War graves Week walk in Balfron
Balfron is playing its part for War Graves Week 2022, which runs from tomorrow (Saturday) until May 28.
Balfron Heritage Group historian Pat Thomson will lead a guided walk at Balfron Church’s kirkyard a registered Commonwealth War Graves location - near the village’s Clachan.
The visit, on Thursday afternoon, will begin at the war memorial and will look at many historical features of the graveyard, not only the military aspect.
The heritage group has done much work over recent years in cataloguing and updating information related to the graves.
And Pat is acknowledged as a “font of information” on how this all fits into the village’s rich history.
A group spokesperson said: “While this visit will touch on many of the names on the war memorial, the recently-installed QR code plaque in the beautiful
Clachan gardens will allow people to use their mobile devices to find out details of all the names inscribed there in their own time.”
“The tour is free but in order to keep numbers comfortably practical people interested should contact BHG by emailing: info@balfronheritage. org.uk. Talking of comfort, even in May weather can be unpredictable and it is recommended that participants come prepared for the four seasons in one day that Balfron can sometimes provide.”
Among the locals buried in Balfron Churchyard is Samuel Gilliland, a sergeant in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, who died on 27
August 1943 during World Ward II, at the age of just 22. He was the son of villagers Samuel and Jeanie Bell Gilliland.
War graves exist in a number of other local churchyards including in Drymen, Strathblane and Killearn.
War Graves Week in Scotland is an initiative from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to help Scottish people discover World War history on their doorstep.
Scots are encouraged to learn about the incredible stories of those commemorated by the CWGC and the skills, dedication and expertise of those CWGC staff and volunteers who work to keep their memory alive. The CWGC commemorates 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth who died during the world wars.
Scottish people can learn about the remarkable stories of the men and women of the Commonwealth forces that died in the First and Second World Wars who are buried in their community by joining one of the many war cemetery tours taking place throughout the UK or by visiting one of the many pop-up events on highstreets around the nation. A full list of events can be seen at https://www.cwgc.org/ourwar-graves-your-history/ war-graves-week/wargraves-week-2022-eventlist/