Recognition sought for Dumfries and Galloway munitions workers

One of the lesser knows facts about the area of Dumfries and Galloway is the contribution it played in both World Wars, as hosted a number of munitions factories, and was a major source of the cordite used to fire the shells (and bullets) that were used in such vast numbers, especially in the first of those two conflicts.

The largest was HM Factory Gretna, of which we’ve managed to dig up a little of the history, and was once described as “the biggest factory in the world” (some 9 miles long by 2 miles wide), and where the Devil’s Porridge was made during World War I.

During the World War II, there were munitions factories in towns such as Dumfries, Dalbeattie (Edingham), Powfoot, and Carsegowan near Wigtown.

Many of these sites are largely unknown, as they were either abandoned and razed, or left to become derelict and ruined, with no attempts to preserve any as historic sites. But some did see later use, in part, as industrial estates.

An MP is seeking details of munitions factory workers from both world wars in order to seek formal recognition from the UK government for their efforts.

Russell Brown said many of them had been employed in factories in his Dumfries and Galloway constituency.

He has been leading the effort to win recognition for the predominantly female workforce.

He said the main reason it had not happened was the lack of a complete list of who was employed at the sites.

Now he has called on local people to get in touch with the details of individuals in the region who worked in the factories.

He has put an online form on his website where information can be logged.

Mr Brown said: “Munitions workers – the majority of whom were women – played a vital part in the war effort and deserve to be recognised by our country.

“Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to these heroes on the Home Front, many of whom were seriously injured or even killed during their hard and dangerous work.

“I have been pressing government ministers to take action and I am pleased that we are making progress, albeit not as quickly as I would like.”

Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown and Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray are asking for local people to get involved in this campaign by providing information about individuals in the region who worked in munitions factories.

Anyone who has information which may help can submit it through the form given on the following site.

Online form for information relating to munitions worked in Dumfries and Galloway

via BBC News – Dumfries and Galloway munitions worker recognition plea.

The campaign was reported in the local media earlier this year:

Russell Brown MP steps up campaign for recognition of wartime munitions workers – Dumfries and Galloway Standard

Publicity drive in Scotland for Commonwealth War Graves Commission

A campaign has begun in Scotland to raise awareness of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The organisation is responsible for 20,000 war graves in the UK and cemeteries abroad.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission – CWGC

via BBC News – War graves commission highlighted.

Poppyscotland 2011

It’s hard to believe that yet another year has passed since I made our traditional mention of the annual poppy appeal, in particular our own Poppyscotland local variation on the national theme.

I make this small contribution to maintaining awareness of this appeal, since so many of the secret, or lost, items which can be identified around Scotland have a basis somewhere in the two great conflicts, and even today, we are discovering formerly unknown links to that past, as archives are trawled, and sealed records opened.

Sadly, the chances of discovering any new revelations from survivors are now dwindling rapidly, and we can only hope that those who have remained silent will share their knowledge, before it is perhaps lost forever.

This year, at least as I make this post, it is not tarnished by some tale of bottom-feeders having stolen donations – although I suspect that is more likely to be my failure to detect this, rather than its absence somewhere in the land.

There is however, an act of disrespect and desecration to past heroes and their memorial, with the increasing occurrence of theft of statues, plaques, and other metalwork from memorial (and not just war memorials) by metal thieves, and scrap metal dealers with no scruples, who are happy to part with untraceable cash in exchange for items which the seller obviously can have no right to be disposing of. BOTH deserve to be caught and dealt with harshly by the authorities. The crime is bad enough, and the addition of insult needs to be dealt with similarly.

BBC News – Metal thieves target Britain’s war memorials

On a more positive note, Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory celebrated its 90th anniversary this year:

A Scottish Government minister has paid tribute to veterans who work at the country’s only poppy factory.

On Tuesday, Transport and Housing Minister Keith Brown, who is responsible for veterans’ issues, visited Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh.

