WWI COMMEMORATION PROJECT Update

The World War 1 Commemoration Project continues and on the of 26 and 27 September 2015 the kirk was open for a display of photographs, memorabilia, and documents connected to two Deerness lads who fought at the Battle of Loos and died from wounds – James Craigie, aged 24, and Thomas Foubister, aged 22, both of the 8th Seaforths.

We had a number of very appreciative visitors including close family. One Orcadian visitor commented that Deerness was doing so much more than other Orkney parishes and the display of information was outstanding and very sensitively done.

This year our commemoration will be on the weekend of 2nd to 5th September to remember the sacrifice of Private William Craigie (younger brother of James Craigie above) of the 8th Seaforths who died at the Somme aged 22 and Sergeant David Ritch of the 16th Canadians who died aged 23 at the Battle of Poizieres, which was also part of the Battle of the Somme.  As before, there will be an exhibition of all the material gathered to date.

Come 1918, there will be a major commemoration for all those Deerness men who died in the Great War, and we’re putting together plans for that so all suggestions for this will be most welcome. 

Anyone with information/memorabilia on any of the men on the War Memorial, or about men who served and survived please contact Anne Mitchell 741300 or Mabel Eunson 741325—photographs particularly welcome. And if you're in touch with any descendants of David Ritch, please let them know about our commemoration of him in September.