On the way back up from Sunderland in September instead of the A 697 we took the A 68 for a change and stopped off to have a look at Earlston in the Scottish Borders.

Its War Memorial is a Celtic Cross rising from a square plinth.

Dedication. “To the glory of God and in memory of 48 men of the parish of Earlston who gave their lives for King and country during the great War 1914 – 1919,” with below, “1939 – 1945” and World War 2 names:-

Great War Names:-

Aikman – Forbes

Gillie – Steedman:-

Slassor – Young:-

This is an obelisk on a square based stepped plinth and lies in the grounds of the Bowes Museum.

There is a wood carving/sculpture to its left in this view:-

Facing view:-

Great War Dedication, “Pro Patria 1914 – 1919. In grateful remembrance of the men of Barnard Castle of all ranks who fell in the Great War. For God and King and Right they gave their all,” and names F Allison – P Finn:-

Second World War Dedication, “In memory of those who fell in the Second World War 1939- 1945,” names for World War 2, and, “They died that we might live.”

Great War names, W Fleet – T B Kipling:-

Great War names E Lee – C H Smith:-

Great War names, J T Smith – R E Young. Bowes Museum in background:-

This lies alongside the A 67 through the town a bit closer to the centre than the Boer War Memorial:-

Gate to garden:-

Stone in memory of the crew of Blackburn Botha L6416, “lost in these hills 22/8/1941.”:-

Stone in memory of the crew of Meteor NF11 WD 778 of RAF Leeming. “Lost in these hills 24/3/1954.”:-

Stone dedicated to the aircrews of all nations who lost their lives while serving with the RAF and Air Transport Auxiliary:-

“To remember all those of the Merchant Navy who died in war and peace.”:-

Since 1916, 47 RFC or RAF aircraft have been lost in flying accidents in Teesdale and the Western Pennines. Plaques in remebrance of Bill and Lella Eden founder members of the memorial garden and another to Squadron Leader Roger M Matthews, RAF, killed in a flying accident nearby on 6/8/1981.

This stands by the main A 67 through the town.

Dedicated “Pro Patria” in memory of the 3rd militia battalion of the Durham Light Infantry, the Imperial Yeomanry and local volunteers who died in South Africa.
The lower plaque describes the surrrounding area as a memorial garden to the men of Barnard Castle who lost their lives in the Second World War.

A further plaque facing the road commemorates all those from Barnard Castle who have died in conflicts or peacekeeping missions since World War 2.

Middleton-in-Teesdale’s War Memorial lies beside the main road through the towm in a smallish memorial garden.

It takes the form of an obelisk surmounting a square column and stepped plinth and is inscribed, “The glorious dead who fell in the Great War 1914-1918,” with the names of the dead below and at the bottom, “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends”:-

To one side is the Second World War dedication, “Our glorious dead who fell in the World War 1939-1945” and names of the fallen:-

A third side has the dedication, “Also in memory of those who died from the effecxts of war service”:-

Anothewr the inscription, “Erected in grateful memory of the fallen and in honour of those who served by the ihabitants of Middleton-in-Teesdale, 1921”:-

Great War names:-

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Second World War names:-

There didn’t seem to be a War Memorial for Romaldkirk in the open air.

However there was one inside St Romald’s church.

A wooden panel surmounted by, “For God, King and Country” containing names for both World Wars. Below the panel is inscribed, “Father in thy gracious keeping, leave these thy servants sleeping”:-

In the upper sections of the cross is inscribed, “Greater love hath no man than this”:-

Also in the Church was this Roll of Honour of those on active service:-

Kirriemuir’s War Memorial is right at the top end of Kirriemuir Cemetery. It takes the form of a kilted Scottish soldier with raised rifle surmounting a square stone, elaborately capped block with columns at its corners containing WW1 names resting on a larger plinth with inscriptions all set on a stepped base.

The base is inscribed with the word “France.” The dedication reads, “This monument is raised to perpetuate the memory of the youth and manhood of the parish of Kirriemuir who fell in the service of their king and country in the Great War. It stands a tribute of homage to the fallen and an abiding inspiration to posterity. ‘Their name liveth for evermore.'” The panel holds names for the Great War:-

Each side of the memorial contains Great War names and that of an area of conflict, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and Belgium:-

In front of the older memorial is a further granite plinth commemorating the dead of World War 2 with the dedication, “To perpetuate the memory of those who gave their lives in the World War 1939 – 1945” and names from the Black Watch, the Royal Navy, the RAF and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force:-

On one side of the plinth are commemorated soldiers of the Gordon Highlanders, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Royal Scots and Royal Engineers:-

On the other the Royal Army Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Scots Guards, Seaforths and Royal Corps of Signals:-

Nearby is a War memorial bench:-

As well as the grave of J M Barrie, Kirriemuir Cemetery contains several Commonwealth War Graves.

Private W P Brown, RAF, 26/6/1918, aged 17:-

Private N Clark, RAMC, 29/1/1919, aged 25:-

Private D Lindsay, The Black Watch, 23/9/1919, aged 36:-

In addition this family gravestone had a commemoration of a war death, Robert MacKay Young, killed by enemy action, 28/1/1942. Interred at Reichswald Forest, Cleve:-

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:-