Scotland`s War Memorials
Glasgow
I have a large collection of War Memorial images, both in the UK and abroad and this section is due to be revamped with memorials listed in their respective regional locations etc* This page covers War Memorials in the City of Glasgow itself while another section covers memorials in the county of Lanarkshire (LINK*).
Intro etc *
The Cenotpah
Cenotaph, George Square *
text*
Glasgow Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral memorials on separate page etc* (LINK)*
Spanish Civil War Memorial
This monument, by Liverpool based sculptor Arthur Dooley (1929-1994), is a tribute to the British Volunteers of the International Brigade who fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39. It stands on Customs House Quay at the south west corner of Clyde Street, facing the River Clyde. More than 2,000 Britons volunteered to join the fight against Franco’s armies in the late 1930s. Of the 134 Scots who died, 65 were from Glasgow.
The figure represents Isidora Dolores Ibárruri Gómez (1895-1989), known as `La Pasionaria`, `the Passion Flower`, a Spanish Republican heroine and communist politician of Basque origin who fought against Franco`s forces and was famed for her slogan `No Pasarán!` ("They shall not pass") during the Battle for Madrid in November 1936.
The monument was commissioned by the International Brigade Association of Scotland in 1974, and Dooley`s fee of £3,000 was raised after an appeal to Trades Unionists and members of the Labour Movement in Scotland. Dooley had originally intended the statue to be of bronze but this was rejected due to cost and a fibreglass figure was used instead. A controversial project from the outset, it attracted hostile opposition from Glasgow's Conservative Councillors, who vowed to demolish the memorial whenever they unseated the city's Labour administration, therefore the monument`s unveiling in 1977 was a relatively low key affair.
© Imperial War Museum
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© Imperial War Museum
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The IWM image on the left shows members of the Brigadas Internacionales practising drill. These paramilitary units were set up by Communist International, an international communist organisation that advocated world communism. The organisation was in existence from 1936 until 1938 and it`s estimated that during the course of the Spanish Civil War, between 32,000 and 35,000 men and women served in the International Brigades, 15,000 of whom died in combat. The largest number of volunteers came from France which had a large Communist Party.
International Brigades, backed by the Soviet Union, participated in the Battle of Madrid, Jarama, Guadalajara, Brunete, Belchite, Teruel, Aragon and the Ebro although Franco`s Nationalist forces, assisted by Germany, Italy and Portugal were usually victorious. The image on the right above shows civilians searching for victims amid the rubble after a German air raid on Madrid in March 1938. Before the conflict ended, the International Brigades were integrated into the Spanish Republican Army as part of the Spanish Foreign Legion.
International Brigades, backed by the Soviet Union, participated in the Battle of Madrid, Jarama, Guadalajara, Brunete, Belchite, Teruel, Aragon and the Ebro although Franco`s Nationalist forces, assisted by Germany, Italy and Portugal were usually victorious. The image on the right above shows civilians searching for victims amid the rubble after a German air raid on Madrid in March 1938. Before the conflict ended, the International Brigades were integrated into the Spanish Republican Army as part of the Spanish Foreign Legion.
Kelvingrove Park
This statue, in Glasgow`s Kelvingrove Park, commemorates Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts of Kandahar VC (1832 - 1914) and is an exact replica of the original which was unveiled in Calcutta, India, in 1898 to acknowledge his actions during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny. (to edit*)
Roberts was born in Cawnpur, India. His father was General and his mother a Major`s daughter therefore it was not surprising that he was destined for a career in the Army.
He served with distinction in the Indian Mutiny and was awarded the VC for repeated acts of heroism. He rose through the ranks to become Field Marshall, serving in the army for over fifty years and although he was a successful Commander in several campaigns he will chiefly be remembered for his actions in the North-West Frontier during the Afghan War of 1878. Roberts died during the Great War in 1914, aged 82 years, when visiting Indian troops on the Western Front. The cost of the statue in Kelvingrove Park was raised by public subscription from Glasgow residents and unveiled in 1916 while the Great War was at its height. It depicts Roberts on his favourite Arab charger and the granite pedestal on which it stands has bronze reliefs of horse artillery, native cavalry, Gurkha, Sikhs and kilted Highlanders. Two bronze seated figures represent War and Victory. |
The armoured male figure seen here represents War and a female figure on the other side, seated on the prow of a ship is Victory.
The Highland Light Infantry Regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 when the 71st (Highland) Light Infantry, the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot, two battalions of the 1st Royal Lanarkshire Militia and several volunteer battalions of infantry from the same county amalgamated as the city regiment of Glasgow.
