Friends of Crieff Cemetery

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Volunteer Group

27/10/2026

Please feel free to share this and let anyone know who would benefit from this weekly Group. Every Tuesday now from November 3rd.

23/10/2026

As Remembrance approaches, we uncover more evidence of letters sent home to Crieff from the battlefields of France during the First World War.

Comrades of Piper Alexander Keddie, of the 6th Battalion, Black Watch, wrote of their distress at the loss of Alexander and fellow Crieff man Willie Nicholson.

Records describe Alexander as a well-built young man who worked as a coal carter, later as a ploughman at Newbigging, near Monifieth. He was well known in the community for playing in the local pipe band.

A letter sent to Alexander’s parents at 38 High Street, Crieff, by a private in the field hospital
informed them of the death of their youngest son. He had been killed after being struck in the back by a r***e gr***de on 9th August 1915.

During the fighting, at a distance of about thirty yards, German forces exploded a mine near
the Black Watch trenches. Private Sharp, O’Brien and McPherson—all Crieff men—were injured.
Private Nicholson remained missing on the battlefield.

A captain of the 6th Battalion later confirmed in a letter to Alexander’s parents that his surviving comrades had buried him in a cemetery, marking his grave with a stone and a wreath of heather.

Alexander is commemorated on his family headstone in Crieff Cemetery, as well as at St
Michael’s Parish Church and at the Crieff War Memorial.

He was only 19 years old.

Lest We Forget.

Sources:
British Newspaper Archive
St Michael’s Memorial
Find My Past
Scotland’s People

19/10/2026

Pictured on a newly delivered commemorative bench is our new PKC officer Claire, and
because of her impeccable organizational skills, Claire has brought our bench project to reality
just in time for the Remembrance period.

Along with the support of PKC Community Greenspace, we would like to thank Claire for
spearheading the project to bring this beautiful bench to Crieff Cemetery, installed in dedication to the Armed Forces personnel buried or memorialised here in Ford Road and across the world.

Please come along to our Remembrance War Graves Tour 2026 on Saturday 7th November
at 2pm, free entry, all welcome.

Lest We Forget.

FoCC. Xx.

11/10/2026

The Star Hotel will resonate with many Crieff residents, once run by Charles MacDonald, a
well-known and respected proprietor at the time. He married Mary Comrie from Muthill, and the two resided at the Star Hotel raising three daughters and a son.

Their son Charles before enlisting with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders in September of
1914, was employed as a fishmonger in London.
Charles was reported missing in action on the 14th Dec 1914, in an ill-fated attack on German positions at Wytschaete, Western Belgium.

When the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders with the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots advanced, they
immediately came under heavy r***e and machine-gun fire over sodden ground and incurred many casualties in the attack. Charles MacDonald Snr received a letter from a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force just over a year later dated 21st Dec 1915 which read:

“Dear Friend, – I beg to inform you of the finding of a body which I believe to be your son – Private C. MacDonald No. 2383, 3rd Gordon Highlanders. I have handed his pay-book, containing his will, to my officer, who will see it handed over to the right quarter… Enclosed you will find a letter which I found in his pocket. It may be of some interest to you. I did all I could for him, and put him in a decent grave. Along with him were others of his comrades. They were lying between our trenches and the Germans’. How we came across him, the morning was very foggy, and of course made us invisible to the enemy, which gave us every opportunity to do what we had to do. To all appearances he died a painless death, and also a true British hero – one that yourself and the rest of your family may well feel proud of.”

Charles’ mother Mary died at the Star Hotel on 28th October 1918, of complications of influenza and bronchitis, aged fifty-four. Charles Snr also passed away at the hotel on 13th June 1926, both surviving their only son.

The MacDonald family were one of the first families in Crieff to have suffered a war
bereavement. Lance Corporal MacDonald is remembered on Mary’s headstone in Crieff
Cemetery, the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium, and the Crieff War Memorial.

He was only 21 years old.

Lest We Forget.

Sources:
Morrison's Academy Archive
British Newspaper Archive
Andrew Scobie: Broken Columns

05/10/2026

The Menzies family memorial stone in Crieff Cemetery stands in a position that makes it's
inscription rather difficult to read.

On closer inspection, part of the inscription reads:

Sacred to the memory of Mary Stewart
Widow of John Menzies
Who carried on business for over 50 years
at The Cross Crieff.

Birth records and newspaper archives suggest that Mary and John Menzies ran a grocery business—and possibly a post office—at The Cross in Crieff.

We would be grateful to hear from anyone who has knowledge of the shop or holds historical
records relating to it.

As Remembrance approaches, it is especially poignant to learn that John and Mary’s grandson, also named John, was killed in action in France in 1918.

Records show that John served an apprenticeship as a grocer—perhaps in his grandfather’s
shop—before enlisting in the Scottish Horse and later transferring to the Black Watch.

After serving in the Middle East, he was drafted to France, where he was killed in action on 17th October 1918.

