Memorial details

Memorial type
Sculptured / Cast group
District
Clackmannan
Town
Alloa
County
Central
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945), Second World War - civilians
Maker
Sir Robert Lorimer (Architect)
Mr Pilkington Jackson (Sculptor)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 28 September 1924
    Attended by: Earl Haig
  • Unveiled
    Date: 11 November 1951
    Attended by: Provost William Brown
  • Dedicated
    Date: 28 September 1924
    Attended by: Reverend R.J. Thomson, Minister of the Parish of Alloa
  • Show More (2)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
2084

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Current location

At the corner of Church Street and Bedford Place.
Bedford Place
Alloa
Clackmannan
Central
FK10 1HH
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: NS 88481 92646
Denomination: Undefined

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Description
A figure of St Margaret, crowned and robed, standing above a group of three soldiers carved as if half buried in mud, which is on a pedestal, and a rectangular base, situated in a memorial garden. There is a wall behind the memorial that has a recess containing 8 inset name panels for WW1 and 2 for WW2. One of the soldiers has an empty hand which clearly once had something in- this is the original description: " The bronze figure leans forward, graceful and gentle, one tender hand protectively stretched over the crouching figures below, engaged in the desperate business of war - four soldiers in fighting order, one ahead of the others, cutting a barbed-wire entanglement, one with arm strained to throw a bomb, and two riflemen with fixed bayonets, ready to attack. For the central feature, there is a figure symbolising Alloa, carrying a shield bearing the Burgh coat of arms and wearing a mural crown, the idea is: The Thoughts of the Town following her sons in battle
Inscription
On the front face of the column which supports the sculpture: PRO PATRIA/ TO/ THE IMMORTAL HONOUR/ AND/ IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN OF ALLOA/ WHO/ FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918/ AND THOSE WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR OF/ 1939 - 1945/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE [the reverse face records the unveiling, the sculptor and the architect and finishes with]- A BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE/CONTAINING THE NAMES/OF THE FALLEN/IS KEPT ON VIEW/AT THE BURGH LIBRARY In the Stonework above each of 4 pairs of WW1 Plaques: 1914-1918 In the Stonework above each of 2 WW2 Plaques: 1939-1945 WW1 Plaque 1-ROYAL NAVY/[names]/DRAGOON GDS/[name]/LOTHIANS & BORDER HORSE/[name]/FIFE & FORFAR YEO./[name]/SCOTTISH HORSE/[name]/ROYAL HORSE ARTY./[name]/ROYAL FIELD ARTY./[names]/ROYAL GARRISON ARTY./[names]/HON. ARTY COY./[name]/ROYAL ENGINEERS/[names]/GRENADIER GDS./[name]/SCOTS GDS./[names]/IRISH GDS./[name] WW1 Plaque 2-ROYAL SCOTS/[names]/NORTH'D FUS./[name]/R. WARWICKS REGT./[names]/ROYAL FUS./[name]/KING'S L'POOL REGT/[names]/E. YORKS REGT./[names]/LANCASHIRE FUS./[names]/ROYAL SCOTS FUS./[names]/SOUTH WALES BORDRS./[name]/KINGS OWN SCOT BORDRS.[names] WW1 Plaque 3-[K.O.S.B. continued]/[names]/CAMERONIANS (S.R.)/[names]/ROYAL INNIS FUS./[name]/D OF WELL. W. RIDING REGT./[names]/SOUTH STAFF. REGT./[name]/BLACK WATCH (R.H.)/[names]/SHERWOOD FORESTERS/[names]/R.W. KENT REGT./[name]/KINGS OWN YORKS L.I./[names]/N. STAFF. REGT./[names]/DURHAM LIGHT INF.[name] WW1 Plaque 4-HIGHLAND LIGHT INF./[names]/SEAFORTH HIGHRS./[names]/GORDON HIGHRS./[names] WW1 Plaque 5-GORDON HIGHRS./[name]/K.O. CAMERON HIGHRS/[names]/CONNAUGHT RANGERS/[name]/ARG. & SUTH'D HIGHRS./[names] WW1 Plaque 6-ARG. & SUTH'D HIGHRS./[names] WW1 Plaque 7-ARG. & SUTH'D HIGHRS./[names]/RIFLE BRIGADE/[name]/M.G. CORPS/[names]/TANK CORPS/[names]/LONDON P.O. RIFLES/[name]/ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS/[names]/ROYAL ARMY ORDN. CORPS/[names]/QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S/IMP. MIL. NURSING SERVICE[name] WW1 Plaque 8-OVERSEAS FORCES/AUSTRALIA/FIELD ARTY./[name]/INFANTRY/[names]/CANADA/INFANTRY/[names]/WINNIPEG GRENADIERS/[name]/PRINCESS PAT'S /[name]/HIGHLANDERS/[name]/CAMERONS/[name]/ROYAL HIGHLANDERS/[name]/M.G. COY./[name]/M.G. SQUADRON/[name]/ARMY MED. CORPS/[name]/NEW ZEALAND/CANTERBURY INFANTRY/[names]/OTAGO REGT./[name]/SOUTH AFRICA/INFANTRY/[names]/KIMBERLEY RIFLES/[name]//ROYAL AIR FORCE[names]/ WW2 Plaque 1-ARG. & SUTH'D HIGHRS/[names]/SCOTS GDS./[names]/BLACK WATCH/[names]/GORDON HIGHRS/[name]/CAMERONIANS/[names]/SEAFORTH HIGHRS/[name]/ROYAL SCOTS/[names]/ROYAL SCOTS FUS/[name]/KINGS OWN SCOT. BORDRS/[name]/DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY/[names]/EAST SURREY REGT/[name]/LONDON SCOTTISH/[names]/ARMY AIR CORPS/[name]/ANTI-AIRCRAFT CORPS/[name]/1ST PARACHUTE REGT./[name]/PIONEER CORPS/[name]/LT. ANTI-AIRCRAFT /R.A)./[name]/ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS/[name]/ROYAL CORPS OF SIGS.[name] WW2 Plaque 2-ROYAL NAVY/[names]/FLEET AIR ARM/[names]/ROYAL ARTILLERY/[names]/ROYAL AIR FORCE/[names]/MERCHANT NAVY/[names]/ESSEX REGT./[name]/K.O.Y.L.I./[name]/ROYAL ARMY MED. CORPS/[name]/ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS/[name]/ROYAL ARMY ORDN.CORPS/[name]/NURSING SERVICE/[name]/CIVILIAN CASUALTY/[name]
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 387
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 387
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forenames, rank, regiment, decorations
    Order of information: regiment THEN surname THEN forename
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 116
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 116
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forenames, rank, service
    Order of information: service THEN surname THEN forename
  • Second World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 9
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 9
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forenames, service
    Order of information: service THEN surname
Components
  • Figures
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Pedestal
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Base
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Wall
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • First World War memorial
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
  • Second World War memorial
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
Condition
Costs

