Armadale & District War Memorial Association

16/05/2026

Today’s HisStory post on the Armadale & District War Memorial Museum - William Murphy, Blackridge.

08/05/2026

The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland Live in Concert 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

07/05/2026

I’m just starting to organise a number of Armadale and Blackridge related items for this upcoming Pop‑Up Exhibition.

In late 1914, a West Lothian–specific recruitment campaign for the 2nd/7th (Reserve) Battalion, The Royal Scots, saw many men from across the county enlist. Many of these men were later transferred to the 1st/7th Royal Scots just days before the battalion departed for Gallipoli. Some would tragically lose their lives in the train disaster, while others were injured.

👉 Visit the exhibition to learn more about these local stories and the men behind them.

If you have family connections, photographs, documents, or stories linked to Armadale or the Royal Scots, please come along, share your knowledge, or get in touch — every story helps keep this history alive.

Exhibition announcement! 📢

The Gretna 111th Anniversary Pop-Up Exhibition commemorates the Gretna train disaster, which killed over 200 men from the 1/7th Royal Scots who were based here at the Dalmeny Street Drill Hall).

🌟 Curated by The Royal Scots Regimental Museum, the exhibition is designed to raise awareness of the crash, which took place in May 1915.

🌟 The Drill Hall has been chosen for this exhibition due to its history of being the 7th Battalion’s Drill Hall and its association with the people of Leith. 216 members of the 7th Battalion were killed during the disaster on the morning of 22nd May 1915.

🌟 Central to the exhibition will be the Tree of Life which contains the names of all 216 men. This will be supported by display boards featuring the stories of local soldiers and their families.

🌟 There will also be a diorama of Larbert Station (where the soldiers originally departed from) that captures the time when the soldiers were about to embark on the troop train.

🌟 We'll be sharing more information in the coming weeks, by in the meantime, why not pop the dates in your diary! 📅

📅 Monday 18th - Saturday 23rd May
⏲️ 10am - 4.30pm
📍 The Out of the Blue Drill Hall
🎫 Free entry

To find out more just head over to our website.

➡️ https://outoftheblue.pulse.ly/thvvxdlsvf

Photograph (c) The Royal Scots

01/04/2026

We have just received confirmation of the total raised for 2025 Poppy Appeal by Armadale £2,633.45
Well done to all who donated👏👏👏
🇬🇧Lest We Forget🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

01/04/2026

Our grateful thanks go to Louise,staff and customers of the Regal Bar for their kind donation of £400 following their fundraiser in support of Poppyscotland,Erskine and our association. Their continued support is very much appreciated.
🇬🇧 Lest We Forget 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

21/03/2026

09/03/2026

07/03/2026

Today in the Falklands we made the climb up Two Sisters, scrambling across the rocky ground to visit the two memorials dedicated to the men of 45 Royal Marine Commando who fought so bravely on this hill in 1982. One memorial sits on the top of the first peak, the other in the saddle between the two summits.

The weather treated us kindly on the way up with sunshine, and then gave us a touch of rain on the descent, but the effort was more than worthwhile.
We spent time carefully cleaning the brass plates on the small memorial cairn at the top of the first peak, helping ensure it remains a bright and lasting tribute to those who fought here — and especially to those who fell during the Battle of Two Sisters on the night of 11/12 June 1982, during 45 Commando’s operations against enemy forces dug in along the ridge.

Mne. Gordon Cameron MACPHERSON, P041923R, 45 Cdo., Royal Marines

Mne. Michael John NOWAK, P036098F, 45 Cdo., Royal Marines

Cpl. Ian Frank SPENCER, P032324V, 45 Cdo., Royal Marines

Sapper Christopher JONES, 24484389, 59 Ind. Commando Sqn., Royal Engineers, attached to 45 Commando RM

Standing at the top of Two Sisters, looking out across the Falklands, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of history and the extraordinary courage shown by the Commandos who advanced across this same ground under far harsher conditions.

The Battle for Two Sisters was one of the key assaults carried out by Arbroath‑based 45 Commando during the Falklands Campaign. Advancing under the cover of darkness on the night of 11/12 June 1982, the men fought their way up steep, exposed ground against well‑prepared Argentine positions. Despite determined resistance, difficult terrain and heavy fire, the Commandos seized both peaks through grit, teamwork, and exceptional courage — a testament to their professionalism and the enduring spirit of the unit.

I am proud to play my small part in preserving their memory and keeping the site in good order for all who come to pay their respects.

Per Mare, Per Terram

Lest we forget.

22/02/2026

I am currently in the Falklands, and today I visited three powerful and deeply significant places around Darwin that tell the story of extraordinary bravery in 1982.

First was the 2 PARA Memorial, standing proudly above Darwin. It’s a place that speaks of courage, sacrifice, and the determination of those who fought to liberate the settlement. The quiet stillness there makes the history feel incredibly close.

I then visited the H. Jones VC Memorial, marking where Lieutenant Colonel H. Jones made his famous charge during the Battle of Goose Green. Standing at that spot, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of what happened and the leadership he showed in the most extreme circumstances.

Finally, I walked to the site of the Argentine machine‑gun position that fatally wounded Lt Col Jones. Seeing the ground from both perspectives brings home just how fierce and close‑quarters the fighting was, and how demanding the terrain must have been for all involved.

These places are small in size but immense in meaning — reminders of courage, loss, and the freedom secured for the islands.

Lest we forget. 🌺