Memorials in Danger #1

One of the reasons for this blog was to highlight stories and areas of interest that arise from the discussions on the Research Groups forums. One area I wanted to highlight which occasionally arises from the War Memorials Project forum is the number of memorials which perhaps need a bit of care and attention.

I had been planning to start a regular series of postings to the blog on this very subject, and a recent new addition to the Memorials Project had spurred me on to do it sooner rather than later.

I had hoped to start with a memorial that perhaps needed a clean, or perhaps required some attention to some names which had become faded. I never thought I would have to highlight a memorial which has suffered so much neglect, damage and vandalism as that of the Mains memorial.

This memorial is located in Caird Park, Dundee and commemorates the men from Mains who fell in the First World War. At the unveiling, a Baillie Gillies accepted custody of the memorial on behalf of the corporation. I can only think that the corporation, and whichever body succeeded it, has failed in their duty to maintain safe custody of this memorial.

This is the condition of this memorial now:

There are further photographs on the Scottish War Memorials Project site which show in greater detail how badly damaged this memorial is.

It is covered in grafitti, and several of the names will be lost due to damage of the name panel if something is not done soon.

Fortunately, it seems that the posting of these photographs on the forum has made a few of our members sit up and notice. The thread concerning this memorial contains a great deal of support, and it seems that the relevant council bodies have been notified. Unfortunately it seems that, as in many things nowadays, it may be a question of money which decides if this memorial can be restored or not.

The full thread can be accessed here.

There is also a thread concerning this memorial started by myself on the Great War Forum.