Scottish National War Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Scottish National War Memorial is located in Edinburgh Castle
, and commemorates Scottish soldiers, and those serving with Scottish regiment
s, who died in the two world wars and in more recent conflicts. The monument was formally opened in 1927. It is housed in a redeveloped barrack block in Crown Square, at the heart of the castle, and incorporates numerous monuments.
, and Capt George Swinton of Kimmerghame, Edinburgh Castle was the obvious choice of site. The architect Sir Robert Lorimer
was appointed in 1919, but opposition to a large-scale monument arose from the Cockburn Association
and others concerned with the castle's heritage. Lorimer was one of the architects involved in the Imperial War Graves Commission. A more modest scheme to remodel the North Barrack Block was finally agreed in 1923, and the memorial was formally opened on 14 July 1927 by the Prince of Wales
. The exterior is decorated with gargoyle
s and sculpture, while the interior contains monuments to the individual regiments. The stained-glass windows are by Douglas Strachan
.
The memorial has been well maintained by a charitable trust known as the Scottish National War Memorial. It contains references to the British Empire, but its evident original aims were to commemorate Scots and those serving with Scottish regiment
s who had died in the First World War, from its declaration to the treaty of Versailles
of 28 June 1919 (confirmed military suicides and those tried and executed excepted). Upon the altar within the Shrine there was a sealed casket containing Rolls of Honour which listed over 147,000 names of those soldiers killed in the First World War together with open lists within the Hall, the inclusion of any name in the Hall having been apparently a matter within the discretion of those considered immediately concerned. After the Second World War the limiting dates were modified, with another 50,000 names inscribed on the Rolls of Honour within the Hall, and with further names over a presumably indefinite period currently continuing to be added there.
The most significant section historically and politically both nationally and internationally with reference to the First World War and the British Empire, as designed within the shrine added to the remodelled North Barrack Block and together with the entrance hall on the south side, also added by the architect, remains however the casket on the northern shrine at the highest point of the 'Castle Hill' (originally a volcano) given that the Shrine contains the names of the fallen in this casket donated by the King and the Queen at the opening of the memorial in 1927 and features on each side a frieze with marching troops and (in front to the north) the (Christian) Latin cross and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (here shown resurrected and, on the screens on each side east and west, related to the history of humanity with particular reference to human war in accordance with the Old Testament) and the issue of whether the memorial was intended (so far as history and current political issues were concerned) to relate specifically to one war only must therefore remain open, a rather controversial issue involving war memorials throughout Europe but, so far as the First World War is concerned, and leaving to one side the references to war in general, it seems to be confirmed in particular by the evident connection of this memorial in its own contemporary documentary evidence in the form of records, with particular connections of one sort and another with the dates of both the Treaty of Versailles (28 June 1919, in France) and the Allied Victory Parade (14 July in the same year, likewise in France) and consequently also with the inter-allied 'victory' medal together with the frieze on the 1871 Royal Albert Hall, parts of which frieze can also be related directly to the inscription some fifty years later on the south side of the 1927 West Hartlepool War Memorial 1914-1919
, 'Thine O Lord is the Victory'.
The 'Second World War' (1939 to 1945 in the West, known as the 'Great Patriotic War'
in the east) therefore created a number of possibly serious political problems once it had, in a manner distinct from the 'first', come to an end simultaneously in Europe in both east and west. The response of the government in the United Kingdom, with the consent of the monarchy, was to authorize the inclusion, both by express legislation and by implication as a result of governmental actions, of all names without distinction in both the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
, but as stated they could, in this particular memorial in Edinburgh, only, unfortunately, be at all reasonably included within the lists contained in the Hall, it being the case that the opening of a casket as donated by the monarchy would otherwise have to be authorized by both the Trustees and by the relevant body controlling charities in Scotland.
Does this suggest that other memorials elsewhere in the country in question and possibly also elsewhere might have been intended to relate only to one of the two wars usually described as the 'world wars' (there had already been a 'world war' in the 18th Century, the 'Seven Years War described as the 'first world war ' by Winston Cnurchill
)? This may perhaps be a question which may need to be resolved at a European level by collaboration between states within the Council of Europe, as confirmed by their own recent documents .
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
, and commemorates Scottish soldiers, and those serving with Scottish regiment
Scottish regiment
A Scottish regiment is any regiment that at some time in its history has or had a name that referred to Scotland or some part, thereof, and adopted items of Scottish dress...
s, who died in the two world wars and in more recent conflicts. The monument was formally opened in 1927. It is housed in a redeveloped barrack block in Crown Square, at the heart of the castle, and incorporates numerous monuments.
Development
Proposals for a Scottish National War Memorial were put forward in 1917, during the First World War, by John Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of AthollJohn Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl
Colonel John George Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl KT GCVO CB DSO PC ADC , styled Marquess of Tullibardine until 1917, was a Scottish soldier and Conservative politician.-Early life:...
