Airth

• First World War (1914-1918)
  Total names on memorial: 33
  Served and returned: 0
  Died: 33
  Exact count: yes
  Information shown: rank, forename, surname, regiment
  Order of information: regiment
• First World War - civilians
  Total names on memorial: 2
  Served and returned: 0
  Died: 2
  Exact count: yes
  Information shown: rank, forename, surname, service
  Order of information: Undefined
• Second World War (1939-1945)
  Total names on memorial: 17
  Served and returned: 0
  Died: 17
  Exact count: yes
  Information shown: rank, forename, surname, regiment
  Order of information: regiment, surname

• Cross
  Measurements: Undefined
  Materials: Granite - Creetown
• Base
  Measurements: Undefined
  Materials: Stone
• Arch
  Measurements: Undefined
  Materials: Metal

• AIRTH
• WMO ID: 151037
• Condition: Good [last updated on 18-04-2020]
• Help update these details if the condition is wrong
• 

Site: — “This site was granted by the trustees of the late Colonel Graham of Airth.”

• warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=364&mforum=warmemscot
• Falkirk Herald - Saturday 14 December 1946 www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000733/19461214/058/0003 MEMORIAL PLAQUE UNVEILED Airth Village Ceremony Airth village gathered in the chill December twilight last Saturday to unite in honour its dead of two wars. On the memorial to those who died in the 1914-18 war a plaque was unveiled by Mr A. F. C. Forrester, Airth Castle, bearing the names of 17 villagers who had made the supreme sacrifice in the late war. ….
• Falkirk Herald - Saturday 30 November 1946 www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000733/19461130/296/0001 The Parish of Airth War Memorial. THE PLAQUE (bearing the names of Those Who Fell in The War 1939-45), will be unveiled on Saturday, 7th December, by A. F. C. FORRESTER, Esq., Airth Castle. SERVICE AT 3 P.M. The different Organisations in the Parish are asked to attend, preferably in bodies. Accommodation will be reserved for relatives, ex-Servicemen, and Members of Committee. JOHN MILLER, Secretary, Commemoration Fund.
• Falkirk Herald - Wednesday 12 December 1923 www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000733/19231212/041/0002?browse=true Falkirk Herald - Wednesday 12 December 1923 www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000733/19231212/037/0002 AIRTH WAR MEMORIAL. UNVEILING CEREMONY BY GENERAL SIR WALTER BRAITHWAITE. Parish Tribute to Fallen. Lieut.-General Sir Walter Braithwaite, General Officer Commanding the Scottish Forces, last Saturday afternoon unveiled a beautiful memorial erected at Airth in memory the thirty-five men of the parish who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War. The ceremony was attended by a large gathering of parishioners, local ex-Servicemen, and visitors from neighbouring districts. The weather was rave and cold. The dedication service was taken part in by all the local ministers, the praise being led by the choir of Airth U.F. Church, with tho assistance of a number of musical friends in the parish. Lieut-General Braithwnite was introduced by Mr G. S. Orr of Airth Castle. The memorial was afterwards given into the custody of the Parish Council. THE MEMORIAL DESCRIBED. The memorial, which takes the form of a Celtic cross, is constructed of Creetown siivergrey granite, and stands sixteen feet high. Carved on the cross is a sword, which surmounted the customary wreath of laurel. The plinth is ornamental, in rustic style, and on the bottom panel, is carved the lion rampant, with the following inscription, in block letters —“To the glory of God and in memory of the men of Airth Parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-1919.” At the back of the base is the inscription — “This site was granted by the trustees of the late Colonel Graham of Airth.” The monument, the construction of which was in tho capable hands of Mr W. Roberts, sculptor, Falkirk, stands oniy a short distance south from tho Stirling (Low) Road, and is easily seen by travellers passing along by 'bus and car. Immediately adjoining the Parish churchyard, the site is fully sixty feet square, and is enclosed by an iron railing, four feet high. The ground is being laid out in flower-plots, with a rockery to the rear of the memorial. Paths have been laid down in order that visiters may walk right round the monument. The names of the thirty-five men who fell are:— Corporal John Binnie, A. and S.H. (names) A REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING. An hour before the hour of the commencement of the ceremony the village presented its normal quiet appearance. Soon, however, the omnibuses began to deposit car-loads of people who had come from Falkirk, Grangemouth, and elsewhere to witness the ceremony. The enclosure around the memorial itself was reserved for the relatives of the fallen, who were provided with seats; the local school children, choir, members of Airth Parish Council, local Tent of Rechabites, and representatives of the Education Authority and other bodies. A company of forty-four ex-Servicemen had assembled earlier at the school, and in duo time they arrived on the scene, accompanied by two pipers and two buglers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who were present from Stirling Castle. The ex-Servicemen, who wore their decorations, were under the leadership of Mr Henry Russell. On arriving at the enclosure, the company halted on the road, while the school children entered, afterwards taking up their stand, two deep, to the east side of the monument. Among those present were:- Mr and Mrs G. S. Orr, Airth Castle; Miss Graham, senior, Airth; Captain Lindsay, R.N.. and Mrs Lindsay; Miss Mitchell. Rosebank. Airth; Miss Edmond; Mrs Miller, U.F. Manse. THE UNVEILING CEREMONY. The service was opened with the singing of the second paraphrase, “0 God of Bethel, to the tune “Kilmarnock,” the choir being under the leadership of Mr Wm. Fyffe. This was followed by the solemn lament, which was sympathetically played by the two pipers. Thereafter, the Rev. Hugh Jones, Episcopal Church, read a portion from the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. In introducing General Braithwaito, Mr Orr, the hon. president of the War Memorial Cornmittee, said they were very proud to have such a distinguished soldier with them that day. and they appreciated his