post-1945
Guardsman James Reynolds was killed on Mount Tumbledown on 14th June 1982, the final day of the Falklands War. In 2023, Bridge of Weir Community Council through its chair Andrew Curley, initiated the idea that his name be added to the memorial. A proposal was compiled with the help of the supporters listed below, to which Renfrewshire Council consented and commissioned the name to be added in July 2024, the first name on the memorial from post-1945 conflicts.
On Sunday 18th August 2024, the St Columba's School Pipe Band led a parade consisting of the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire (Col Peter McCarthy), the Governor of Edinburgh Castle (Maj Gen Alastair Bruce OBE DL VR), the Scots Guards Association, the Royal British Legion Scotland, and representatives from the community council. They marched from Livery Walk car park, via Bridge of Weir Main Street, to the War Memorial, which was re-dedicated by the Reverend Kenneth Gray and Reverend Hanneke Marshall. Major General Bruce, for whom Jim Reynolds had been his orderly in the Falklands, gave a moving speech at the memorial and the procession marched back to Livery Walk, after which light refreshments were provided by the Community Council in Cargill Hall.
Supporters:
- Major-General Alastair Bruce OBE DL VR, Governor of Edinburgh Castle;
- Colonel Peter McCarthy, Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire;
- Natalie Don, MSP, Minister For Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise;
- Norman MacDonald, Chairman of the Royal British Legion Scotland, Bridge of Weir and District Branch;
- Andrew Curley, Chair, Bridge of Weir Community Council, resident of Gryffe Castle, initiator of the idea for the proposal;
- Susan Flintoff ACIB VR, Chief Executive and Keeper of the Rolls, Scottish National War Memorial;
- Councillor James MacLaren, Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank;
- Prof Gordon Masterton, OBE DL, Chair of Bridge of Weir Memorial Society, creator of this website, co-author of ‘Supreme Sacrifice: A Small Village and the Great War’, Birlinn, 2016. Compiler of the dossier making the case for inclusion to Renfrewshire Council.
TO CITE THIS PAGE: MLA style: "Bridge of Weir Memorial". bridgeofweirmemorial.co.uk. Date of viewing. http://www.bridgeofweirmemorial.co.uk/post1945.html
Bridge of Weir Memorial 18 August 2024