The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Written in stone – teenager’s tribute to local heroes who fell in First World War
Pupil’s project remembers men and women on town’s roll of honour
A Tayside teenager has dedicated time off school to creating a unique tribute to hundreds of local men who fell during the First World War.
Eilidh Bowen, 16, has already designed about 170 individual memorial rocks and scattered them around Arbroath for her Fallen Heroes project.
The tribute will also include neighbouring villages, including Inverkeilor, Colliston and Friockheim.
The Arbroath High School pupil said: “When I started this I had no idea there would be so many but I’m going to continue until I have created a memorial stone for every person from the town that either died or went missing during the war.
“The main aim of the project is to make the community here more aware of the brave people from their area who fought in the First World War, who may have even lived in their street or house.
“I hope to bring the memory of these men, who are perhaps buried on battlefields all over the world, back to their homes.”
Eilidh began Fallen Heroes in June, after looking at the Arbroath and District roll of honour.
“I think by the time I have finished I will have completed many more rocks. I’m only on page eight in the roll and there are about 20 pages in total,” she said.
“The rocks all have addresses on the backs, showing where the men and women lived.
“I’ll be trying to get as many complete as possible before school starts again.”
Eilidh admitted, despite the great work already done, she was surprised by just how big a challenge she was taking on.
She said: “I don’t think I realised how much work it would be, but so far I have received a terrific response in the town, so it is definitely worth it.”