, and Capt George Swinton of Kimmerghame, Edinburgh Castle was the obvious choice of site. The architect Sir Robert Lorimer
Robert Lorimer
Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer was a prolific Scottish architect noted for his restoration work on historic houses and castles, and for promotion of the Arts and Crafts style.-Early life:...
was appointed in 1919, but opposition to a large-scale monument arose from the Cockburn Association
Cockburn Association
The Cockburn Association is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is one of the world's oldest architectural conservation and urban planning monitoring organisations....
and others concerned with the castle's heritage. Lorimer was one of the architects involved in the Imperial War Graves Commission. A more modest scheme to remodel the North Barrack Block was finally agreed in 1923, and the memorial was formally opened on 14 July 1927 by the Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
. The exterior is decorated with gargoyle
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
s and sculpture, while the interior contains monuments to the individual regiments. The stained-glass windows are by Douglas Strachan
Douglas Strachan
Dr. Douglas Strachan was considered the most significant Scottish designer of stained glass windows in the 20th Century. Schooled at Robert Gordon's, he studied art at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen, at the Life School of the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, and the Royal Academy in London...
.
The memorial has been well maintained by a charitable trust known as the Scottish National War Memorial. It contains references to the British Empire, but its evident original aims were to commemorate Scots and those serving with Scottish regiment
Scottish regiment
A Scottish regiment is any regiment that at some time in its history has or had a name that referred to Scotland or some part, thereof, and adopted items of Scottish dress...
s who had died in the First World War, from its declaration to the treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
of 28 June 1919 (confirmed military suicides and those tried and executed excepted). Upon the altar within the Shrine there was a sealed casket containing Rolls of Honour which listed over 147,000 names of those soldiers killed in the First World War together with open lists within the Hall, the inclusion of any name in the Hall having been apparently a matter within the discretion of those considered immediately concerned. After the Second World War the limiting dates were modified, with another 50,000 names inscribed on the Rolls of Honour within the Hall, and with further names over a presumably indefinite period currently continuing to be added there.
The most significant section historically and politically both nationally and internationally with reference to the First World War and the British Empire, as designed within the shrine added to the remodelled North Barrack Block and together with the entrance hall on the south side, also added by the architect, remains however the casket on the northern shrine at the highest point of the 'Castle Hill' (originally a volcano) given that the Shrine contains the names of the fallen in this casket donated by the King and the Queen at the opening of the memorial in 1927 and features on each side a frieze with marching troops and (in front to the north) the (Christian) Latin cross and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (here shown resurrected and, on the screens on each side east and west, related to the history of humanity with particular reference to human war in accordance with the Old Testament) and the issue of whether the memorial was intended (so far as history and current political issues were concerned) to relate specifically to one war only must therefore remain open, a rather controversial issue involving war memorials throughout Europe but, so far as the First World War is concerned, and leaving to one side the references to war in general, it seems to be confirmed in particular by the evident connection of this memorial in its own contemporary documentary evidence in the form of records, with particular connections of one sort and another with the dates of both the Treaty of Versailles (28 June 1919, in France) and the Allied Victory Parade (14 July in the same year, likewise in France) and consequently also with the inter-allied 'victory' medal together with the frieze on the 1871 Royal Albert Hall, parts of which frieze can also be related directly to the inscription some fifty years later on the south side of the 1927 West Hartlepool War Memorial 1914-1919
West Hartlepool War Memorial
West Hartlepool War Memorial is a war memorial in Hartlepool, England which is dedicated to, and in honour of, both the living and the dead from the town of West Hartlepool in World War I.West Hartlepool was amalgamated with Hartlepool in the 1960s....
, 'Thine O Lord is the Victory'.
The 'Second World War' (1939 to 1945 in the West, known as the 'Great Patriotic War'
Great Patriotic War (term)
The term Great Patriotic War , Velíkaya Otéchestvennaya voyná,) is used in Russia and some other states of the former Soviet Union to describe the portion of World War II from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945, against Nazi Germany and its allies in the many fronts of Soviet-German war.-History:The term...
in the east) therefore created a number of possibly serious political problems once it had, in a manner distinct from the 'first', come to an end simultaneously in Europe in both east and west. The response of the government in the United Kingdom, with the consent of the monarchy, was to authorize the inclusion, both by express legislation and by implication as a result of governmental actions, of all names without distinction in both the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
, but as stated they could, in this particular memorial in Edinburgh, only, unfortunately, be at all reasonably included within the lists contained in the Hall, it being the case that the opening of a casket as donated by the monarchy would otherwise have to be authorized by both the Trustees and by the relevant body controlling charities in Scotland.
Does this suggest that other memorials elsewhere in the country in question and possibly also elsewhere might have been intended to relate only to one of the two wars usually described as the 'world wars' (there had already been a 'world war' in the 18th Century, the 'Seven Years War described as the 'first world war ' by Winston Cnurchill
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
)? This may perhaps be a question which may need to be resolved at a European level by collaboration between states within the Council of Europe, as confirmed by their own recent documents .