Bathgate Academy War Memorial

[alf mcm]

BATHGATE ACADEMY WAR MEMORIAL

 

Whilst looking for something else I noticed an article in the 18^th November 1921 edition of the West Lothian Courier. https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002738%2f19211118%2f047&stringtohighlight=bathgate academy war memorial   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 else 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.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DoubleD]

Hi Alf McM,

 

I posted your query on Twitter and tagged Bathgate Academy. The only war memorial in the school is for the Second World War - they posted the attached photo.

 

Seems you were right about the Great War memorial being removed when the new school was built and not being transferred there afterwards.

 

Was it disposed of or is it sitting in a store room somewhere? Maybe West Lothian Council would have a record? Or maybe Local and Family History at the library, which I think is in Linlithgow? Of course things are even more difficult at the moment because of lock-down restrictions.

 

Still a mystery I'm afraid. 

 

Dave

 

 

[alf mcm]

Hello Dave,

   Thanks for posting the WW2 Memorial photo. I have been researching the War Memorial in Livingston Village for a few years now, mainly the Grat War names. There are 14 men mentioned on the back for WW2. Looking at the photo it seems 6 of them went to Bathgate Academy! There are also a couple of other WW2 names I know of who are also shown on the photo.

  I have also posted this query on the West Lothian Family History Forum {I am a member}. Nothing so far, but it is certainly not as busy a forum as this one. I was hoping that a former pupil might remember seeing the memorial.

  I will contact Bathgate Academy once things get back to normal, whenever that is!

 

Regards,

Alf McM

[DoubleD]

Hello again Alf,

 

You never realise when you answer a post on the forum how close to home you actually are! I'm in Rosyth, so not too far from Livingston & Bathgate. I actually saw the film Journeys End in Bathgate in 2017. Lovely cinema and the first time I've ever sat on a couch to watch a film!

 

Glad that the photo has highlighted a few connections in your research, but a shame you're no further forward in finding the Great  War Memorial. Sadly, there are quite a few examples of memorials being lost or even chucked in a skip. I've even seen posts on the GWF where they've turned up for sale online.

 

To offer a little bit of hope, I do know of someone who visited a golf club to take a photo of a war memorial and couldn't find it. Luckily a long-standing member said, "oh I think it's in the secretary's office." They found it behind some boxes and a filing cabinet!  Glad to say it's now back on the wall. Hopefully this one is in a store cupboard somewhere. Maybe you could get a wee article published in the local paper - you never know? In the Dundee Courier they have a Craigie page which is full of contributions and queries about local history. Don't know if you have anything similar? 

 

Good luck,

Dave 

[alf mcm]

Hello Dave,

   The Livingstone Rolls of Honour {2 large wooden plaques for WW1 and one for WW2} were, literally, rescued from a skip a few years ago by a couple of members of WLFHS. They now hang in the church in Deans.

   I have contacted a good friend who knows a Bathgate councillor who may be able to help. We will just need to wait and see.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

[DoubleD]

Really hope it turns up Alf. I'll watch with interest!

 

I've just had another thought, which is a total long-shot. I once visited the Lady Haig Poppy Factory in Edinburgh, which I have to say was the most amazing place to visit and it was also a privilege to meet the veterans who work there. They had a number memorials which they'd agreed to look after - rather than them being ditched. I know they couldn't take them all, but they might give you a clue?

 

Dave

[Rockford]

On 18/02/2021 at 17:44, DoubleD said:

.... 

I posted your query on Twitter and tagged Bathgate Academy. The only war memorial in the school is for the Second World War - they posted the attached photo.

....

Hello,

Just to add to the mystery, I believe that the photo that the school has posted is not the Bathgate Academy memorial for WW2, but the WW2 memorial for the former Lindsay High School, which merged with Bathgate Academy in 1967. The Lindsay High School building remained as part of an extended St. Mary's, which occupied the building next door - with both buildings demolished decades ago.

The reason for believing this is not the Bathgate Academy memorial is that the West Lothian Courier on 5th Nov 1948 reported on the unveiling of the Lindsay High School memorial, described as a Clock, Bronze Tablet, and Dux Board, with the tablet containing 34 names - these aren't printed in the Courier, but the inscription was, which is identical to the wording shown in the photo from the school. It also matches the crest in the top left hand corner - LHS.

The original Bathgate Academy building on Marjoribanks Street still exists. It became Bathgate Technical College and was converted into residential properties after the College relocated to its present site (as West Lothian College) in Livingston. I wonder if the original memorials for Bathgate Academy were moved / stored / lost at that time?  I wonder if the College, Bennie Museum or West Lothian Archives Service might have more information? There's also, I suppose, a really long shot that it is still on the wall there somewhere.

My interest here is that I'm researching the WW1 and WW2 memorials in Blackburn and Seafield, and Second Lieutenant David Alexander Anderson of the HLI, who features on the list of WW1 names printed on 18 November 1921 as appearing on the WW1 Bathgate Academy memorial is commemorated at Seafield, as he was the son of Robert Anderson, the Manager at Seafield Oil Works. 

