Civic event celebrates Rutherglen’s heroes
A civic event was held in Rutherglen Town Hall last week to launch the Armistice Day centenary commemorations.
A show titled ‘Rutherglen and the Great War – A Tribute’ was staged by South Lanarkshire Council in the building for around 100 guests.
The audience was treated to a WWIthemed performance featuring wartime songs, poetry, stories and a piper.
Organised by Rutherglen South councillor Robert Brown, the evening also included a fascinating World War exhibition hosted by Tess Milligan, of CamGlen Radio.
The hour-long show was narrated by Marjorie McLennan, who began by saying: “It is a privilege to be here this evening and to be part of our commemoration of the sacrifices made by so many in the Great War. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the guns fell silent. After more than four years of war, Rutherglen had lost many soldiers and sailors.
“Families were devastated by bereavement or by the disablement of the family breadwinner, some of whom died later and now lie in Rutherglen Cemetery.
“In this tribute we trace the changing face of the war as it affected Rutherglen.”
Stonelaw High School pupils Robyn Reilly and Eilidh MacKenzie went on to entertain the audience, beautifully singing a number of wartime songs, as did talented performer Julie Chisholm. Burnside woman Ingrid Naismith, local co-ordinator for Help For Heroes, and her teenage son Christopher gave an emotive speech about their visit to war graves in France and Belgium last month.
“We were extremely moved,” Ingrid told the audience. “I was shocked by the sheer totality of graves unidentified – marked only as ‘Known Unto God’.”
Janice Sharp, of Rutherglen Girl Guiding, gave an interesting talk on the many contributions girls and women made to the war effort, including work with Red Cross ambulances, transporting hospital equipment – and even delivering important messages to MI5. Stewart Rose, the long-serving captain of the 195 Wardlawhill Boys’ Brigade, spoke about how the organisation formed its own battalion and soldiers were thrown deep into action in the bloodiest battles such as the Somme, Ypres and Passchendale.
Poetry readings were delivered by Rutherglen Repertory Theatre members Iain Morrison, Andrew Cleary and Eltan Grant, aswell as Peter Bollen, head teacher of Trinity High School.
Narrator Marjorie McLennan also read the specially-commissioned poem ‘We Will Not Forget’ by local poet Dr Liz Robertson. Piper Harvey Rose played Amazing Grace before Graham Downie played the national anthem, led by singers Robyn and Eilidh.
The event finished with the presentation of a plaque from the town of Rutherglen in Victoria, Australia, and a final vote of thanks by Councillor Carol Nugent, chair of Rutherlgen and Cambuslang Area Committee.