Bathgate Academy War Memorial

[AllanMc134]

BATHGATE ACADEMY WAR MEMORIAL

Whilst looking for something else I noticed an article in the 18th November 1921 edition of the West Lothian Courier. https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/vie ... 20memorial It describes the unveiling ceremony for the Bathgate Academy War Memorial. It was in the form of a bronze plaque mounted on the eastern wall of the hall. The names on the plaque are listed in the article;-

Private James G. ALLAN, Royal Scots
Second-Lieutenant David ANDERSON, Highland Light Infantry

Private John BAILLIE, Royal Scots
Private Alexander BISHOP, Scots Guards
Private William BISHOP, Royal Scots
Lance Corporal John BRODIE, Royal Scots Fusiliers
Private John G. BROWN, Northumberland Fusiliers
Lance Corporal S. BRYNES, Seaforth Highlanders
Private Edward BUCHAN, Seaforth Highlanders

Wireless Operator P.W. CAMERON H.M.T. “Ludgate”
Private Alexander CAMPBELL, King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Corporal David CHAPMAN, Royal Scots
Private Lister COMBE, Royal Scots
Private Robert COWIE, Royal Scots Fusiliers

Private James DODDS, Highland Light Infantry
Sergeant John DUNLOP, Royal Scots

Private William R. FINDLAY, Black Watch
Private John FORRESTER, Royal Highlanders
Private John FRASER, Cameron Highlanders

Lance-Corporal John GLEN, Seaforth Highlanders
Lance-Corporal William S. GORDON, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Private Alexander GRAHAM, Highland Light Infantry
Corporal John GRAY, Cameron Highlanders
Lance-Corporal John GREENS, Nova Scotia Highlanders
Private Robert GREENS, Nova Scotia Highlanders

Private James HALLETT, Australian Imperial Force
Gunner David HAY, Royal Garrison Artillery
Private William HEGGIE, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

Lance-Corporal James JACK, Durham Light Infantry
Captain J.T. JOHNSTON, Royal Scots

Private Robert LAWRIE, Royal Scots

Second-Lieutenant Alexander MacKAY, Royal Scots
Private Alexander McLEAN, Royal Scots Fusiliers
Lance-Corporal E.G. MacLEOD, Royal Scots
Private P.T. McNAUGHTON, Royal Army Medical Corps
Private George MARR, Royal Scots
Private Thomas MARR, Royal Scots
Private Matthew MARSHALL, Motor Transport
Lance-Corporal James MEEK, London Sanitary Company
Private John MILLER, Royal Scots
Private Robert MUIR, Scots Guards
Private Andrew MURRAY, Royal Scots

Sergeant James NEWLANDS, Edmonton Canadian Expeditionary Force
Private John NICHOLSON, Royal Warwick Regiment
Sergeant John NICOL, Australian Imperial Force

Private Charles OLIVER, Royal Scots Fusiliers

Private Robert POLLARD, Highland Light Infantry
Private Robert PROVAN, Royal Scots

Private John ROBERTSON, Machine Gun Corps
Major John RUSSELL, Royal Scots Fusiliers

Private William SAIDLER, Royal Scots
Private John SAMUEL, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Lance-Corporal Robert SHAW, Royal Scots
Private Thomas SHEARER, Canadian Mounted Rifles
Lance-Corporal John SOMMERVILE, Machine Gun Corps
Signaller William SPOKES, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Chief Electrician Leander SPOKES, H.M.S. “Caroline”

Lance-Corporal Alexander TAIT, Royal Scots

Private William VASSIE, Royal Scots

Private John WALKER, Royal Scots
Private W.S. WARK, King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Private Alexander WAUGH, Royal Scots
Lance-Corporal William WAUGH, Royal Scots
Private James WEBSTER, Scots Guards
Second-Lieutenant George WHITE, Royal Scots
Captain George WOLFE, Royal Scots

I can’t see any mention of this memorial anywhere online.
The current Bathgate Academy building is not the same building as in 1921. I am wondering if the memorial was ‘lost’ when the old building was demolished.
I would be grateful for any further details regarding the memorial.
I would also be interested to know if any of our members are related to any of those mentioned on the memorial.

Regards,
Allan

[rhona]

Alan
The Janitors at the new school had a storage cupboard somewhere at the back of the building and had the old dux board for Newlands Academy stored there when Archives were looking for it. I hope it's something they would not destroy, perhaps Sybil sould know. Try asking the new Academy if they have it.

[AllanMc134]

Thanks Rhona,
I'll ask at the school once things get back to 'normal'.

Regards,
Allan

[MegSt367]

Hello Allan,
I too found this article a few years ago and have transcribed it and the unveiling ceremony and have it in my Bathgate Book and also searched for the Plaque and asked various folk in the town including Harry Cartmill and no-one seems to know what happened to it!! My two offspring that went to the old Academy before it closed think they remember seeing it in the Hall, and I went to a ceremony there too for Bathgate Procession, but didn't look round (the place was packed for the oration), and now I'm kicking myself. I'll put in a wee request to the Bennie Museum to see if any of the volunteers remember or know anything about it!
how are you? and glad to see you're still keeping busy..... I'm still working on WW2 only one year to do - but keep getting distracted and going back to WW1 and adding new info!!
Take care.....