The factory employs disabled veterans to hand-assemble the poppies and wreaths which form a key part of Armistice Day ceremonies.

Every year more than five million poppies and 8000 wreaths are produced for the annual Scottish Poppy Appeal, which is marking its 90th year.

The 40 former servicemen employed at the factory have just finished making the poppies for this year’s appeal, and are now starting on next year’s consignment.

Mr Brown said: “The Scottish Poppy Appeal run by Poppyscotland is a fantastic example of the respect and pride we bestow on our war veterans. Without the funding raised by the appeal, many simply would have nowhere else to turn for support.

“In many respects, the issues facing our armed forces as they return from battle are similar to what they would have been 90 years ago when the poppy appeal was established.

“Over the years there has been a tremendous amount of money donated and, as our military involvement continues to grow, so too does the need for us to support our ex-servicemen and women.”

Poppy factory celebrates 90th anniversary of appeal | Edinburgh News | STV Local

Dunoon museum seeks Italians

A recent article in the Dunoon Observer reported that Dunoon’s Castle House Museum was eager to hear from local families of Italian descent.

The museum plans to hold an exhibition regarding the influence of these families, as they have had an influence in the area, and although they were not confined to such activities, much of the population became involved in the catering industry, as visitors to the coast over the years will have visited their chip shops, ice-cream parlours, and restaurants.

A Spokesperson for the museum said:

We are aware of the major contribution made by them in businesses, etc. The museum would like to properly record these contributions with a display of photographs and/or other memorabilia. The names of the families of which we are aware include Antonelli, Botteon, Capocci, Catignani, Drovandi, Francesco; Giarchi, Minghella, Moroni; Moscardinni, Pellicci; Porchetta, Thomas/Tomaso, Venterotti and Zambonini.

The article notes that an estimated 100,000 people in Scotland are of Italian descent or are Italian nationals, and that represents 1.9 per cent of the Scottish population.

The departure of these families is said to date back to 1890, when drought, famine, and poverty in Italy drove them to seek better prospects elsewhere.

The events of World War I saw the Scots-Italian population increase to some 4,000, and Glasgow is said to have had the third largest Italian community in the UK.

World War II saw a darker period descend on the Italian immigrant community, as Italy’s fascist tendencies resulted  in many families being split up as adult males were interred, and the remaining  family members were left to cope with mistrust, discrimination, and even violence from their former friends. Their businesses were attacked, and shop windows smashed, and it was not uncommon for the Italian owners to place pictures and details of the male members of their families in the window, showing that they were actually members of the British Army, and risking their lives fighting overseas.

The museum is open from 10.30am to 4.30pm (Sunday 2pm – 4.30pm) until October 28.

During the winter months it will be open each Wednesday morning for work to be carried out and any items can be handed in then.

Please contact John (01369) 701422 or e-mail info@castlehousemuseum.org.uk

Castle House Museum Dunoon

via MUSEUM SEEKS ITALIANS.

Remembrance 2010 and spoilers

I don’t really know what has kept me so diverted, or if things have been particularly low key this year, but it was only when I arrived at the shops last night I really noticed my first proper poppy event – with some Army personnel doing their stuff around the checkouts.

Maybe I’m not watching enough ‘live’ TV nowadays – the current love affair it seems to have with the talentless (nobodies who seem to think they have talent) and the worthless (celebrities who seem to think they are gods) – means I’ve retreated to channels that serve up programmes made in the days when television was not just a medium for personal promotion and blatant sponsorship.

Anyway, that is tangential and irrelevant to the subject, and I just want to make sure we make our little contribution to the appeal (because so many of the little-known subjects we describe have wartime connections or origins) by giving it a mention.

Last year was marred by the story of a couple caught on video while stealing a Poppy Appeal container with donations.

