The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Veterans to rededicate memorial to fallen troops
THE MEN of The Black Watch will be remembered this weekend for the role they played in the Korean War.
In a quiet corner of a West Lothian country park, veterans from the nation’s historic regiments will gather for the rededication of a memorial which marks the sacrifice of more than 1,000 UK soldiers, the majority of them young national servicemen.
Originally opened in June 2000 to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the three-year conflict, the Witchcraig Scottish Korean War Memorial has at its heart a wooden pagoda under which a new memorial bench toThe BlackWatch will be unveiled on Saturday.
It will sit among the 110 Korean pine trees — one for every 10 Britons who fell — and the 1090 birch trees planted along a path named United Nations Avenue.
The Black Watch bench has been commissioned by The Black Watch Association and supplied by Kirriemuir firm J&J Learmonth.
It was visited by a trio of Black Watch Korean War veterans ahead of the weekend commemoration.
George Myles, 80, from Forfar, Ron Balfour, of Crieff, also 80, and 82-year-old Birrell Davidson from Falkirk served with either B or C Company in the war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea),
“A lot of men also finished their National Service but signed on for an extra six months to go with the battalion to Korea,” George said,
Almost 350,000 inter national soldiers — the vast majority American servicemen — were involved in support of the South Koreans, with the Battle of the Hook one of the most significant actions of the war and one which brought battle honours for those who wore the Red Hackle.
Retired Angus Black Watch Major Ronnie Proctor, who has overseen the association’s bench contribution to the memorial garden reopening, also went to Korea in 1972 as the first Black Watch senior NCO and recalled the lasting gratitude of the people there.
“Many of the Black Watch guys who served in the Korean War were attached to other regiments such as theArgylls and the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, but they were well remembered,” he said.
“Even 20 years later, I remember the people of Korea being so appreciative of the support and sacrifice the Scottish soldiers had made.”
The memorial, to the south-west of Beecraigs Country Park in West Lothian, is maintained by the Scottish Korean War Memorial Trust and will be officially reopened in a Saturday morning ceremony.