Best wishes

Brian

Edited 26 March , 2023 by Rockford
Separating post from quote

[DoubleD]

Hello again Brian, is it really two years since the original post!

West Lothian Council don’t reply to contacts via social media so I’ve sent an email as a starter for ten, to see if they can put me in touch with someone who might know what happened to the memorial.

Will let you know if I hear anything.

Dave 

[alf mcm]

Brian,

  Thanks for identifying the photo as being for Lindsay High School, this is a great help. We are now looking for Bathgate Academy WW1 and WW2 memorials.

  I have also been researching the Blackburn and Seafield memorials for some time now. I am happy to share my notes on David Alexander Anderson with you, and any others mentioned on the memorials. Did you know that a new memorial plaque was erected in Blackburn a couple of years ago, additional to the memorial on the main street. I have a photo somewhere?

Dave,

  Thanks for sending your e-mail. Fingers crossed, it may get a result.

Regards,

Alf McM

[Rockford]

32 minutes ago, alf mcm said:

Brian,

  Thanks for identifying the photo as being for Lindsay High School, this is a great help. We are now looking for Bathgate Academy WW1 and WW2 memorials.

  I have also been researching the Blackburn and Seafield memorials for some time now. I am happy to share my notes on David Alexander Anderson with you, and any others mentioned on the memorials. Did you know that a new memorial plaque was erected in Blackburn a couple of years ago, additional to the memorial on the main street. I have a photo somewhere?

Dave,

  Thanks for sending your e-mail. Fingers crossed, it may get a result.

Regards,

Alf McM

Happy to have helped - as often happens, I only came across the original post by accident looking for something else.

Alf McM - I knew that I couldn't have been the only one looking at Blackburn and Seafield, and I think we may have been in touch many years ago?  I was definitely in touch with someone!  It's been a project off and on for years, but I really only got into it seriously during lockdown.  I have written up all the WW2 names, and about 90% of those from WW1, although all of the ones I've still to finish have all been researched to some extent. I've enjoyed puzzling it out - and have found two of the men are connected to my family, which I didn't know beforehand. My main hobby is social and family history, so it's turning into a bit of an epic as I've traced the origins of each man, as well as his war service, and have thrown in a bit of social history for good measure.

I've now identified everyone - as the Seafield WW1 memorial doesn't have regiments, there has been some detective work required, and I'm sure you've come across the same issues - for example, Thomas Lillie isn't on the CWGC as he died in January 1918 at home after leaving service (although perhaps he should be listed, given his previous service) and the single Daniel McDermott listed on the SNWM serving with the Connaught Rangers isn't the right one as he has no links to Seafield - the correct man is listed on SNWM as Daniel McDermid who served as 14686 with the 16th HLI. The family are variously recorded as McDermot(t) / McDiarmid / McDermid, and Daniel has family links to Seafield via his uncle James McDermott who was his NOK after both his parents died in 1915/1916.

I've also identified 6 men from WW1 and 3 men from WW2 with family and/or residence connections to Blackburn that are not listed on the war memorial. Most are commemorated elsewhere, but several are not recorded anywhere to the best of my knowledge.

Regarding David Anderson, I have a lot of information about him and his family already, including his career with what is now the National Records of Scotland, so I don't think I've got any gaps there.  I also have his British War Medal that I purchased via a well-known internet auction site last year. This is the only item I have belonging to any of the men.

However, I'm also happy to share any info that might be helpful. I'm intrigued about your comment that there is another memorial plaque recently erected in Blackburn, as I wasn't aware of this and still have family there. If you have a photo, I'd be glad to see it.

Anyway, enough of hijacking the thread - let's hope that WLC can provide some clues regarding the Bathgate Academy memorials!

Best wishes

Brian

 

[alf mcm]

Brian,

 Researching individual memorials is certainly interesting and rewarding. I've been doing Livingstone Parish {which includes Seafield and parts of Blackburn and Dechmont} for a few years now and keep adding to what I have. I managed to find the photo I mentioned. However, I got it wrong {going from memory is never a good idea} and the photo is actually of a plaque in Seafield! Unfortunately the photo is on my old phone and I can't manage to get it from the phone to my computer. However, I will probably be passing through Seafield at the weekend and will stop and take another photo.

Regards,

Alf McM

[Rockford]

Hello Alf

Thanks for checking.

No need to take new photos, as I have photos of the newer Seafield memorial but I appreciate your offer. 

Best wishes

Brian

[DoubleD]

Contacted West Lothian Council, who’ve had a number of people looking for information on the whereabouts of the memorial, but I’m afraid they haven’t found anything. Worth a try I suppose, but unfortunately no further forward.

Dave 

[alf mcm]

Hello Dave,

That's a bit disappointing, but many thanks for trying. The memorial may still turn up though. I t was worth checking with the council.

Regards,

Alf McM

[DoubleD]

As I said Alf it’s always worth a try. I still find it amazing how easy it is for historical items like this to disappear without trace and go  unnoticed by so many people.

Cheers,

Dave