Falkirk’s Bairns finally named on war memorial

The names of around 1600 servicemen and women have been added to the town’s war memorial in a £125,000 project.

When the cenotaph in Camelon Road was first unveiled in 1926 unlike other memorials, it didn’t carry the individual names of all the locals who died in World War I.

Now following a fundraising campaign, the memorial has been extended and two new stone pillars added bearing the names of those who died in the First World War and the subsequent battles of WWII.

This Sunday at 10am a service of rededication will take place.

Attended by former soldiers, cadet and representatives from the local regiment, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the RAF, Navy and NHS.

The project was the idea of former provost Pat Reid who formed a committee, The Friends of Falkirk War Memorial, to take the initiative forward.

Support also came from Falkirk Council, the Friends of Dollar Park and individuals.

The work started on site in July. The extended memorial now includes new granite panels, imported from India, set into sandstone from the north of England – selected to match the original stonework.

The team responsible for carrying out the work was almost entirely all local firms.

Morris Rob, the Friends chairman, said: ““It’s great to see the war memorial sensitively extended. I hope the families of those who died will find some comfort from what we’ve done here.”