kindness in coming there to unveil their memorial. That was a day which many of them in the village and parish of Airth had long looked forward with pride. It must, he said, be specially gratifying to the committee of ex-Servicemen, and the ladies who helped them, to see their hopes fulfilled and their labours brought to completion. The moment had now come when that memorial, so long looked for and hoped for, erected to the noble sons of Airth who went forth and did not return, was a reality. He then asked General Braithwaito to perform the unveiling ceremony. Sir Walter then stopped forward, and putting aside the Union Jack, which covered the tablet, said — “To the glory of God, and in memory of the men of Airth Parish who fell in the Great War, I unveil this memorial.” The dedication prayer was then offered by the Rev. Fred. Hendry, Airth Parish Church, after which General Braithwaite delivered a brief and appropriate address. AN OCCASION FOR THANKFULNESS AND PRIDE. General Braithwaite said esteemed it a great privilege and a great honour to have been asked to unveil tnat memorial. It was an honour to join in anything that was designed to perpetuate the memory of those gallant comrades of ours, who, in the Great War, gave the most precious thing they had to give — their lives. It would, be an ill day for this country, he said, when the memory of her fallen sons faded, but they would agree with him that there was no fear of that while memorials such as these existed; and still less fear while there was permanently with them the more lasting memorial of the love in their hearts for those of their friends and comrades wlio fell in the Great War. He did not look upon these occasions in themselves as sad ones. Rather did he hold them to legitimate causes of great thankfulness, and legitimate pride for the men of our race who came forward in the day of trial to help their country and fight its battles. A certain sadness must necessarily always be associated with any ceremony which brought back them the loss of those dear to them. But they had to remember that there were things worse than death that could fall those they loved. There were shame, dishonour, and loss of freedom. They fought that great war in order that freedom and justice might have fairplay, and that might live our own lives under our own King and under our own Government in our own fair land, instead of under an alien ruler, which would have happened had we been defeated. We were not defeated. We were victorious, but only by putting forth our strength in an effort unparalleled in the history of the world. Typical of that effort was the proud record of Airth, whose war memorial had been designed to perpetuate tho memory of her sons, so that those who passed along these well-remembered streets which those of their comrades who were more used to pass, would every time think of their pal or their friend or brother or son, whoso name was inscribed on that beautiful cross. War was full of horrors, and nobody hated war more than the soldier who had undergone it. Nobody knew better than those who had fought that war could only be avoided if a nation prepared itself in time. They must that day temper their sadness with pride in their ultimate achievement, their country’s effort, and above ail, pride in the splendid gallantry of their men. They would keep ever green in their memory those of their kith and kin, as they in Airth would keep ever green in their own parish that cross which they were unveiling that day. To their everlasting remembrance, he concluded, and their eternal glory, (Applause.) THE CARE THE MEMORIAL. General Braithwaite’s address was followed by a brief interval in order allow the relatives of the fallen and representatives of the various bodies present to lay wreaths around the memorial. Thereafter "The Last Post" was sounded by the buglers. In the absence of Mr E. L. Blyth, hon, vice-president of the War Memorial Committee, the custody and care of the memorial was given into the hands of Airth Parish Council by Mr Alexander Miller, president the War Memorial Committee, who expressed his belief that the monument would well cared for. The custody of the memorial was accented, on behalf of the Parish Council, by the Rev. J. H. Miller, chairman of the Council. Mr Miller expressed the pleasure afforded him, on behalf of the Parish Council, to take over the custody and care of the memorial - a memorial not erected to perpetuate national hatreds or prejudices, but to keep ever fresh the memory of those who fought and fell, not simply that Germany might be crushed or become an outcast from among the civilised nations of the world, but that those ideals and ambitions that so many thought wrong might be dethroned and cast down for ever. It fell to the Parish Council to take upon itself the care of this memorial, and they did in no unwilling spirit. The same spirit animates them that day as did Robert Paterson, known to readers of fiction as Old Mortality, more than a century and a half ago. His love for the memory of the Cameronians — men who gave their lives for the religious convictions - led him without hope of fee or reward to take upon himself the care of those simple stones that marked their resting-place. They that day gladly and willingly shouldered their responsibil'ty. and with an unchanging interest would watch over the memorial that spoke to them of lads most of them knew well and some of them loved. Their memory was worth cherishing. It seemed to him they were not only sons of the Cameronians, but true Camoronians themselves. True, they fought against flesh and blood, principalities and powers, but did they not also fight against spiritual darkness? In the care of this memorial, he was sure the Parish Council could count on the sympathetic help and interest of every man and woman, boy and girl in the parish. The memorial was dear to them all. Specially dear to these who found engraved thereon the names of brave sons, and it spoke them, and would continue to speak generations coming after them, of a liberty bought at a great price. The gathering then sang three verses of hymn 311, after which Mr Orr, in a brief address thanked General Braithwaite for unveiling the memorial. “Reveille” having' been sounded by the buclers, the bendiction was pronounced by the Rev. Mr Miller, and the proceedings terminated with the singing of the National Anthem.