The War Memorial

• The Great War 
• The Second World War

"We'd a hefty second horseman, frae the braes on Deveronside,
An' twa' bit college birkies like to burst their breeks wi' pride;
There was Lauchin' Tam an' "Curly" an' the ane we ca'ed "The Loon,"
Wi' his sowf an' pech an' fosel, fit to wreck the hale platoon.
An' they're a' deid or deein' - I've a gey bit clour mysel' -
But I winner fat they're thinkin' i' the Glen, o' Neuve Chapelle."

Mary Symon

The Great War  1914-18

The war memorial is a familiar landmark. It is a pillar of Kemnay granite and was designed by W. P. Duncan, Architect, and erected c.1920. It is inscribed:-

"In memory of the men of this parish and district who died for right and country in the Great War."

But how much do we know about the individual men commemorated? Forty two of them fell during the Great War:-

Alexander Allardyce (M.A., 1904)	Woodside?	Acting Sergeant, G Company, 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, killed in action in Belgium, on 20 July 1915, aged thirty. He was a son of the Rev. William Allardyce (M.A., 1877), minister of Rothiemay, and was a solicitor in Aberdeen with the firm Hunter & Gordon, Advocates. (Ypres)
Robert Adam	Marnoch	Company Sergeant Major, 8th Battalion Canadian Infantry, fell in action in France, 9th Aug. 1918, aged 27. Trade: motorman. Son of Robert and Annie (nee Gauld) Adam, Ternemny Cottage, Knock. (Somme)
William Angus	Ramsburn	Private, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, fell in action in France, 4th Oct.1917, aged 28.
William Allan	Marnoch	Private, 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, fell in action in France, 20th Sept.1917 Occupation: Farm Servant. (Tyne Cot)
William Chalmers		Private, 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, fell in action in France, 24th Mar.1918. Son of Mrs Largue, Boghead, Drumblade. (Arras)
Robert Clark	Knock	Private, Labour Corps., Died Home 23rd May 1918, aged 18. Son of Alexander and Annie M. Clark.
George Dingwall	Inverisla	Private, 7th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, Died 30th July 1918, aged 23. Son of John and Jane Dingwall, Inverisla. (Soissons)
William Dingwall	Gartly	Lance Corporal, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles (Saskatchewan Regiment)  killed in action 7th April 1917, aged 28. Son of John and Jane Dingwall, Inverisla Cottage. Occupation: Fireman. (Vimy)
William Donald	Marnoch	Private, 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, killed at Loos in Flanders, between 25th and 29th September 1915. He was an Arts student and a son of John Donald, carpenter, Milltories, Rothiemay. He had been previously twice wounded in June. (Ypres)
William G. Dow		11462
William Duncan	Moss-side	Private, 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders was killed in France on 25th Sept. 1915, aged 24 Son of Adam & Jessie Duncan. (Loos)
William B, Duguid		Sergeant, 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders died 23rd April 1917. (Athies)
William George	Parks	Private, 66th Machine Gun Corps,  died of heart failure, aged 23 Salonika 30th March 1918. Son of William & Jessie Stewart George. (Karasouli, Greece)
George Horne	Craigmoss	Sergeant, 43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry, fell in action in France, 8th Oct.1916, aged 25. Occupation: Carpenter. Son of Alexander and Margaret G (Raeburn) Horne. (Regina)
George Jessiman	Muir of Kinnoir	Private, 27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) died 15th Sept. 1916, aged 26. Son of James and Jane Grant Jessiman, Muir of Kinnoir. (Vimy)
James Johnstone		Private, 1st Gordon Highlanders. Killed in Action 3rd March 1916 (Ypres)
William King
Albert Robert Lawrence		Private, 9th Battalion Royal Scots, died 24th May 1917. (Roeux)
George Mitchell	Inverkeithny	202596, L/Cpl., Killed in Action 12th February 1917.
John Mitchell		Private 1st Scots Guards, Died 9th October 1917, aged 19. (Tyne Cot)
Robert G. E. Singer Morren	Aberchirder	Private, 9th Battalion Gordon Highlanders  Died 28th March 1918, aged 20 (Beaurains)
