The photo above is of the First World War Memorial in Kirkcaldy, it was taken just after yesterday’s Remembrance Sunday service, but as today is the 11th of November I thought it would be more appropriate to post it today. The building behind is part of the library and museum building which was built in memory of the fallen. There are so many names on this memorial but it’s the same wherever you go, often we drive past a memorial in the middle of nowhere which has quite a lot of names, presumably of farm lads who came from such rural areas.
To the right of the First World War memorial is situated this World War II memorial. There aren’t so many names on it but they always seem to be overlooked on Remembrance Sunday, all the wreaths being laid at the main memorial. As you can see someone has chosen to lay some red roses there, but there was no card.
I’m sure that when the original memorial was built people really did believe that it was the war to end all wars, but this plaque to the right of the World War II memorial is to commemorate the men who have died in more recent conflicts, like Northern Ireland and Afghanistan, sadly I think there are a few more names of local lads to be added to this wall.
The photo above is of the centre of the main memorial, the wreaths have been laid by all sorts of people, such as Gordon Brown, who is still the local MP although he apparently recently described himself as an ex-MP. Local clubs and organisations have added wreaths too, the blue and red wreath to the right was laid in remembrance of the animals who were killed in the war, I suppose mainly horses.
Hi,
I was one of the people who laid the wreath for animals last year, I just wanted to make you aware that ours was the one with purple poppies.
Unfortunately it isn’t just horses that are victims of wars, many different animals are used in many different ways; over 16 million animals served in the Great War alone – horses, donkeys, mules and camels carried food, water, ammunition and medical supplies to men at the front, and dogs and pigeons carried messages. Canaries were used to detect poisonous gas, and cats and dogs were trained to hunt rats in the trenches.
During WW11, at a time when food was rationed and cities were bombed, the Government launched a campaign which led to a massive cull of British pets. Many animals in zoos were also killed because of public safety fears of an escape during bombing.
These are just some examples of the way animals were used and killed and continue to be used and killed, in human conflicts.
We will be laying a wreath of purple poppies again this year in remembrance of them.
Fiona Newton,
Thanks for taking the time to pass on all that very interesting information. I’ll look out for your purple poppy wreath this year, I can hardly believe that it’s nearly that time again already.
I agree Katrina, what a fast year! đŸ™‚