Garnock Valley Family History Group mark centenary of World War 1

Team members Julie Crook, Cath Macdonald, Jim Lindsay, Margaret Wilson, Robert Clark, Alison Barr, Sadie and Ian McEwan and Andy Simpson worked together with Beith Cultural and Heritage Society and Friends of Spiers to organise the event at 11am on August 4 in the grounds of Spier’s School.

The aim was ‘To commemorate all the Garnock Valley men who served their country in its hours of need 1914 – 1919.” Well known local piper, Harry Ellis, played appropriate tunes as the guests and audience arrived for and departed the event, giving an added dimension of formality and grace to a very special occasion. He played the march, The Battle of Passchendaele; a lament The Battle of the Somme and the melody, The Green Hills of Tyrol, better known simply as A Scottish Soldier.

The invited guests in attendance included Katy Clark MP, Kenneth Gibson MSP, Rev Mark Kelly, Rev Fiona C Ross, Mrs Joyce Walker, secretary, Beith UR Church, Councillor Jean Highgate, Councillor Catherine McMillan and representatives from Kilbirnie Community Council and Dalry Community Council.

Special guests invited to take part in the tree planting ceremony were Mr and Mrs William Brown (Kilbirnie); Mr George Colligan (Beith) and Mr Neil Blair (Dalry).

Apologies were received from Councillor Robert Barr, Deputy Provost of NAC; Councillors John Bell and Anthea Dickson, Rev James Teasdale and Rev Roddy Macdonald.

After an introduction and warm welcome to all in attendance by R Allan Richardson, chair of Beith Cultural and Heritage Society, he invited Donald L Reid, the Herald’s Beith correspondent and Hon President of Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club, to read three poems which linked appropriately to the Great War.

Donald began by reciting The Ordinary Man by Robert W Service. In his preface to the poem Donald explained how many thousands of ordinary folk, from all walks of life, immediately answered the call to serve their country, many unfortunately making the ultimate sacrifice and this poem was a fitting tribute to them.

The second poem, In Flanders Field by John McCrae, is one of the classic war poems. McCrae served throughout the great war and tragically at its end he died of illness. In Flanders Field was written after the death of a colleague. McCrae, the brigade Doctor, carried out the funeral service. The final poem was Young Fellow My Lad by Robert W Service, which highlighted the anguish of family waiting to hear news of loved ones serving in France on the front and all too often the news was tragic.

A commemorative tree, a Golden Weeping Willow (Salix x sepulcralis Chrysocoma), was planted with the assistance of four local folk who have strong family connections to the Great War. Mr and Mrs William Brown of Kilbirnie began the ceremonial planting. Mr Brown’s grandfather, William Willis, was killed in the war and was the first Kilbirnie soldier to have a public funeral.

Mr George Colligan of Beith was able to report that his father served and fortunately survived whilst he lost two uncles, Mr George Colligan and Mr James Chalmers, both of whom are remembered on the Beith war memorial.

Mr Neil Blair represented the people of Dalry in the tree planting ceremony. He had two great uncles who fought in the Great War, Mr James Reid who  survived whilst Mr William Reid lost his life and is remembered on the Dalry war memorial.

During the tree planting ceremony two very talented flautists from Beith, Alice Crook and Caitlin Turner played Roses of Picardy, It’s a long way to Tipperary, Pack up your Troubles medley and finished with I Vow to Thee my Country. Afterwards R Allan Richardson, invited Rev Fiona C Ross to dedicate the tree in prayer, remembering those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

In his closing remarks Mr Richardson thanked everyone for coming along to Spiers grounds on such a lovely morning. He recalled that as a former pupil, it held special memories to him and others present.

He made special mention of the Garnock Valley Family History Group for their work in tirelessly researching those from the Garnock Valley who served in the Great War and for making all the arrangements for the tree planning ceremony. He also commended the group for their work on creating such a fascinating exhibition on the Great War which was held in Beith Townhouse. He thanked Ian Ferguson for taking photographs of the event and Harry Ellis for his excellent piping.

The group are also working on the 2nd World War to identify folk who served and those who did not return. They will hold an exhibition on their findings in Beith Townhouse which will run from August 30 until November 22. He encouraged everyone to attend and publicise this important exhibition.

He also thanked Friends of Spiers (FoS) and made special mention of Fergus Highgate of FoS for helping with the ground preparation for the tree planting.

It is sobering to recall that in the Garnock Valley alone over 500 men died in the Great War. In Beith over 800 men are known to have served whilst in Dalry that figure is almost 1,000, albeit it is believed that these figures are somewhat underestimated. This information is gathered from those named on local war memorials and from reports in the local newspapers – the Herald and Beith Supplement.

Julie Crook of GVFHA, a dedicated volunteer who always goes the extra mile in her commitment to the local community, said: “We wanted to have a local ceremony to coincide with all the national and international events being held on August 4.

“We want to say a big thank you to all those who took part, and everyone who turned up and helped make it such a special event.

“By the way we will be erecting a plaque by the Great War tree sometime in the next couple of months which will say when the tree was planted and that it commemorates all those from the Garnock Valley who served in the First World War.” Following the event, Katy Clark MP said: “The Commemoration at Spiers was extremely moving and really brought home the human cost of the First World War. The Garnock Valley, like other communities in Ayrshire, lost some of their best.

“The poems and flute music chosen truly demonstrated the tragic loss of the young but also the spirit of the times. Events such as this one organised by the Garnock Valley Family History Group are so important to recognising the huge sacrifice which was made and the horrors of the War.” Kenneth Gibson MSP, added: “On Monday, the impact of the Great War on the people and communities of the Garnock Valley was brought home in a very moving tribute, made more poignant by the presence of those whose family members had made the ultimate sacrifice.

“It was a privilege to be there and take time to listen and reflect on a never to be forgotten conflict which took so many lives and inflicted so much grief. The 100th anniversary of the start of the war should be a time for reflection and remembering.” The efforts of GVFHG have to be commended for their outstanding research work on the Great War and how it impacted on the Garnock Valley. Everyone will join in thanking Julie Crook and all the team for arranging a quite outstanding and very moving service of remembrance and tree planting. It was indeed a fitting tribute to those local men who served and those who paid the ultimate price of war.