Remembering the 100th Anniversary

Deerness War MemorialThe Kirk will be open from 10am to 12pm and 2 to 4pm on Sunday 9th November, and then 10:30 to 11:30am and 7 to 9pm on Tuesday 11th November to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1. We'll have information and photographs relating to as many of the men on the Deerness War Memorial as we've been able to track down and welcome everyone to join in remembering these 13 young Deerness men.

There will, of course, also be a service at the Memorial on Sunday 9th, time to be confirmed.

World War 1 – Starting To Tell Deerness’s Story

 

Posted on 4th August 2014..

One hundred years ago today, on 4 August 1914, at 11pm, Britain went to war against Germany and World War 1 continued in all its horror until 11am on 11 November 1918.

In those years of fighting, and in the aftermath, Deerness lost 13 young men who had been born in the parish. Their names are on the Deerness War Memorial, in the kirkyard of the Lower Kirk, St Ninian’s. 

Thomas Irvine, Sandside, died March 1915 in Kirkwall

James Craigie, Breck, died March 1915 at Loos

Thomas Foubister, Little Grindigar, died September 1915 at Loos

William Craigie, Breck, died August 1916 at the Somme

David Ritch, Free Schoolhouse, September 1916, at Pozieres

John L Mowat, Cellardyke, March 1917, in France

Robert Foubister, Watermoss, August 1917 in France

David Cormack, Delday, September 1917, at Ypres

James Scott, Wood Cottage, November 1917, in France

David Linklater, Upper Braebuster, January 1918 at Salonika

John Wick, Cutpool, April 1918 at Warloy

James Dick, Keigar, September 1919, at Dingwall

James Cromarty, Little Quoys, December 1919, at Edinburgh

Deerness also lost young men who had lived in the parish, or were married to Deerness girls, but were born and are commemorated elsewhere, and few families in Deerness were untouched by death, injury or simply the fearsome worry of a family member called away to serve in World War 1, by land or sea.

Over the next 4 years we will be remembering those who died and those who served and survived. We will do so in various ways, including an exhibition, telling as many as possible of their stories.

We are in touch with the families of many of Deerness’s World War 1 servicemen but there are a lot more out there who we’ve yet to make contact with. If you would like your forebear’s World War 1 service remembered by Deerness, please get in touch with Ernie Skea 01856 741203, Leslie Foubister 01856 861332, Mabel Eunson  01856 741325 or info@deernessorkney.co.uk

10520548 790255147673463 882571786944513873 n