Memorial details

Memorial type
Stone of remembrance
District
Kincardine And Deeside
Town
Torphins
County
Grampian
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945), Second World War - civilians
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 11 June 1922
    Attended by: Miss Mary Elizabeth A Vaughan-Lee and Master Thomas Ireland de Courey Wheeler, children
  • Dedicated
    Date: 11 June 1922
    Attended by: Rev. Russell Walker of Torphins Parish Church
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
8634

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Current location

Opposite the junction with Bridge Crescent
Torphins War Memorial
St Marnan Road (B993)
Torphins
Kincardine And Deeside
Grampian
AB31 4JQ
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: NJ 62509 01977
Denomination: Undefined

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Description
The memorial is a simple erect large slab of granite, around the base of which is built a low wall of rough hewn granite. The plaques bearing the names of World War I are built into the wall on either side of the block and at the base of it is a verse below which are the World War II names.
Inscription
1914 - 1919/GREAT GRANITE STONE, SPEAK WHAT OUR LOVE ENROLS ./THE GLORIOUS PASSING OF HEROIC SOULS./WE DO NOT NUMBER THEM AMONG THE DEAD./THEY REST IN MANY FIELDS WHERE VALOUR BLED./SERVING THE RIGHT THEY FELL; YET, STILL IN LIFE./THEY SERVE THE GOD OF RIGHT BEYOND THE STRIFE./ Plaque below: THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/1939-1945 (NAMES).
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Anderson, Jeannie
Beaton, F G
Bews, W
Cameron, D
Cameron, D R
Catto, A M
Catto, G B
Christie, A J
Christie, W
Clark, A
See details for all 73 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 65
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 65
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, rank, regiment, forenames, decorations
    Order of information: rank THEN regiment THEN surname
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 6
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 6
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forenames, surname, service
    Order of information: surname
  • Second World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 2
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forename, service
    Order of information: surname
Components
  • Memorial
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Granite
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Reference
  • warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=2331&highlight=torphins&mforum=warmemscot
  • Aberdeen Press and Journal - Tuesday 13 June 1922 www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000576/19220613/013/0003 UNVEILING OF TORPHINS WAR MEMORIAL. (picture) Platform party, left to right - Mrs Vaughan-Lee, Lady Shaw, Mrs Pickering of Kincardine, Lord Shaw of Dunfermline, Col. Davidson of Dess, the Rev. Russell Walker, Torphons Parish Church, the Rev. J. M'G. Carlisle, U.F. Church. The two children in front are Miss Mary Elizabeth A Vaughan-Lee and Master Thomas Ireland de Courey Wheeler, who unveiled the stone.
  • Aberdeen Press and Journal - Monday 12 June 1922 www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000576/19220612/051/0006?browse=true TORPHINS' SACRIFICE IN THE WAR. Memorial Stone Unveiled LORD SHAW ON PRICE OF LIBERTY. The memory those from Torphins who fell in the Great War was honoured yesterday afternoon when the memorial stone subscribed in the district was unveiled, with an address by Lord Shaw of Dunfermline. This forms only the first.part of the Torphins memorial, as the intention to erect a cottage hospital on the site, near the railway station, which was granted by Mr Thomas Lines of Learney. The ceremony made a very striking and arresting roadside scene in the beautiful summer weather, with the breeze playing music among the trees. About 400 people were present. The memorial, which consists of an unpolished granite monolith embedded in a cairn of rough boulders, with the Hill of Fare as background, is impressive in its rude simplicity and appropriateness. From the base the top of the stone is about 21 feet, but the height of the monolith itself is 15 feet. Two flanking stones at the base are inscribed with the names of the fallen, 64 in number, while a centre stone is cut with the following verse, composed