John Munro	Cairnie	Private, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, died 17th July 1916.
Henry McBain		Private 43rd Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) Killed in action 8th October 1916,  aged 24. Son of Mr. Henry A. and Mrs. Jane McBain. Occupation: Carpenter. (Vimy)
William McInnes
William McWilliam	Cairnie	Private, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, killed in action in France, 26th Oct.1917, aged 20. Son of James & Ellen McWilliam, Tarryblake (Tyne Cot)
Cecil J. Primrose	Auchinclech	Bombardier, Royal Field Artillery "D" Battery 77th Army Brigade, died 1st Nov. 1918, aged 24 Son of James and Annie M Primrose (Famars) Commemorative Certificate
Alexander Russell		Acting sergeant, 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, DCM MM, died of wounds in France,19th Nov.1916, aged 23. (Rouen)
James Russell		Guardsman, Scots Guards, died in France, 3rd June 1915, Aged 35. Son of James Russell (Le Touret)
Alexander Scott	Woodside Cottage, Tarryblake	Private, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, fell in action, 3th Oct.1917, aged 22. Son of William and Isabella Scott, Woodside Cottage, Tarryblake (Hooge Crater)
James Scott	Woodside Cottage, Tarryblake	Piper, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, fell in action, 1st July 1916, aged 33. Occupation: Farm Servant. Son of William and Isabella Scott. Brother of above. (Mametz, Somme)
Alfred W. Sharp	Milltown	Private, 3rd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, died Home 10th Nov.1917, aged 19. Son of Alexander Sharp of Milltown.
George Smith		Private, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, Died in action 31st March 1916, aged 19. Son ofJane Smith (Ypers)
John Smith	Glennie House	L. Cpl, 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, 'A' Coy 4th platoon, Military Medal, killed 12th April 1918, aged 21. Son of James and Mary Jane Smith, Glennie House, Mayen. (Ploegstreet).
John Alexander Smith		Private, 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, Died Home 21st April 1916, aged 20
Alexander Stephen	Keith	Private, 16th Battalion Highland Light Infantry , died 15th Sept. 1917, aged 27. (Coxyde)
William Gauld Stephen	Keith	Acting Corporal, 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, died 25th Sept. 1915. (Loos)
Victor William Smith		Private 8th Black Watch, killed in Action 19th July 1918 Aged 20. Occupation: Farm Servant (Ploegsteert)
Alexander Thompson	Woodland	Fell in action in France, 14th Nov.1917.
James Wishart
Thomas Roberson Webster	Auchinbrae	Private, 1st/6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, fell at Beaumont Hamel, 13/14th Nov. 1916, aged 22. Occupation: Farm Servant Son of Thomas Robertson Webster and Annie Davidson (nee Barclay) Webster, Auchenbrae (Mailly-Maillet)
James Whyte	Retanach	L. Cpl, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, died 1st October 1918, aged 21. Son of James Whyte, Hillhead, Retanach (Masnieres)
John Christe Wright	Clovenstones	2nd Lt 20th Australian Infantry, died 2-3rd May 1917, aged 27. Son of Moses Simpson Wright and Margaret Wright, Waulkmill. Occupation: Principal, School of Art, School of Art, Adelaide (Villers-Bretonneux)
Others
James Duncan	(Grange)	Private 28th (North-west) Battalion, Canada Infantry, killed in action 21st August 1917, aged 26. Son of Mrs. Annie Brown, The Lodge, Tarryblake. (Vimy)
John H. Kiloh	(Keith)	Private 44th Battalion, Canada Infantry, killed in action 9th May 1917, aged 25. Occupation: Teamster. Son of Mrs. Mary Kiloh, Keith. (Vimy)
William McLennan	(Elgin)	Private 14th Battalion, Canada Infantry, killed in action 23rd April 1917, aged 39. Occupation: Canvasser. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander McLennan; husband of Annabella McLennan, Elgin. (Bois-Carre)
George Gray	(Turriff)	Private "C" Coy., 6th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, died 1st June 1915, aged 19. Son of John and Agnes Gray, Delgaty (Le Touret)
James Thom		Private NZ Machine Gun Battalion, killed in action 3rd October 1918, Son of Mrs. Annie Thom, of Dunedin, New Zealand. (Trescault)