Comments: The site was purchased from Lord Younger. The cost of the site is included in the construction costs of £4,400.
Memorial: c. £4,400

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Reference
  • warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=234&mforum=warmemscot
  • Carter Postcard Collection
  • Central Regional Archives: Minutes of Town Council and War Memorial and Finance Committees Ref: AL 1/1/31; 1/1/32; 1/1/33; 1/6/15
  • Unknown newspaper: On 15 February 1919, a newspaper reported the acceptance by the Town Council of a picture entitled "To Hell With Surrender" depicting the gallant action of Lieutenant Buchan VC which was to be hung in the Reading Room. In making arrangements for the unveiling it was proposed that "a person residing in the town who, through the war, had suffered the greatest loss, should be asked to place the first wreath on the Memorial...... Mr. David Buchan of Kellie Place should be asked to perform this duty".
  • Unstated reference: First reference 13 January 1919 when mention was made of the date ex-Provost Thomson's proposal, made in 1916, to erect a memorial in honour of the dead. Throughout 1919-21 sites and designs were discussed and investigated. In May 1919 a sketch for town improvements including a memorial were submitted by Lorimer. Two years later, Lorimer was appointed official architect after submitting alternative plans but the committee was still at odds over the design. After the unveiling in 1924 Lorimer was requested to modify fees "to a figure reasonably adequate to cover the trouble involved".
  • warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=7988&mforum=warmemscot (unveiling dates and details of the missing item)

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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