Association of Perth Veterans War Memorial
This new memorial in St John Street at the east end of St Johns Kirk was erected by the Association of Perth Veterans (APV) during 2020 and dedicated on June 26, 2021 after delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The APV was formed in 2018 as a pressure group to ensure that those men and women who served in the forces from the Perth area, as well as those who gave their lives for our country – and the memorials erected to honour them – aren’t forgotten,” retired Colonel Bert Macrae, association secretary, explained to the local press in June 2021. “Our main aim from day one was to get a proper war memorial erected in the centre of Perth. The city has never had a proper war memorial and over the years wreaths were laid at the Mercat Cross, opposite Perth City Hall. This is not a war memorial – it was erected in 1913 to the memory of King Edward, Queen Victoria’s oldest son.”
A bronze plaque accompanying the badges bears the inscription: “Erected in remembrance of all the men and women of HM armed forces who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. At the going down of the sun and in the morning- we will remember them.”
St John’s Kirk
Robert Lorimer carried out a restoration to transform the Kirk into the War Memorial to the dead of Perth and Perthshire following the Great War 1914 – 1918.
In addition to the concept of the whole building being a War Memorial, within the church are a series of individual plaques to specific regiments and groupings.
The Parachute Regiment
The Burma Star Association
The Royal Army Service Corps.
The Black Watch in the Boer War
Members of the Congregation of St. John’s
A shrine to all from Perth and County who fell in the two World Wars.
The Scottish Area Women’s Royal Army Corps Association
The Queen Mother’s window to the Black Watch
Garden of Remembrance at North Inch
The garden contains a number of memorials.
There is a series of plaques devoted to the 51st Highland Division of which the Black Watch was an important part.
An obelisk within the garden is devoted to the Cameronians, previously the Scottish Rifles, It displays the origin of the regiment, its battle honours and records its final parade within the garden in 1968.
A further plaque records those employees of Perth Co-operative who fell in the First World War.
There is also a plaque to remember those who volunteered to fight in the Spanish Civil War. (1936-1939) The plaque bears a poem by William Soutar and as a dedication to the people of Perthshire who served.
Outside on the walls, on the left-hand of the gate is a representation of Smeaton’s Perth Bridge and on the right-hand side, for comparison, a plaque suggesting the appearance of the Old Perth Bridge with Castle of Perth in the foreground.
St. Ninian’s Cathedral
A series of War Memorials
A large window dedicated to the Black Watch.
St. Ninian’s Episcopal School war memorial.
A further war memorial to World War I.
A large brass plaque to the memory of the individual soldiers of the Black Watch who fell in the Boer War.
The Boer War plaque is interesting as this was the first war in which the deaths of individual soldiers were recognised. Previously there were no memorials to named soldiers; the memorials were to the regiment as a whole.
Balhousie Castle
A statue and inscription to remember the fallen of the Black Watch.
Two plaques remembering Field Marshall the Earl Wavell who as General Wavell commanded the 8th Army in North Africa where he defeated the Italians. Wavell was appointed Commander in Chief for Middle East. Following service in North Africa he was appointed to take charge of the defence of India in the Burmese theatre.
Wavell’s final appointment was as Viceroy of India.
A plaque commemorates the opening of the Gardens and the dedication of the gates to the memory of Field Marshall the Earl Wavell by his widow, Lady Wavell.
Korean War Memorial
A series of plaques with details of the fallen and commemorative plaques remembering the veterans of all services.
The access to the memorial is through the office of the Blind Association which is in the old church building in the Newrow.
Jeanfield Park War Memorial
Record of those who fell in two world wars.
Difficult to believe just how many died from a such a small part of Perth.
Soldiers’ Home
Painted on a wall in Scott Street at the entrance to the Scott Street car park.
This building was formerly the Wauchope and Black Watch Memorial Home where thousands of World War One soldiers found a temporary refuge from the discomforts of war. (Duncan J., Perth A City Again, 2012. P280).
Perth Academy War Memorials
The memorial, in the School Assembly hall records the names of former pupils who fell in two world wars.
The memorial for the First World War had previously been at the Old Academy in Rose Terrace. This memorial has been replaced by a new plaque donated by Perth Civic Trust.
Pupils of Perth Academy have identified everyone on the memorial and made a record of their lives.
Abbey Road Cottages
A simple memorial to local men who fell in World War 1
St Andrew’s Church
Two war memorials under threat due to refurbishment of the building.
One is a record of the members of the congregation who fell in the war. The other remembers a former minister of the church who died at Salonica on 3rd October 1918, while serving as chaplain to the 12th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
St Mathew’s Church/ West Church
The church is situated on Tay Street, inside is a group of four (4) War Memorials.
At the Pithleavis Offices of Aviva.
A series of war memorials for the fallen employees of the various companies which came together to form the General Accident.
The original Perth Memorial tablet was originally sited on the wall of the present main council offices at 2 High Street, previously Head Quarters of the General Accident. The marks are still visible.
Polish Army Plaques
The Polish Army used the Robert Douglas Memorial School in Scone during the Second World War. The plaque on the front of the building was erected in gratitude for the kindnesses they had received.
The plaque at the doorway to the Old Council Offices is a further expression of gratitude to the people of Perth by the Polish Army.
Bowerswell House
A memorial window is dedicated to the fallen of Perth is sited within the building
A further obelisk within the grounds celebrates 50 years of peace, remembering those who lost their lives.