This year, I spotted a story about an anti-poppy demonstration which took place at Celtic Park, noted because it is not far from me. Apparently this is becoming a regular occurrence, and the club has been slated for not doing more to prevent its re-occurrence. I’ve no idea if it’s the club’s fault or not – it ‘s not that hard to sneak a protest banner in after all given the flags etc that fans carry – they’d have to ban the lot to be effective. The real shame is that this sort of thing continues to show a lack of respect, and that the real story of today.

Click on the image or button below for further details of the Poppy Appeal, and how you might be able to help:

Gates stolen from Tayport War Memorial

Police in Fife are investigating the theft of the bronze entry gates to the War Memorial at Craig Road in Tayport.

The gates, valued in the region of £7,000 were stolen some time during June/July of this year.

It’s a sad reflection of the rubbish we have to share space with, as this follows an earlier item featured, regarding a mining disaster memorial statue stolen weeks after unveiling.

Unfortunately, the loss of the gates was not notified for some time, as it seems passers-by assumed the council had simply removed them for cleaning or maintenance, and no-one from the council noticed their absence.

It is thought that the delay means they are gone for good, having been melted down by the thieves as scrap.

Anybody with information relating to this theft is asked to call Fife Police on 0845 600 5702 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where all calls are treated anonymously.

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Remembrance and respect

Since many of the items which interest us arose during the war, I like to take the opportunity to mention Remembrance Sunday and the Poppy Appeal, which is now PoppyScotland here.

I never quite know what to write, since this is a recurring event, but had been mulling over the significance this year of the absence of any survivors from the first great conflict, as the last survivor – Harry Patch, known as The Last Tommy – passed away earlier this year, aged 111 years and 38 days, and the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of the World War I.

It had never occurred to me before, but when I noticed his birthday fell in 1898, it reminded me that my own grandfather had lied about his age so that he could join up during World War I, but I don’t know exactly when. Whatever the events, it wasn’t something he mentioned often, and  I don’t recall the details now, as he did live to a fair age, but his later years were ruined thanks to a lifetime of tobacco – it may not have killed him outright, but it led to a series of strokes, ruined his circulation, and all but destroyed his ability to walk. Despite this, he fought to retain his independence right up to his last day, and insisted on living on his own. Possibly a characteristic of that generation.

Respect

However, I’ve cut short the thoughts I had on that subject, after I was diverted onto the topic of respect, which is something I believe is deeply entrenched in the spirit of Remembrance which we commemorate at this time.

This happened when I saw a recent BBC Scotland video report which allegedly show a woman, accompanied by a male who diverted the shop staff, stealing a Poppy appeal container.

I could probably waffle on for ages about how despicable this is, as in any sort of theft or crime carried out against those who depend on the charity of others in any way, but I think the cowardice and lack  of respect in the case of this particular action marks it out for special mention, and merely adding further words to its mention would be pointless

I prefer to simply give the couple, and their faces, the publicity they deserve, and let the world see this brave pair in action:

Even after Remembrance

2009 doesn’t seem to have been a good year for respect, and on the day after Remembrance Day, a poppy charity collection was was Stolen from the Marriot Hotel in Riverview Drive, Dyce.

No pictures this time though, and Grampian Police wish to trace a a man seen in the area, described as being in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, and dressed in dark clothing.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Poppy money’s theft ‘despicable’

Museum seeks former RAF East Fortune personnel

The National Museum of Flight at East Fortune has two new displays for 2009.

Fortunes of War

Fortunes of  War aims to explore the history of the airfield across two world wars, with an emphasis on the jobs, duties and personal stories of the men and women who served there. It will illustrate the airfield’s history through the 20th century using a mix of recorded interviews, maps, models, historic objects, aircraft wings, uniforms and equipment.

One of the main features of centres on the memories of staff and personnel who were posted to the airfield, in World War I when it served as Royal Naval Air Station, and then in World War II when it became an RAF station. Museum staff have already been in contact with those who served there, and are keen to contact anyone who spent time there.

Any former service personnel from RAF East Fortune wishing to get in touch with the museum can make contact through the web site given above, or contact Ian Brown on 0131 247 4201.

