Heroes honoured for the ultimate sacrifice
Men who died in the line of duty to be commemorated
Five servicemen from Rutherglen and Cambuslang who lost their lives on duty since World War II are to be honoured by South Lanarkshire.
A new war memorial is being erected in Hamilton after the council was approached by families seeking a way to formally recognise the sacrifice of those who have died since 1945.
Among the local residents to be honoured is Mark Henderson, who was killed during the Falklands conflict.
Mark, who stayed in Westburn, was just 20 when he and 13 others were killed after their ship HMS Glamorgan was hit by Argentinian fire while bombarding enemy positions around Port Stanley.
The former pupil at the old Busheyhill Primary and Cathkin High, Mark joined the Royal Navy and was on board Glamorgan off Gibraltar when the conflict broke out.
They were diverted to the main task force and the ship came under attack in the early hours of June 12 with the third missile fired hitting its target, eventually causing a fire on board.
Just 48 hours after Mark’s death, the war came to an end.
John Russell Hardie was killed in India in 1945 as the end of imperial rule came close, while Thomas Bryceland Gormley was killed in the Korean War in 1952. Both men were from Cambuslang.
John Cowan from Rutherglen was another victim of the Korean War in 1950, while Charles McLaren, another Ruglonian, was killed during the Aden Emergency in 1967.
Charles was a member of the famous Cameronians, a unit whose roots were in Rutherglen.
He was shopping in Aden just hours before he was due to leave when a terrorist detonated a grenade. Charles was hit on the breastplate and died.
He was the last Cameronian to be killed on active service.
The five are joined by another 22 names proposed for the memorial from across South Lanarkshire. Working alongside the likes of Royal British Legion (Scotland), The War Memorial Trust and The Scottish Bereavement Benchmarking Group, the council also want to hear from other families who may want their loved one included.
The memorial, on Bothwell Park Road, will be officially unveiled at the end of this month and will be included in the Remembrance Day commemorations.
Councillor Hamish Stewart, chair of the community services committee, said: “Sadly, we have lost many local servicemen and women who have served since the end of World War II. Their sacrifices mean just as much to their families and communities.
“It is with great pride that I welcome this proposal which will provide a lasting memorial to those young men and women who have died in service since 1945.
“I thank all the groups and individuals who have played their part in making this happen and very much look forward to being able to pay my own respects, alongside these groups and families, at the unveiling ceremony.”
The council are also looking for the next of kin of some of the men.
They are asked to email danny. maxwell@southlanarkshire.gov. uk.
To nominate a service person from South Lanarkshire for inclusion on the new memorial, contact bereavement services on 0303 123 1016 for advice with the application process.