Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
Dumbarton
Town
Dumbarton
County
Strathclyde
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: Undefined
    Attended by: Mr S. A. Kinnear (H.M. Inspector of Constabulary) performed the unveiling; attendees included Chief Constable McLeod and colleagues
  • Unveiled
    Date: 26 June 2004
    Attended by: Mrs Helen Munro (widow of one of the casualties, Donald Pugh Munro) unveiled the newly renovated plaque on the 60th anniversary of his death.
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
94719

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Current location

Opposite the stairwell door on the First Floor landing
Dumbarton Divisional Police HQ
Stirling Road
Dumbarton
Dumbarton
Strathclyde
G82 3PT
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: NS 41081 75665
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Previous locations
  • In the foyer
    Dumbarton Burgh Police HQ
    Church Street
    Dumbarton
    Dumbarton
    Strathclyde
    Scotland

    OS Grid Ref: Undefined
    Denomination: Undefined
Description
Rectangular bronze plaque, fixed to a wooden backboard. To the left of the inscription, which is in raised lettering, is the Burgh Police crest within a stylised laurel wreath, and the motto 'Semper Vigilo' ('Always vigilant'). Hanging beside the plaque are two associated framed items: one is a photograph of the seven Dumbarton Police officers who served in WW2; the other contains a typed history of the memorial (see transcription in references section).
Inscription
DUMBARTON BURGH POLICE/ IN MEMORY OF/ (NAMES)/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/ IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939 - 1945/ AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Munro, Donald P
Thomson, Alex R
See details for all 2 names
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 2
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, forename, surname, military unit, civilian occupation
    Order of information: Alphabetical by surname
Components
  • Plaque
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
  • Backboard
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Wood
Condition
History
Having been temporarily taken down and stored during building work at the Police Station, the plaque was renovated in 2004; it was then unveiled in its current location within the Station by Mrs Helen Munro (widow of the casualty Donald Pugh Munro) at a ceremony presided over by Strathclyde Police Chief Constable Willie Rae QPM.
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
Police Scotland
Reference
  • Two associated framed documents hang beside the WW2 plaque in the Divisional Headquarters in Stirling Road, Dumbarton. One is a photograph of the seven officers from Dumbarton Burgh Police who served in the Armed Forces in WW2 (Peter Anderson, John Thomson, Donnie Kemp, Archie McKenzie, Donald Munro, Alex Thomson and Norman McLean). The other contains the following type-written account of the memorial's history: "DUMBARTON BURGH POLICE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL PLAQUE. During the 1939-1945 conflict, seven members of the Dumbarton Burgh Police volunteered for the armed services. The photograph of the seven officers was taken outside the old Dumbarton Burgh Police headquarters, situated adjacent to the Church Street roundabout in Dumbarton town centre across from the Sheriff Court. Of the seven volunteers only five would return safely to their families. Pictured front left in the photograph is Lieutenant Donald Munro of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Donald left for the war leaving Helen, his wife of four years and three-year-old daughter Jeanette. Next to Donald is his close friend Alex Thomson. Alex joined the RAF as a Sergeant Navigator leaving his young wife Nancy at home in Dumbarton. He was based in the south of England where he flew many missions into enemy territory. By 1944 Helen Munro was expecting their second child which Donald read about in one of her many letters. Following the Normandy landings on the 6th June 1944 Donald found himself outside the city of Caen which was being strongly defended by elite German troops. At this time he received word that his close friend and fellow-volunteer Alex Thomson had been killed when the aircraft he was in had crash landed in the south of England after being badly damaged on a sortie into enemy-held France. The date was the 17th June 1944, the very day that Alex was to have received his commission. By June 26th the battle for Caen had become even more intense, and very early that morning Donald led his men in an attack on a strongly-held enemy position. As he led the attack Donald was fatally wounded. He was killed nine days after Alex Thomson. Donald was initially buried by the side of the road where he had fallen but was subsequently reinterred in St Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux near Caen. Due to the fact that Alex was killed on British soil his body was returned to his family in Dumbarton, where he was laid to rest in Dumbarton Cemetery at the bottom of Garshake Road. A small memorial stone was placed beside Alex's grave by fellow officers from Dumbarton. Colleagues at Dumbarton Burgh police were saddened at the deaths of their friends and a subscription was instigated to raise money for a suitable memorial. Following the war a plaque was placed within the foyer of Dumbarton Burgh Police Office with the names of both men thereon. The memorial was unveiled by Mr S.A. Kinnear, H.M. Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland. The Chief Constable, Alistair McLeod, along with other dignitaries was also in attendance. Helen, by now the proud mother of a baby son Donald, could not bring herself to attend the memorial service. The plaque remained at this location until a new police office opened in Stirling Road, Dumbarton on 4th August 1967. During subsequent renovation work at the new office the plaque was removed from the wall and stored for safekeeping. In the summer of 2002 Sergeant Alistair McNab of the Community Safety department attended at Helen Munro's home due to an ongoing problem with local youths. During the visit Sergeant McNab noted the photographs of police and soldiers on her wall. Mrs Munro related her story, and asked if the plaque was still at the police office. Sergeant McNab promised to track it down. Several months passed and when Sergeant McNab had occasion to call at the deputy sub-divisional officer's room he noticed a bronze coloured plaque lying on a chair. It was the plaque that Mrs Munro had asked about. He re-contacted her and established that on 26th June 2004 it would be sixty years since Donald was killed. It was proposed that the plaque be re-dedicated on that date and Mrs Munro unveil it at Dumbarton Police Office. On Saturday 26th June 2004 along with her daughter Jeanette and son Donald, Mrs Munro then aged 89, attended at Dumbarton Police Office. The Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police Willie Rae QPM had heard of the account and was delighted to attend to open the proceedings. Following Mr Rae's opening remarks Mrs Munro read a short tribute before unveiling the newly refurbished plaque".
  • The Commonwealth War Graves Commission's records re the two casualties can be found at www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2061671/DONALD PUGH MUNRO/ and www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2456087/ALEXANDER RITCHIE THOMSON/

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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