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Mike Morley
Joined: 17 Apr 2013 Posts: 8667 Location: Roberton, Lanarkshire
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:30 pm Post subject: Greenlaw Memorial Hall |
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I've had a search on the site and haven't found this one. I was having a browse elsewhere and came across this Hall which wasn't a WM originally. A short history is on the Hall website. http://greenlaw-memorial-hall.co.uk/history/
Happy to have this moved to another thread if that is more appropriate. (Or even delete it if I'm duplicating!) |
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Kenneth Morrison
Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 7760 Location: Rockcliffe Dalbeattie
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Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2020 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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Mike - The Berwickshire News back in 2010 had this:
Built in 1882, the Temperance Hall, as it was originally known, became the Memorial Hall when it was handed over to First World War veterans in 1918. In those days there were snooker tables and carpet bowls, playing cards and concerts. The hall was always open and well attended.
But disaster struck on April 7, 1941, when a Second World War bomb fell on Greenlaw. The hall was badly hit, and although it was repaired after the war, some of the lasting damage can still be seen today.
I've just run across these four men who were killed by “falling masonry due to war operations” at Townhead House, Greenlaw, Berwickshire. The newspaper notices about Wright and Johnstone's deaths noted that they were “due to enemy action”.
JAMES HENRY WRIGHT
Private
Service Number: D/39564
8th (H.D.) Bn.
King's Own Scottish Borderers
United Kingdom
Died 08 April 1941
44 years old
BERWICK-UPON-TWEED CEMETERY
JAMES JOHNSTONE
Corporal
Service Number: 3188334
8th (H.D.) Bn.
King's Own Scottish Borderers
United Kingdom
Died 08 April 1941
39 years old
SELKIRK CEMETERY, SELKIRKSHIRE
GEORGE HENDERSON ROSS GIBSON
Private
Service Number: 3195357
8th Bn.
King's Own Scottish Borderers
United Kingdom
Died 08 April 1941
25 years old
EDINBURGH (WARRISTON) CREMATORIUM
JAMES ROBERTSON
Private
Service Number: 7337051
8th Bn.
King's Own Scottish Borderers
United Kingdom
Died 08 April 1941
38 years old
STEWARTON CEMETERY
I'm not sure if the memorial hall and Townhead House are the same place but it does look like the men were billeted there.
The nearby RAF Charterhall WW1 airfield was being reconstructed in 1941, so perhaps the men were on "security duties"???
Maybe the Border chaps can clear this up???? _________________ Ken |
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Adam Brown Curator
Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 7312 Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)
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Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2020 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Mike. I think we should move this to the Border's section since it is an identified memorial and hope we can get some photos at some point in the future.
Kind regards
Adam |
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Mike Morley
Joined: 17 Apr 2013 Posts: 8667 Location: Roberton, Lanarkshire
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Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2020 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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Excellent, thanks Ken and Adam. |
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DerekR Moderator
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 3013 Location: Hawick, Scotland
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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Fascinating.
Well done Mike on the original research and Ken for the follow up information. _________________
Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear. |
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Merseman
Joined: 07 Aug 2013 Posts: 339 Location: Duns, Berwickshire
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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Greenlaw War Memorial Hall was refitted in the last decade, after a big grant.
Regarding those 4 men killed in 1941: 2 parachute mines got dropped on the town, maybe by an aircraft returning to the continent after a raid on Glasgow or Belfast. I think one landed in a field and the other landed near the junction of what is now the main road north (Duns Road) with the side streets of Bank Street and Church Street. It destroyed the north end of the row of houses on the west side, and killed 4 soldiers billeted in it. Blast devastated much of the rest of the row, plus it damaged nearby buildings, including the parish church which must be a couple of hundred yards away with row of houses between.
By sheer chance I came across reference to it in the biography of a man who spent WWII working as an insurance valuer... There was a young girl who got out of bed on hearing an aircraft and pressed her face to the glass to look. At that moment the mine exploded, blowing her and the window right across the room. She escaped relatively uninjured - but had she been a moment later in all liklihood would have been killed or seriously injured by flying glass.
It was not reported in Berwickshire News until Germany surrendered in 1945. |
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Merseman
Joined: 07 Aug 2013 Posts: 339 Location: Duns, Berwickshire
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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Where the bomb landed became the site of the Royal Bank of Scotland - now closed.
In this photo you can see the row of houses continuing south on the left.
Building directly behind the bank with the tall chimney is the War Mem hall.
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1567491
Here is a police note from the Borders archives:
http://www.calmview.eu/Hubcat/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=D%2F90%2F5%2F1%2F8
Police Reports, 14 and 17 April and letter, 22 April. Narrative of events after two parachute mines dropped on Greenlaw at 24:00, killing four soldiers in their billet and injuring others while causing severe damage including loss of power and communications: recognition of acts of gallantry by Police Contable John Laing, aged 46, of Greenlaw Police Station and colleagues and A.R.P. wardens James Robertson, Robert Buglass, James Dishington and Thomas Middlemiss.
Here is the entry from the Church of Scotland War Damage Register:
https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news-and-events/news/news-archive/2016/ledger-reveals-extent-of-war-damage-to-kirk-properties
Greenlaw Old Church in Duns. Roof damage, 16 windows were smashed and doors, plasterwork and paintwork damaged. Tower “considerably damaged”. April 7, 1941. |
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Merseman
Joined: 07 Aug 2013 Posts: 339 Location: Duns, Berwickshire
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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There is an article + photo in Berwickshire News, 19th June 1945, page 6. |
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