Perth Academy War Memorial "Flowers of the Forest"

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by DoubleD, Feb 23, 2017.

  1. DoubleD

    DoubleD Well-Known Member

    Hello to all forum members,

    I am a retired teacher from the school, and I am helping a group of pupils with the above project. Three years ago I was a complete novice, having never done any military research in my life. Having said that, I still have a lot to learn, but I do my best.

    The initial aim of the project was for the young people to hold short remembrance services, as close as possible to the date of death of the 168 former pupils and staff of the school who fell in the Great War, between 2014 and 2019. Please keep reading, my reason for posting on this forum will become clear shortly. To give more meaning to these services, I offered to find out as much as possible about each of the fallen, so that a summary of their stories could be read out by the pupils, and of course the services will continue until March 2019.

    The research itself started to uncover a lot more material than we thought, and it was felt that it should be printed and bound in a memorial book, as a permanent record of the schools contribution to the Great War. This is about to happen.

    But of course the story doesn't end there. There are 76 names on the school memorial of former pupils who fell in World War Two, and I feel that it is only right that I try and find out their stories as well, and hopefully a second memorial book will be produced.

    I was advised very early on to post my questions on the Great War Forum, and there is no way that I would have made the progress that I did without the help, advice and generosity of the members of that forum. I don't know if it is appropriate to mention another forum, but I think their aims are the same as this one, so I hope there isn't a problem.

    Hopefully I will shortly be posting a few questions, and so I repeat the request I made when I posted my first question on the GWF; please be gentle with me, I am not a student of military history, and I will probably make a lot of mistakes, but I am just trying my best to do justice to the memory of the former staff and pupils of the school who made the ultimate sacrifice. As someone once said, there is no such thing as a stupid question if you don't know the answer.

    Thanks very much for reading this, I hope it makes sense.

    Dave Dykes
     
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  2. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    As a member also of the GWF, welcome aboard.
    The same generosity of spirit and help pervades here, we too, want to do justice to the memory of those that served, and especially those that fell.
    You say you have 76 Names; is there a link to a clear List/Roll of Honour of those Names, plus any information you already have.

    You will know of the CWGC site, for basic information, but it's always a useful starting point for us, especially now there is access to Grave Registration and other details not previously accessible.

    If there is no link, we'll need the Names still, if we're to do the best we can for you - and them.

    Are you involving the students, perhaps get them to "join" on behalf of 6 to 10 Names, so they get involved too, in understanding their lives and research which may fuel a desire to continue with this interest in later life.

    We're ready, let's hear from you
     
  3. DoubleD

    DoubleD Well-Known Member

    KevinBattle,

    Thank you for your reply, and I think you have confirmed what I felt would be the case, about the generosity of spirit.

    As you say, the majority of the names are on the CWGC website, but a handful aren't, and all we have for them is a name on the memorial. I have found quite a bit of information in the local papers in the library, but have more to do. There are also the school magazines to look at as well. Once this has been done, it will probably be time to start asking questions on the forum about the few really tricky ones.

    Including the students is tricky, but we do our best. It is quite difficult to get them out of school, to visit the archives, and a lot of time is required for painstaking research. They are however, fully engaged with the project, and continue to take part in events in the wider community, including meeting the families of the fallen, as well as being fully committed to organising the remembrance services in the school.

    Looking forward to speaking to you, and other forum members, as the project progresses.

    Best wishes,
    Dave
     
  4. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    What I meant was, that with 76 Names to research, could it be split amongst the pupils at school, so that they research a few on their own, thereby learning research techniques passed on from GWF and here that may stand them in good stead when they look for employment, or simply as a future hobby.
    List the Names or provide a link.

    Local newspaper archives are also good for research, woundings etc, but if you also have the school records, you have a richer resource than many already at your fingertips.
     
  5. DoubleD

    DoubleD Well-Known Member

    Thanks again for your thoughts. It is good to receive comments from someone looking from a different perspective. Maybe I was focused too much on the research, and didn't see the bigger picture. Of course, the pressure was on to provide information on the fallen for their remembrance services, but this next phase is longer term.

    You are right of course, we should be passing the mantle to the next generation, and I will speak to them about this when I visit the school.

