KOSB – WORLD WAR ONE MEMORIAL (Updated 11 August)

KOSB WORLD WAR ONE MEMORIAL      

SEVEN THOUSAND AND FIFTY THREE BORDERERS LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR. OVER HALF OF THESE WERE AT THE SOMME.

Yet, there is no one place in France or Belgium, where they are remembered collectively. We are invited by the Belgian authorities, in Ypres, to attach a large bronze plaque to the existing “SCOTTISH MEMORIAL”, shown left. The unveiling would coincide with a large ceremony, in August 2017, to mark the start of the infamous battle of Passchendaele.

HOW MUCH? We only need £2000, which is a mere £0.28p for each Jock who fell. We don’t have a memorial fund to draw on, and a considerable sum of Regimental money has already been spent on upcoming refurbishment of the North Bridge memorial, in Edinburgh, in order that it becomes the main Regimental memorial to all Borderers. So now we can put up a memorial in the Western Front area of operations, at modest cost, but through personal contributions. This project has the full backing of the Regimental Trustees.

AS AT 11 AUGUST WE HAVE DONATIONS OF £2,000!!!!! 

We plan to have this made in bronze. The Belgian sculptor lives locally, and very generously, will not charge us for his labour. The plaque will show our World War One battle honours, Regimental Badge and Dedication – similar to this:

MONS  AISNE  YPRES  LOOS  SOMME   ARRAS  SOISSONNAIS-OURCQ  HINDENBURG LINE GALLIPOLI  GAZA

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE 7053 GALLANT MEN OF THE KING’S OWN SCOTTISH  BORDERERS WHO, IN WORLD WAR ONE, BY THEIR SPIRIT OF DUTY AND DEVOTION, GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY, THEIR REGIMENT AND THEIR FRIENDS, AND THE THOUSANDS, WHO WERE WOUNDED IN MIND OR BODY AND THOSE WHO SIMPLY FOUGHT

LOCATION?  Zonnebeke, near Ypres, is firmly on the WW1 trail, and this memorial is very close to the heavily visited, and very popular, Memorial Museum, Passchendaele. It will be seen and remarked on by thousands of visitors, from all over the world.

HOW CAN I HELP? DONATE WHATEVER YOU CAN PLEASE TO:

By BACS TRANSFER TO-:

BARCLAYS, BERWICK UPON TWEED, SORT CODE: 20 58 17, ACCOUNT NUMBER: 00148849, ACCOUNT NAME: KOSB ASSOCIATION & USE THE REF – WW1 MEM. It would also be helpful to email Tom Duff – treasurer@kosb.co.uk- with a note about your donation please.

 or

POST ANY DONATION, PAYABLE TO KOSB ASSOCIATION TO: ASSOCIATION SECRETARY, HHQ KOSB, THE BARRACKS, BERWICK UPON TWEED TD 15 1DG

“Always a Borderer”