A BOOKLET produced in remembrance of the soldiers from Wallyford, Deantown (now Whitecraig) and Smeaton who were killed during the First World War will be launched on Armistice Day.
It has been compiled especially for the annual service at the Crookston war memorial in Inveresk cemetery to remind people of the “cost of wars in human sacrifice”.
The booklet, which features the names of the fallen, contains information from Musselburgh Roll of Honour, a book by local man Kevin Liston, who has an interest in research and medal collecting, particularly relating to the First World Ward.
With the help of a local group of interested parties, Musselburgh Roll of Honour was produced to commemorate the men and women from the Musselburgh area who died during the First World War.
An introduction by journalist and writer George Cunningham, also from Musselburgh, for Musselburgh Roll of Honour is also included in the booklet.
Alister Hadden, organiser of the annual service, said: “I asked Kevin Liston if I could use extracts from his book Musselburgh Roll of Honour solely relating to those named on the Crookston war memorial and he agreed for me to proceed.”
Mr Hadden’s granddaughter Katy Young, from Dalkeith, helped with the project, scanning those names in Mr Liston’s book who are on the Crookston war memorial to copy into the booklet for the service.
The booklet, which contains the order of service, also features a poignant letter from James Hadden, from Wallyford, a soldier with the 8th Royal Scots who died in action in France at the age of 22.
The letter was the last he sent to his mother Alison on the eve of battle and she is buried just yards from the Crookston memorial.
James, Mr Hadden’s uncle, signed up in Prestonpans in 1914 at the age of 21. He was lost in action on the Western Front in France and Flanders at the Battle of Festubert on May 16, 1915.
He was missing for 95 years due to his name being spelt wrongly as Haddon, which has now been corrected on the panels at Le Touret Military Cemetery in France, where it appears alongside 13,400 other military service personnel who have no known grave.
It was also corrected in the Scots Roll of Honour in Edinburgh Castle at the Scottish National War Memorial.
The booklet has a photo of the wreath Mr Hadden sent to Le Touret Military Cemetery during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Names of soldiers from Wallyford who were lost in action during the Second World War have also been included in the booklet.
Wallyford Community Council has funded the cost of printing 25 booklets for the service.
Mr Hadden said: “I put the booklet together thinking that those attending the service would be able to relate, through the booklet, to those named on the Crookston memorial.
“They could also take away the booklet to remind us all of the cost of wars in human sacrifice.”
When the Crookston School at Wallyford closed in 1957/58, the war memorial was moved to Inveresk cemetery.
Community members will gather at the cemetery on Saturday, November 11, for the annual wreath-laying ceremony at 10.45am.
The names of the 59 fallen from the First World War will be read out.
The Last Post will be played on the bugle by Simon Louden as the sea cadets lower their colours. A two-minute silence will be observed at 11am before Reveille is sounded and the colours raised by the sea cadets.
Pastor Andrew Agnew, of Wallyford Livingroom Church, will recite the poem In Flanders Fields and Ivor Highley, session clerk at St Clements and St Ninians Church in Wallyford, will read out the words of the poet Sir Henry Newbolt.
The hymn Abide With Me will be sung by those present.
The Rev Michael Watson, of St Clements and St Ninians Church, will also give a message.
Jim McLean, a member of Wallyford Community Council, will provide a sound system at the event to assist with the singing of songs, including When The Battle’s Over.
The service will end with the recitation of the Kohima Epitaph and singing of the national anthem.
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