War tribute in the sand
Hundreds flock to mark 100 years
Up to 1000 people took to Ayr Beach to commemorate those who left their home shores and never came back in World War 1.
the crowd gathered to witness the sand portrait of Walter tull being created before being washed away by the tide, to say goodbye to him and thousands of fallen heroes of the Great War.
A large- scale portrait of Walter, the first black officer in the British Army and one of the first black scottish footballers, was designed by sand In Your Eye.
It was drawn into the sand on Ayr Beach and washed away as the tide came in – representing a small selection of the millions who gave their lives to the war effort.
the portraits featured across 32 beaches in the UK and Ireland were chosen by film director Danny Boyle to represent a range of stories.
A poignant atmosphere filled Ayr beach on Sunday as hundreds descended upon the sands to remember millions of fallen soldiers lost in conflict.
Nationwide art project Pages of the Sea marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1 by giant sand portraits of casualties which were etched into beaches across the country.
And Ayr beach was one of 32 across the UK to be selected to be part of film director Danny Boyle’s mass artwork to mark the important moment in history.
While many took to the beach to remember Walter Tull, Britain’s first black officer who trained in Gailes, Ayrshire, others were remembering soldiers with links closer to home.
Private John Nimmo MM, of The Ayrshire Yeomanry, attached to 12th Royal Scots Fusiliers, died from machine gun wounds in France 100 years ago – three months before the Armistice was signed. He was just 22.
His legacy is honoured and lived on through his namesake and nephew John Wilson Nimmo, 83, and great niece Isi Nimmo, 64, who have extensively researched their family history.
The pair remembered the war hero by drawing a silhouette in the sand, accompanied by Isi’s handwritten Haku Japanese poem.
John Nimmo was the eldest son of farm workers William and Agnes Nimmo, who resided at various areas across Ayrshire including Brocket Cottage, Monkton, Dovehill, Saunterne Road, Prestwick, and Trees, Maybole.
Prior to enlisting with the Ayrshire Yeomanry in 1915, John had been employed as a ploughman at Kilhenzie, Kirkmichael, and also by Mr Bone of Merkland.
He served in Egypt for two years and three months before being drafted to France in May 1918.
Isi, of Dalrymple, said: “There’s the family story that he sent a picture of himself ploughing with a camel in Egypt back to the family, saying ‘ Look at me I’m ploughing – doing my normal job’.
“In May 1918 he was sent to the front in France and only lasted May, June, July and August.
“He lasted those two- and- a- half years in Egypt but only four months in France.
“So that shows you how harsh the fighting was.”
John Nimmo was wounded in a machine gun attack and died later in hospital from his wounds on August 19, 1918.
Nimmo’s own Lieutenant witnessed the war hero’s actions and a few weeks after his death his parents were informed by letter that John Nimmo was to be posthumously awarded the Military Medal for his gallant deed during the attack.
Great niece Isi said: “He went out on patrol and they met the enemy on machine gun.
“They put their hands up to surrender and they went forward.
“And they were scattered to different places.
“He managed to get through the machine gun fire and was taken to a dressing station and died several days later.
The war hero is buried in Longuenesse ( St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery in France and is honoured at different places across Ayrshire.
Isi said: “He’s got a grave in France but he was so beloved by his parents that his name was put on their headstone in Prestwick Cemetery.
“And he’s also on Prestwick War Memorial and Kirkmichael Church War Memorial – so he’s honoured in three places in Ayrshire.
“We went out to France for what we call the family project which is 100 years to the day.
“So we were actually there on the 19th August 2018 to commemorate 100 years to the day.
“We took lots of pictures for Uncle John because he couldn’t make it out.
“My uncle’s done a lot of research. And among Uncle John’s research is a rather frail heirloom which holds so much sentimental value to the family that it is now kept behind Perspex glass – an Ayrshire Post silk bookmark.
The Ayrshire Post printed silk bookmarks, or ribbons, with a picture of a deceased loved one with a poem written on it to commemorate them.
The Nimmo family now cherish the precious 100- year- old bookmark, alongside war hero John’s medal and citation – all kept in the safe hands of nephew John Wilson Nimmo.
Isi said: “We know it in the family as the ribbon, the ribbon of tears.
“From my research and my uncles, we think you could make a subscription to the Post and they would print it off for you.
“I don’t know whether they were printed at the Post.
“It says here ‘ From his loving mother and father’ but it’s very difficult to read.
“It’s behind Perspex now – you can’t touch it.”
Isi, along with uncle John Wilson Nimmo and his son, also John Nimmo, took to Ayr beach on Sunday to remember Private John.
Speaking before honouring the war hero on Remembrance Sunday, Isi said: “There will physically be two John Nimmos there- but metaphorically there will be three.
“There will be three generations of John Nimmos. “His memory is there – he’ll be in the sand.”
Do you have an Ayrshire Post silk bookmark? Get in touch on 01292 262200.