Corps 27/9/1944:-

Gunner G Jones, Royal Artillery, 11/4/1944, aged 19 and Sergeant W B Graham, Air Gunner, RAF, 23/4/1944, aged 24:-

This cenotaph type memorial is located in Christie Park, Alexandria, Dunbartonshire. It is dedicated to the men of Bonhill Parish. Alexandria, three or so miles from Dumbarton, is the biggest town in the Vale of Leven. (Mail has been said to have been re-directed from Egypt stamped with the words”Try Scotland.”) Bonhill lies over the river Leven from Alexandria.

War Memorial in situ:-

Closer view:-

Names for Great War  above, World War 2 below.

Dedications:-

Names on Reverse of Memorial. Great War above, Second World War below:-

North aspect:-

Great War 100th anniversary bench in Christie Park:-

I posted one photograph of the War Memorial inside St Augustine’s in my first post about the church. At the West Dunbartonshire Open Day in September I took a few more.

Dedications. “1914-1919. To the glory of God in proud remembrance.” Below “1939-1945.”

Lower left portion:-

Lower right portion:-

The total inscription reads, “These gave their lives for King and country in the Great War. Whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”

It was something I took for granted growing up but the communion rail of St Augustine’s Church Dumbarton is actually a memorial to the dead of the First World War.

Communion rails, St Augustine’s, Dumbarton. Inscribed “To the glory of God and in loving memory of thos ewho gave their lives in the Great War 1914 1919.”:-

You will note the angels on the gateposts:-

These are thought to be modelled on “the Angels of Mons.” On the West Dunbartonshire open day last September a leaflet on one of the rails provided background information:-

The legend of the angels was certainly a useful morale booster to the Allies at the time when the war had settled down into trench stalemate but there is if course no evidence for any actual supernatural intervention – whether by angels or bowmen from Agincourt. The fact that the war continued for another four years of industrialised slaughter would suggest that any divine interference in its outcome was severely lacking.

Pedant’s corner:- The leaflet refers to a General Dorrien-Smith. His name was actually Horace Smith-Dorrien.

This War Memorial in Lumsden, a village in Aberdeenshire, is for the Parish of Auchindoir.

It’s in the form of a wheel cross which has draped on it a sword in a scabbard.

It’s inscribed “Sacred to the memory of the men of Auchindoir Parish who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Great War” with, below 1914-1918:-

Great War Names:-

The Second World War dedication “They died in war that we in peace might live” and names are on the reverse:-