Fantastic Flight

Fantastic Flight is an exhibition designed to demonstrate the wonder of flight, and will be located in the former World War II workshops of the airfield. It will use a combination of historic objects and interactive exhibits to allow visitors to interact with such things as the forces of flight including gravity, lift, thrust and drag and find out whether they have the necessary skills to be a pilot – observational skills, hearing, colour-vision, peripheral vision, hand-eye coordination and reaction times. The exhibits will include a wind-tunnel, air cannon and a pedal powered propeller. Visitors will be able to try their hand on an  R34 airship simulator and gain an impression what it might have been like to fly one of these great machines.

Opening times and charges vary throughout the years, although the new features are included in the standard admission charge, and the web site given above should be checked before travelling.

Not so forgotten trenches

On the anniversary of Armistice Day, the BBC ran a news item about the Forgotten trenches of Word War I, and while it’s true to say that not many people are aware of their existence, I hope anyone paying attention to items posted in here, and more importantly our Main Site, might just be part of the few that are.

We’ve never featured any of the practice trenches around Scotland on their own, but thanks to the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), and its reports on many of the military training areas we’ve researched, we learned that many of these area, and sometime the accommodation camps that dotted the country, were used for practice trenches, and not just during World War I.

In reality, there were probable even more than reported, as we’ve had the odd email from locals who’s memories have been jogged by reading one of articles, and they’ve mentioned the trenches left behind.

While this could be an ideal subject for the online aerial imaging services offered by Google and Microsoft, especially as their high resolution coverage across the country increases, the sad reality is that most of these areas have been absorbed in development, or ploughed out of existence.

Unfortunately, the only one I can remember as I type is Stobs Camp, a World War I and II training area in the Scottish Borders dating back to 1903, but none of the online imaging services cover the area at the moment. There is also Dundonald, but that camp belongs to World War II.

Scottish Poppy Appeal 2008

The Scottish Poppy Appeal for 2008 was launched in Dundee on October 23, by Lorraine Kelly, together with its diary of events.

In 2006, the appeal launched a new identity – Poppyscotland, to help with easier identification of its round the year work in fundraising and support to veterans. The Earl Haig Fund Scotland has not disappeared – it remains the  organisation’s legally-registered name.

The Earl Haig Fund Scotland is a registered charity, founded in 1921 by Field Marshal Earl Haig, to provide practical help in time of need to all ex-Servicemen, women and their dependants.

Poppyscotland is the only charity officially recognised by the Scottish Parliament and every year is invited to launch the Appeal at Holyrood.

I hadn’t noticed, but it seems the canny Scottish Poppy can be identified by its lack of a leaf when compared to its cousin from the south, a shrewd saving which ultimately swells the coffers by some £15, 000 at present costs.

Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory produces over four million poppies each year, and supports employment for veterans with disabilities, with 33 veterans employed at present, aged between 30 and 72, and having served in every campaign from Korea to the first Gulf War.

The 2008 diary of events:

27th October	National Launch Stirling Castle 4:00 pm – Thanksgiving Service Families of Service personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq have arranged a special thanksgiving service in their honour. The non-denominational service will be held in Stirling at the Church of the Holy Rude, where tribute will also be paid to the sacrifices made by all Servicemen and women in recent conflicts. A spokesperson will be available for interview and a statement will be issued on behalf of the families. 6:30 pm – Launch of the 2008 Scottish Poppy Appeal, Stirling Castle Hosted by First Minister. The event will be covered by BBC Newsreader Sally McNair and attended by 400 supporters of Poppyscotland.
29th October	MSPs Launch Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
3rd – 9th November	Poppy Week
3rd November	Edinburgh Garden of Remembrance Opening Ceremony Princes St, Edinburgh
4th November	Glasgow Garden of Remembrance Opening Ceremony George Square, Glasgow
8th November	Poppy Saturday
9th November	Remembrance Sunday
11th November	Armistice Day and 11-11-11 T