The Scottish War Graves Project

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

hi there
i am trying to locate the grave of my husbands GG Grandfather!
i shall call the Bearevment office at Falkirk District Council, Tomorrow, to see if they can give me the information i need!!!
however once i have this info....i was wondering whether, anyone would be so kind, as to go to this particular Graveyard, and take a picture for me?????

I live in England....so this woud be very much appreciated!!
I live in Bramshott, Hampshire, where there is a Graveyard for Mainly Canadian Soldiers...but of anyone wants any pictures etc, i shall of course, be pleased to do this!!!!
kindest regards
Gina

spoons · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:41 am Post subject:

If you put his full name and estimated or known date of death, we will have a go to see what we can find. Welcome to the forum.

\Paul

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

O Wow Thank-you!!

His name:
Andrew Cameron
B 1857, Kenmay, Inverness
D 1921, John Street, Falkirk

This is a really confusing story!!!
According to Family, he wa awarded the VC....Although he isnt listed at National Archives!!
There was a Book written about him Called: The two Crosses, and How Andrew Cameron won them!!...i have this book.
I have pictures of him wearing this VC..Thats if it is a VC!..looks like it to me, but some guys on the 1914-1918 website came to the conclusion it wasnt!!(members of the family have seen this VC)
so anyhow...i thought maybe, it would be on his gravestone!!

Many many thanks
Gina

spoons · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:26 pm Post subject:

I think I would tend to agree with the other forum that your man never won the VC. I use the site http://www.victoria-cross.co.uk/ and have always found it to be accurate. Your man is not listed.

That would mean that there was either a misunderstanding or a fraudulent claim. If you have a photograph, is the 'VC' on the extreme left of the medals? If not, certainly not a VC as no VC holder would make that mistake. If in colour the ribbon should be purple (except for a small number of early Navy awards which were blue).

I'm afraid Falkirk is a long way from my neck of the woods but perhaps one of our members who lives that way may be able to help, especially if you have a grave location. I had thought of checking to see if he was listed on a war memorial but given his age and the likely date of the award of a medal, that seems unlikely.

\Paul

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Hello Gina,

Welcome to the War Graves Forum.

I live in the area, so one you have the Section & Lair numbers (not forgetting which Cemetery), post the details and I'll see if I can find the grave for you.

In the meantime, would it be possible for you to scan a photo or two and let us see the medals?

Anne

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

Thanks Very much!!

I was trying to work out, how to attach, the pictures!!!!

Gina

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Have a look here: (explains what to do) http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=6

Anne

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

OK
Here go's!!!

[/img]

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

He was in the Navy...but obviously at somepoint, was in the Royal Engineers!!!

spoons · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:03 pm Post subject:

Well the VC is in the right place (wearer's extreme right) but it appears to have no suspension bar. This should be a horizontal bar at the bottom of the ribbon and in the same metal as the medal. I cannot recognize either of the other 2 medals as being British Service or Bravery medals, the circular medal appears to have a single coloured ribbon which does not tie in with any British medal and I don't recognise the shape of the third medal. I thought that maybe the third medal was a temperance medal and there are several candidates for the second medal as temperance medals (circular with single coloured ribbon). Perhaps this gives a clue as to the true nature of the first medal?

The following link also shows what the VC might actually be........

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.stewartbooks.com/images/images/images/images/Back_Cover_Temp_Medals.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.stewartbooks.com/Temperance_Medal.htm&usg=__h7tMbbF-EnnIBfp0qLJsX6xjkxI=&h=944&w=700&sz=140&hl=en&start=3&sig2=A_KR0zpsK_NZ--YLuJ1BBQ&tbnid=M1YP9mmPlXbBWM:&tbnh=148&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnavy%2Btemperance%2Bmedal%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den&ei=JE-tSoW2NIXt-Aag98y7Bg

\Paul

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

should it still have the bar,?...considering its an early VC...awarded before Queen Victoria had died??

thanks
Gina

spoons · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 5:39 pm Post subject:

As far as I know, they all had a suspension bar. See here for an example from 1900 http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://rcs.nbed.nb.ca/remembrance/images/vic_cr16.jpg&imgrefurl=http://rcs.nbed.nb.ca/remembrance/vic_cross.htm&usg=__rJcpMfKV9nA523-TpTXk5sjlA04=&h=272&w=300&sz=46&hl=en&start=15&sig2=P7gWNjqD7npyDLYPLadjLg&tbnid=dyCpZnSYUSj69M:&tbnh=105&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcrimea%2Bvictoria%2Bcross%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den&ei=U3-uSpXvM9TW-QaAgKnDBg

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

According to "The Register of The Victoria Cross" and "Monuments to Courage" there was only one A. Cameron awarded the VC (Colonel Aylmer Cameron) of The Seaforth Highlanders who died in 1909 and is buried in St. Mark's Churchyard, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset.

Also the only three well documented bars to the cross were awarded to Surgeon-Captain Martin-Leake - Captain N.G. Chavasse & 2nd Lieut. C.H. Upham.

I would be interested to know when that book was written and who the Rev. John Watson was.

Tony

hampshire hog · Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Posts: 13

HI

The book was Published in 1905
and The Reverend John Robertson, was obviously a REV, of a church in Govan, Glasgow, and also an editor, of some sort of Bible-ish magazine!
I have leant the book out at the moment, but he does say, the name of his place, that he was editor...i should have the book back at the weekend, and can double check on that!

I have to say, its great to see someone has an interest in this, i have been baffled for 4 years, trying to research/sort this out!!
He does say in the book, that the Queen, had confirmed the story, and gave him the legal rights to put the royal arms of the british soveriegn on the cover!!

strange!!
thanks
Gina