The HLI (apart from the Glasgow Highlanders Territorial Battalion) was the only Highland regiment to wear trews (tartan trousers) rather than kilts. This came about because the 74th had spent its first fifteen years in India where the kilt was considered too hot and heavy. Despite numerous requests over the years to have it reinstated it was not finally restored until 1947. In the First and Second World Wars the regiment`s numbers swelled considerably. No less than twenty-six battalions fought in the Great War along with the additional garrison and reserve units that were formed to swell the ranks and replace the vast numbers lost in action. The HLI served not only on the Western Front but also in Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia and in 1919, Archangel in Russia. Two weeks into the Battle of the Somme the British faced the obstacle of the Bazentin Ridge, a line of heavily fortified trenches and strongpoints which commanded an excellent view of all approaches. Along the ridge Bazentin Le Petit Wood stood to the west, Delville Wood lay to the east and High Wood dominated the centre. |
On 15th July, 1916, the British attacked and among those tasked to take High Wood were the 9th Glasgow Highlanders. On the left, five miles of the German second line was captured, as was Bazentin Wood, while on the right the epic six-day struggle for Delville Wood began. In the centre High Wood was captured apart from a small corner but the Germans soon counter-attacked and regained control. Fierce fighting continued for two months until the wood was finally taken during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette when tanks were used for the first time.
Hardly a splintered tree stump was left above ground and it is estimated that the remains of around 8000 soldiers, British and German, still lie there today.The shell holes have long since filled with soil or water and the woods have recovered but due to the vast amount of unexploded ordnance access is not permitted.
Hardly a splintered tree stump was left above ground and it is estimated that the remains of around 8000 soldiers, British and German, still lie there today.The shell holes have long since filled with soil or water and the woods have recovered but due to the vast amount of unexploded ordnance access is not permitted.
This cairn (above) commemorates the attack made by the 9th (Glasgow) Highlanders Battalion (Highland) Light Infantry which took place on 15th July. The 192 stones incorporated in the memorial were collected near to the Culloden Battlefield and represent the total number of soldiers who fell. The cairn, topped by a Glasgow paving stone, reaches 5`7" which was the minimum recruiting height for the battalion. The inscription in Gaelic reads, `Just here, Children of the Gael went down shoulder to shoulder on 15 July 1916.`
A short distance to the southeast lies Delville Wood, another strongly defended German-held position. The South African Brigade, attached to the 9th (Scottish) Division were given the task of capturing the wood after the 9th (Scottish) took nearby Longueval village. At dawn on 15 July, the same day as the HLI made their attack on High Wood, the South Africans attacked. By nightfall four of their regiments had been committed and despite a further five days of bitter, often hand-to-hand fighting the Germans were not fully evicted until 25 August.
Troops holding Delville Wood named the trench lines after well-known British streets and the large number of Scots seemed to have had an influence. Rides through the wood now have stone blocks (above) to mark the names of the main trenches.
In July 2002, a statue (below) was unveiled at Longueval to represent the the Pipers of the various regiments who fought in the Great War. The village was chosen as following its capture by the 9th (Scottish) Division many pipers from numerous regiments would have marched through on their way to the front line. |
In 1923 the HLI became known as the City of Glasgow Regiment. They were based at the City`s Maryhill Barracks and in later years a pub that stood in Maryhill Road adjacent to the barracks changed its name to the HLI Bar.
During the Second World War the HLI fought in France until the Dunkirk evacuation, Abyssinia, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Greece and following the D-Day invasion, returned to France and pushed through the low countries and on to Germany. The earliest memorial to the HLI was unveiled in Glasgow`s Kelvingrove Park on 28 September 1906 and is dedicated to the 127 non-commissioned officers and men who fell in action or died of disease during the Boer War of 1899-1902. Carved in sandstone, the seated figure represents a trooper on scouting duty. The sculptor was William Birnie Rhind (1853-1933) who was commissioned to produce several other fine Scottish Regimental memorials. The Kelvingrove unveiling was performed by Field Marshall The Duke of Connaught, the Regiment's then Colonel-in-Chief with the 2nd Battalion of the regiment forming a Guard of Honour. |
Kelvingrove Museum
This monument stands outside the Kelvingrove Art gallery & Museum and commemorates 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force (1939-1945). It is inscribed `In honour of those who gave their today for our tomorrow`. It also bears the motto of the Royal Air Force `Per Ardua Ad Astra.` (Through difficulties to the stars). This was also adopted by other Commonwealth air forces such as the RAAF, RNZAF, as well as the Royal Indian Air Force until 1947. The RCAF used it until 1968.
602 Sqn`s Battle Honours are listed as `Home Defence 1940-1945, Battle of Britain 1940, Fortress Europe 1940-1944, Channel & North Sea 1940-1943, Dieppe, Normandy 1944 and France & Germany 1955-1945. (to edit)* Spitfire details* |
Victoria Park
Additional images and information can be found on my blog, Clydeside Images.com. Further War Memorial and Military History content, not exclusively relating to Scotland, may also feature in the galleries of individual countries on this site. Also, check out my Stock Photography Archive for even more shots.