Honouring the fallen soldiers of Bainsford - Ian Scott

A century ago people across the district were doing the same thing in the immediate aftermath of the 1914-18 war eventually raising 17 crosses, obelisks, columns and cenotaphs bearing the names of their own fallen, but Bainsford, being then part of Falkirk, was different.

When the burgh memorial was completed in 1926 in Dollar Park it had no names and many families felt their promise that “we will remember them” was not being properly honoured.

Of course this historical wrong was put right just a few years ago and over 1600 names are now inscribed in Dollar Park thanks to the campaign led by former Provost Pat Reid.

The 100th anniversary of the Great War encouraged other communities to seek their own memorials and Camelon and Carronshore successfully raised the funds.

Tomorrow it is Bainsford’s turn and a great gathering of people will witness the official dedication of the great obelisk of Scottish whinstone bearing the names of all their soldiers and the battles in which they fought and fell.

It is the culmination of a campaign led by the new Provost of Falkirk, Robert Bissett, who gathered together a team of volunteers to plan the funding, design, creation and erection of the memorial.

At every stage the team worked with the local schools (and the college) and examples of children’s art work and poetry will feature in the opening event.

The band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland from Edinburgh will attend and there will be a tank on display as well as a fly past over the memorial during the ceremony.

Bainsford has every right to be proud of their fathers and grandfathers who crossed the sea in such numbers and so gave their lives to defend others from the ruthless forces which sought to tramp over their democratic freedoms.

In the first war the village lost 176 men and another 48 in 1939-45.

As well as this the men and women of the village toiled in Burnbank, Mungal and Castlelaurie foundries manufacturing the vital munitions required in the war effort.

It was then, as now, a team effort mirrored by all those who have played a part in bringing the project to a successful conclusion.

None more so that the skilled team who have just finished creating the memorial under the guiding hand of Con Bonner from local family firm Falkirk Stone Masons.

The massive block of stone quarried in Armadale was cut and finished by Peter and his specialist craftsmen at Tradstocks in Thornhill – at 3.8 tons and two metres tall the central column is the largest single block of whinstone anywhere in the UK.

The memorial was designed by architect Charles Reid and inspired by the surviving clock tower at Carron Works; the names of the fallen were inscribed by Katrena Hawkins and her team Quality Masonry Services in Falkirk.

From tomorrow the people of Bainsford and all those who will follow them will have a place to gather and remember.