by Lord Shaw 1914-1919:- Great granite stone, speak what our love enrols — The glorious passing of heroic souls. We do not number them among the dead; They rest in many fields where valour bled: Serving the right, they fell; yet, still in life, They serve the God of right beyond the strife. Mr James Innes, Sundayswells, one of the members of the Memorial Committee, presided, and the platform party included:— Lord Shaw, chairman of the committee; Lady Shaw, Mrs Pickering of Kincardine, also member of the committee; Col. Davidson of Dess, Col. and Mrs Vaughan-Lee, Carlogie; the Rev. Russell Walker, Torphins Parish Church; the Rev. J. M'G. Carlisle, U.F. Church; and Mr James M'Laggan, banker, secretary the committee. Among others present were:— Major Fraser of Tornaveen, Admiral Farquhar, Aucheron; General De Winton, Dess; Mr D. M. M. Milligan of Findrack and Mrs Milligan, the Misses Gordon, Craigrannoch; Dr Cran, Banchory; Baillie Lunain and party, Aberdeen; and Councillor and Mrs Beaton, Aberdeen ; etc. The service opened with the singing Psalm 105, led by a choir, followed with prayer by the Rev. Russell Walker. The Scripture reading was by the Rev. J. M'G. Carlisle. ..... An Appropriate Memorial. The ideal of that memorial stone was one which sprang into the minds of the committee on the spot, but they thought it was perhaps too quaint for the occasion, a simple, large granite monolith, and so they took skilled advice, and had consulted, perhaps, the best authority in Scotland on the subject, Prof. Baldwin Brown, Edinburgh. Prof. Baldwin Brown had written to them a letter of the greatest sympathy and of the greatest encouragement. It, might be said that without his stimulation of idea, it was doubtful whether it would have been realised. He said in one letter— "A cairn of stones with a roughly hewn monolith imbedded in it is really the oldest form of Christian monument in Scotland." In another letter having seen a sketch of the proposed erection he wrote — "The idea that you are getting from your local quarries that magnificent monolith, 15 feet 5 feet, appears all (he was speaking on behalf of the committee in Edinburgh) as a splendid one, and if you could procure this and mount it on a cairn of rough boulders, it is hardly too much say that everyone who has good taste and sense of fitness will congratulate you in having one of the finest memorials in Scotland. There is no question whatever of the merit and suitability of the general idea for your monument. Any doubt you may have can be assured that the general idea cannot be improved upon." ...... The unveiling ceremony was actually to be performed by two little children, Miss Mary Elizabeth Vauglian-Lee, granddaughter of Mrs Pickering, and Master Thomas Ireland de Courcy Wheeler, his own grandson. Each had an uncle, whose name was inscribed on the roll, gallant, glorious, fine gentlemen, sacrificing their lives for their country. It was indeed a fitting thing that those little children should have part in the noble, inspiring ceremony. In biding them witness the little ceremony to the wail of the pipes they would watch the little scene unfold itself, and then they would go awav. he hoped, inspired with the desire to do everything they could to adorn in their life and conversation the doctrine of sacrifice for which their brave men had died. Lament and "Last Post." The stone was then unveiled, and Piper M'Hardy afterwards played a lament. Mr James Innes, in presenting Miss Vaughan Lee and Master de Courcy Wheeler with a gold ring each, inscribed with their names, said they had taken part in a great ceremony. In name of the committee, he asked them to keep that little souvenir, which they would be able to hand down to posterity. Mr Andrew Reid, saddler, one. of the committee, then read the roll honour. Lord Shaw said it had been suggested by high Gaelic authority that that stone should be called "Cladna-Cliu," meaning "the stone of their fame." After prayer by the Rev. M'G. Carlisle, paraphrase66 was sung. The "Last Post" was then sounded on the bugle Sergt. H. Williams, 5th Gordons, and the ceremony concluded with the benediction by the Rev. Russell Walker. The work in connection with the stone was executed by Messrs Gibb Bros., Roslin Granite Works, Aberdeen. ROLL OF HONOUR. The following are the names inserted the memorial: .......

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.

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