Memorial details

Memorial type
Pillar / Column
District
Cunninghame
Town
Irvine
County
Strathclyde
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945), Second World War - civilians, Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), Falklands Conflict (1982), First World War - civilians, Second World War (1939-1945): The Holocaust
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 26 March 1921
    Attended by: GEN ARCHIBALD HUNTER MP
  • Rededicated
    Date: January 2018
    Attended by: Undefined
  • Dedicated
    Date: 26 March 1921
    Attended by: Local Clergy/Dignitaries
  • Show More (2)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
54749

Support IWM

Donate with Just Giving

Any gift we receive makes a vital contribution to our ongoing work, from conserving our collection to supporting our public programme.

Make a Donation
Current location

High Street
Irvine
Cunninghame
Strathclyde
KA12 0AL
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: NS 32144 38906
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Mercat cross. Tall octagonal shaft on octagonal plinth and base. The base has a bronze plaque on each face. One bears the dedication and the remainder bear the names of the First World War fallen. The cross is surrounded by stone tablets bearing the plaques which commemorate the Second World War dead. The shaft culminates in a moulded and enriched capital displaying four small shields containing the Royal Arms of Scotland, the Saltire of St Andrew, the Badge of Scotland and the Arms of Ayr County. Over the capital is placed the crest of the Burgh carved in stone, a crowned lion holding a sword and sceptre. The crest is partly gilded and the arms underneath are coloured. In 2018 two trees dedicated to Holocaust victims were added with an additional tablet.
Inscription
RIM OF BASE: BUT THE MEN WERE VERY GOOD UNTO US AND WE WERE NOT HURT. THEY WERE A WALL UNTO US BOTH BY NIGHT AND DAY. 1ST SAMUEL CHAPTER 25. VERSE 15. FRONT PLAQUE: Tandem Bona Case Triumphat/ TO THE MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF IRVINE/ WHO DIED IN THE GREAT WAR/ ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE/ OR FROM WOUNDS OR SICKNESS/ BUT WHO ALL ALIKE/ GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ THIS MERCAT CROSS WAS RESTORED IN 1920/ BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/ IN TOKEN OF SORROW FOR THEIR LOSS/ AND OF PRIDE IN THEIR VALOUR/ Walter Muir, Provost David Gillies, Town Clerk OTHER PLAQUES: (NAMES) PLAQUE ON TABLETS: 1939 1945/ (NAMES) TREES: This plaque is dedicated to the memory/ of the men, women and children/ who tragically lost their lives during/ the holocaust, to those who suffered/ as a result and to all of us whose lives/ have been touched by the atrocity./ This dedication was initiated by local/ young people who visited Auschwitz/ and on their return wanted to raise/ awareness of the atrocity./ These trees are a physical reminder/ to everyone of the events of the holocaust.
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Abercrombie, J
Allan, J
Allison, A L
Allison, William B
Angus, Robert
Archibald, John
Arthur, John
Baxter, John
Bennet, A
Berry, James
See details for all 353 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 238
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 238
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, rank, regiment, forenames, decorations
    Order of information: regiment THEN rank
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 104
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 104
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, rank, service, forenames
    Order of information: surname THEN forename
  • Second World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 10
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 10
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forenames, rank, service
    Order of information: surname
  • Malayan Emergency (1948-1960)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forename, surname, service number and unit
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Falklands Conflict (1982)
    Total names on memorial: 2
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forename, surname, service number and unit
    Order of information: Undefined
  • First World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, rank, service, forename
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Second World War (1939-1945): The Holocaust
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Tablets
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Marble
  • Base
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Pillar
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Plinth
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Memorial
    Measurements: depth c 3000mm, height c 7000mm, width c 3000mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Plaques
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Wall
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
Condition
History
The Irvine civic war memorial which was first dedicated in 1921 was moved in 1952 to a position further from the roadway. Due to development of the area, the opportunity arose in 2017 to have the memorial relocated again back to almost it's original location adjacent to the roadway. The restored memorial was rededicated in January 2018. The walls that previously surrounded the war memorial have been removed as has the plaques bearing the names of the Second World War casualties. The Second World war casualties names now appear on four large marble slabs which surround the relocated memorial, along with names from subsequent conflicts including Malaysia and The Falklands War. There are also two trees at the new site, dedicated to remembrance of the Holocaust victims.
Costs

Site: Free
Memorial: c £3000

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Reference

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-54749

For queries, please contact [email protected].