John’s father, also named John, was a cabinetmaker living in Cornton Place. After receiving notification of his only son’s death, he was sent a letter from the battalion chaplain, which read:

“It is with deep regret that I write to you about the death of your son, 316650 Pte J. Menzies, who was killed in action on the 17th. We have since buried him in the little military cemetery not far from the scene of the battle—in a special part set apart for the Scottish Horse. His company officer will already have written to you and told you in
what high esteem we held him. May I add just a word of personal tribute to his character and life? He was a fine and worthy man, and we are deeply sorry to have lost him. We send you our sincere sympathy in your sad bereavement.”

Any further information about the Menzies family would be warmly welcomed.

Lest We Forget.

Sources:
British Newspaper Archive
NLS Maps
Find My Past
Scotland's People

03/10/2026

Putting some colour into the planters this year with some winter viola and pansies.

Hopefully this will brighten the dreich winter days until summer comes back!

We would like to thank Mrs Jane Eadie of Crieff for her very generous sponsorship of these planters at the cemetery entrance.

We're sure the visiting public and relatives will apppreciate them.

FoCC. Xx.

01/10/2026

Among the many headstones in Ochtertyre burial ground that record the military honours of
those interred there is that of Lieutenant James Bourdillon Wauchope.

Born in Tunbridge Wells in November 1891 to Charles and Annie Wauchope, James was
educated at Morrison’s Academy in Crieff and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh.

Following in his father’s footsteps, James pursued a military career and received a commission in the 4th Battalion (Special Reserve) of the Cameronians (Scottish Ri**es).

In June 1914, James transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, joining the unit in
Malta in August of that year. Promoted to lieutenant the following November, he was then
deployed to the front line in France.

James was killed in action on 10th March 1915 during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, aged 23.

After James’s death, his colonel wrote:
“He was shot dead in the assault on the German trenches and was buried where he fell. His
name was submitted to the General Officer Commanding the 23rd Brigade for his coolness
under fire and his gallant conduct. He was loved by all ranks, officers and men, and is deeply
missed in the regiment."

James' brother Charles was wounded with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force with the Northamptonshire Regiment in the Middle East.

James is commemorated on the Merchiston Castle Roll of Honour, Morrison's Academy Memorial Hall, and at the memorial cross at St Columba’s Episcopal Church in Crieff.

Lest We Forget.

Sources:
Nancy Johnston
British Newspaper Archive
CWGC

26/09/2026

As Remembrance approaches, we remember Alexander “Sandy” Duncan, eldest son of
James and Elizabeth Duncan of 4 Crown Place, Crieff.

Born in Crieff in 1915, he would later move to Maryhill in Glasgow after marrying Jean where
they lived together. He enlisted in the Highland Light Infantry and served with the 8th Division during the Arab Revolt in Palestine.

Later joining the Territorial Army, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Glasgow Highlanders.

The battalion deployed in 1944 with the 227th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division, fighting in
Normandy and at Hill 112 during Operation Epsom, the attempt to encircle Caen.

After advancing towards Bon Repos on 15th July, it came under heavy attack the next morning. The men repelled infantry and tank assaults but suffered heavy losses. Sandy received the Military Medal for his bravery and leadership, and the battalion was relieved on the night of 17–18th July.

His citation records that, twice on 16th July, he crossed heavy machine-gun fire to bring casualties from an advance post to safety, undoubtedly saving one life.

Sandy was killed in action on 8th August 1944 with five other battalion members. The War Diary records a loyd carrier (small tracked vehicle) was destroyed by mortar fire that day, likely the site of his death.

He is buried at Bayeux War Cemetery. Sandy’s five brothers were also serving overseas, while his sister Flora was a maternity nurse in Malaya, all contributing to the war effort.

He is commemorated on his family headstone in Crieff Cemetery and at the Crieff War
Memorial.

Lest We Forget.

Sources:
British Newspaper Archive
London Gazette

26/09/2026

We welcome the public to come along to our War Graves Tour on Saturday 7th November at 2pm, where we will be remembering the service personnel memorialised or buried in Crieff Cemetery.

Free entry, all welcome.

Lest We Forget.

FoCC. Xx.

22/09/2026

At the time of Remembrance the focus is on the sacrifice of the armed forces service personnel, but we also remember Martin Kehoe, a civilian worker at Rosyth dockyard killed in an accident on 25th November 1942 and is buried here in Crieff Cemetery.

The wartime workforce were dedicated to very dangerous work making mu*****ns, building aircraft, ships, tanks and weapons.

Martin was tragically crushed between a crane and a lorry at the dockside at Rosyth and later died in Port Edgar Naval Hospital.

During the Second World War, Rosyth dockyard served as a vital repair, maintenance and servicing hub for the Royal Navy operations in the North Sea in the Second World War.

His wife Bridget Moran was from a well known Crieff family, and Martin was well known within the community himself.

Lest We Forget.

Sources:
Nancy Johnston
Scotland’s People
Find My Past

Address

Ford Road
Crieff

Telephone

+447826191757

Website

http://www.friendsofcrieffcemetery.blog/

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