    Cheers,
    Dave
     
  6. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Dave.

    Perth was the recruiting area for the Black Watch. This Regiment served in Italy which is my interest. Post the names of the 76 and I will happily see if any of them were killed in Italy and under what circumstances.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  7. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

  8. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Dave.

    To kick you off, DB Gaul was a Lance Corporal in 2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and he was killed on 22 Feb 44 whilst acting as a porter to resupply the troops of 4 Indian Division on Snakeshead Ridge at Cassino.

    Regards

    Frank
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2017
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  9. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    ... Spooky that he's the first one, the day before the enquiry was posted......
    I bet he's miffed he'll have to wait a tear before his turn comes again!
     
  10. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Dave.

    Of the 76, three are buried in the CWGC cemeteries that I regularly visit:

    LCpl GJ Brough. 6th Battalion Black Watch. Killed in action during the breakout at the Fourth Battle of Cassino which started on 11 May 44. . 10 Infantry Brigade and 28 Infantry Brigade had crossed the River Gari and secured the far bank on 13 May 44. 12 Infantry Brigade, with support from the tanks of 2 Lothian & Border Horse, of which 6 BW were part, pushed up the Liri Valley in an attempt to cut the German lines of communication into Cassino town. It was in this advance that LCpl Brough was killed on 15 May 44.

    Cpl LS Whytock. 1st Battalion London Scottish. Killed in action during the the first German counter attacks at Anzio. The Allies had landed on 22 Jan 44 and, by 31 Jan 44 had established a salient that protruded towards Rome and had its tip just in front of Campoleone. The lower right base of that salient was defended by 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders who were overrun by the Germans on the night of 3 Feb 44. In response, 1 London Scottish were sent in on 4 Feb 44 as a counter attack force and managed to retake the lost ground. Cpl Whytock was killed in that operation.

    LCpl DB Gaul. 2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. Killed in action on 22 Feb 44 whilst acting as a porter to resupply the troops of 4 Indian Division on Snakeshead Ridge at Cassino. The Division had taken over responsibility for Snakeshead Ridge from the Americans on 14 Feb 44 but, being so high up and away from any good roads, had to rely heavily on their own troops for supply. As a result, 11 Indian Brigade, of which 2 Camerons were part, were given the horrible task of portering everything forward that the troops needed. LCpl Gaul would have been killed by an artillery shell at some point on the eight round trip from Caira at the bottom to the supply dump at the top on Snakeshead Ridge.

    I am out in Cassino and Anzio at the end of March so if you would like photos of the headstones of these three chaps do say.

    Regards

    Frank
     
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  11. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello Dave and welcome to the forum.
    I see you are already in good hands but I will try to help along the way if others don't get in there first.:D

    Lesley
     
  12. DoubleD

    DoubleD Well-Known Member

    Dear Maria and Frank,

    Bit of a delay in replying I'm afraid, duty grandad today!

    Many thanks for your replies, and the advice! Yes, the Scottish Military Research Group was my starting point for the project. They had already done a lot of the work compiling lists of names from all the memorials, and had also included a lot of additional information.

    I didn't like to just go ahead and post a huge list with 76 names, but as you asked for it, I have attached a spreadsheet with what I have so far (hope it works as an attachment). Just tried can't get it to work. Frank, forgive my ignorance of the technicalities of the forum, but is it possible to send you a PM with my email address, so that I can send it that way?

    I will also attach the draft biographies for the four members of the Black Watch, but I don't know yet if I will be allowed to add more than one attachment, or have to start another post. Tried that as well, file too large, see comment above about PM.

    To answer your question, yes I would love photographs of the headstones to add to the biographies, it is very kind of you to offer.

    Thanks also for the three biographies which I will add to the pages of: L/Cpl. Brough, Cpl. Whytock and L/Cpl. Gaul.

    You have already given me a great start.

    Many thanks,
    Dave
     
  13. DoubleD

    DoubleD Well-Known Member

    Hello Lesley,

    Thanks very much for your offer of help!

    Cheers,
    Dave
     
  14. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Welcome Dave to the forum.

    Mike.
     
  15. DoubleD

    DoubleD Well-Known Member

    Thanks Mike!
     

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