Buckie & District War Memorial

History & dedication

About the Memorial

For a century the memorial in Cluny Square has been Buckie’s focal point for remembrance, where families, veterans and townspeople gather each year on Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday.

Buckie & District

For all who belonged to Buckie and district

The Buckie & District War Memorial stands in Cluny Square, at the heart of the town, as a tribute to the men and women who gave their lives in the two World Wars.

At the unveiling ceremonies of 1925 and 1953 it was made clear that the memorial is for those who fell in both wars and who belonged to Buckie and district – the communities east, south and west of the town.

Today it bears 362 names: 228 from the First World War and 134 from the Second.

  1. 1925

    Unveiled

    Unveiled on 12th April 1925 by Lieut. Col. James Dawson, D.S.O., of Aberdeen.

  2. 1953

    Rededicated

    Renovated with bronze name panels, including those who fell in 1939–1945, and unveiled on 8th November 1953.

  3. 1972

    Removed

    Taken down to allow burgh road works.

  4. 1973

    Re-erected

    Moved to the north-west quadrant of Cluny Square, where it stands today.

1914–1918

The First World War memorial

The Memorial to Fallen Heroes Committee raised the £3,000 needed to build the memorial. It takes the form of a bronze sculptural group with flag, raised on a pedestal of freestone from the Leoch Quarry, Forfarshire.

Raised by
Memorial to Fallen Heroes Committee (£3,000)
Form
Bronze sculptural group with flag on a pedestal
Pedestal
Freestone from the Leoch Quarry, Forfarshire
Design & execution
William Birnie Rhind R.S.A., Edinburgh
Unveiled
12th April 1925 by Lieut. Col. James Dawson, D.S.O., Aberdeen
Panels
West & East: soldiers · North: seamen · South: seal and arms of Buckie
The original leaflet from the unveiling in 1925. With the kind permission of Mrs. Marie Drummond’s Family, Buckie.

1939–1945

The Second World War names

The names added in 1953 include the men and women who lost their lives serving as sailors, soldiers, marines, airmen, nurses in uniform or others in His Majesty’s Forces in the war of 1939–1945 (to VJ Day), and those who served during the war as Merchant Seamen with a discharge book.

The Buckie Welcome Home Fund raised the money for the renovation, which replaced the panels with bronze. The panels were unveiled by Provost Dr. Peter Reid, whose two sons, George Alexander Simpson Reid and Peter Sutherland Reid, are among the names on the East Panel.

Raised by
Buckie Welcome Home Fund
Work
Renovation and replacement with bronze panels
Unveiled
8th November 1953 by Provost Dr. Peter Reid
West Panel
1914–1918 · 116 names
North Panel
1914–1918 · 112 names
East Panel
1939–1945 · 134 names
South Panel
Seal and arms of Buckie
The original leaflet from the unveiling in 1953. With the kind permission of Mrs. Margaret Smith, Buckie.

Read every name

Each name on the memorial has its own record, with service details, commemoration and, where families have shared them, photographs.

Search the names View the panels