1978 replies to this topic

[Locheelad]

Small reminder that the next meeting of the WFA Tayside branch will be next Saturday 7th July. Usual location, usual time.

Firstly the bad news. Alan Wakefield was going to be coming to talk  at this meeting regarding Mesopotamia and related. Sadly Alan is going into hospital just before the meeting so has had to call off. We have wished him all the best and we will of course reschedule this talk for some point in the future.

Now the good news! We have managed to attract Tom Scotland to come at relatively short notice to give a talk:

"Casualties sustained by the BEF in France and Flanders, 1914-18 with particular reference to the development of orthopaedic surgery."

Tom is a retired orthopaedic surgeon from Aberdeen who has a passion for the history of the Great War. As a medical student, there were still many veterans about, and his interest therefore began in the 1960`s. His wife’s uncle was an "Old Contemptible" who died on Ypres Salient in 1915.  He has visited the Western Front on many occasions. Since retiring from the NHS, he has kept in touch with former colleagues by leading cycling expeditions to the battlefields. He has recently co-published a book entitled "War Surgery 1914-18" which covers every aspect of development of surgery and anaesthesia during the conflict. This book will be on sale at the meeting.

Sounds great stuff. Everybody welcome - please let me know if you have any queries, thoughts!

[Locheelad]

Small reminder that the next meeting of the WFA Tayside branch will be next Saturday 7th July. Usual location, usual time.

Firstly the bad news. Alan Wakefield was going to be coming to talk  at this meeting regarding Mesopotamia and related. Sadly Alan is going into hospital just before the meeting so has had to call off. We have wished him all the best and we will of course reschedule this talk for some point in the future.

Now the good news! We have managed to attract Tom Scotland to come at relatively short notice to give a talk:

"Casualties sustained by the BEF in France and Flanders, 1914-18 with particular reference to the development of orthopaedic surgery."

Tom is a retired orthopaedic surgeon from Aberdeen who has a passion for the history of the Great War. As a medical student, there were still many veterans about, and his interest therefore began in the 1960`s. His wife’s uncle was an "Old Contemptible" who died on Ypres Salient in 1915.  He has visited the Western Front on many occasions. Since retiring from the NHS, he has kept in touch with former colleagues by leading cycling expeditions to the battlefields. He has recently co-published a book entitled "War Surgery 1914-18" which covers every aspect of development of surgery and anaesthesia during the conflict. This book will be on sale at the meeting.

Sounds great stuff. Everybody welcome - please let me know if you have any queries, thoughts!

Ta

Bob

[charlesmessenger]

I strongly recommend War Surgery 1914-18. It is a fascinating book written by surgeons, but in a style that it is easily understood by the layman. I suspect that Tom Scotland will be well worth listening to.

Charles M

[gary thomson]

hi bob, thanks for the reminder,sounds like a very interesting talk, sadly i will not make  on saturday as i will be at T in the park as i am on duty 3.30 till 11pm. see you all at big meet on 1st Sept.

all the best Gaz T.

[George Armstrong Custer]

charlesmessenger, on 29 June 2012 - 06:18 PM, said:

I suspect that Tom Scotland will be well worth listening to.

He is indeed, Charles.  Fellow forum member Tom Rutherford and I attended a presentation entitled 'All Quiet on the Western Front' at Aberdeen's Foresterhill Health Campus on 11 November 2010. In this three talks were given on medicine in the Great War from Tom Scotland, his fellow orthapaedic surgeon Bill Ledingham, and general and cancer surgeon Steve Hays. While giving a comprehensive overview of the subject between them, they highlighted the contributions to the medical war effort of Univerity of Aberdeen medical graduates Sir Henry Gray and Sir Gordon Gordon-Taylor - illustrated with some pretty graphic slides, I have to say. All were excellent speakers, but Tom Scotland particularly so. I'd urge anyone who has the opportunity to hear him speak on the subject of surgery in the Great War to seize the chance to do so.

George

[Teresa]

Black Jock, on 03 August 2008 - 05:26 PM, said:

Gary,

Here is the MIC

Cruicksh...r___Copy.jpg

Hi there ... Not sure how I missed this posting previously But thanks so much "Black Jock" for posting my Great Grandfather's MIC (ie: Private 6768 Alexander Cruickshank). It makes very interesting reading, now that I know how to interpret the details thanks to this website! I would really love to know more about his time served with the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) and the circumstances of his death. I'm also hoping to make it over to Europe with some of my family to visit his grave on the 100th anniversary of his death in 2016.

Gary "Dundeesown" ... How are you? I hope you have been keeping well! I'm still amazed at how we've been able to make contact & discover via this forum that your Grandfather John & my Great Grandfather Alexander were brothers!!! I'm assuming the medals listed on the MIC were passed on to Alexander's children/grandchildren in Scotland. It would be wonderful to see them, but really great to see the photos on the website of what they would have looked like. You will be aware that Alexander was KIA in France in October 1916, but not sure if you knew that his wife Emily/Amelia Jack Cruickshanks (nee MacDonald) passed away only a few years later in 1918. My Grandmother Vera & her sister Milly/Amelia were sent to NZ (not sure why), and I believe the other children were then raised by the mother's/MacDonald side of the family in Scotland.

Vera only returned once to Scotland to visit her family (for a few months in the 1970s) and unfortunately all contact with them was lost after Vera died in 1990. When I was a child I did exchange some letters with Vera's brother Alex and a Melanie Falconer (one of Alexander's Scottish grandchildren), but I have had no contact with them over the last 30+ years. Sadly Vera's sister Annie Falconer (nee Cruickshanks) & brother Alex, ie: Alexander Cruickshanks (Junior) both passed away only a few years later in 1975 ... oddly on Alex's death certificate it stated that he went by the name of Eric MacDonald & was formerly known as Alexander Cruickshanks ... another family mystery .

Gary do you or any of your family members have any contact with any of that side of the family? My Aunty Betty (one of Vera's 5 daughters) is likely to be visiting Scotland in September/October of this year & would really love to make contact with you & other family members. She is also going to be calling into the Shetland Islands too, to find out a bit about our my Grandfather's family connections there (Mouats) & in Sweden (Johansens). So would love to hear back from you so I can help make arrangements for you both to meet up if poss! Actually I guess I should have sent you a private message about this (which I think I can do now?) as probably getting a bit off topic

Anyway, take care & hope to hear back from you soon.

Arohanui, Teresa.

[dundeesown]

 alexanders.jpg   72.38K   1 downloads


Hi Teresa so sorry I have not been in touch but I have not been into the Tay Valley clubie for a bit, This is Alexanders Memorial Plaque ( Death Plaque ) but I have no idea of his medals whereabouts,will PM you.
Gary

[Doc]

Just back in the country on Leave. When is the next meeting of the WFA Tayside branch?

Don the Doc

[Doc]

Just answered my own question.

Found details on the "other" site

September 1st Branch Gala Speaker Day: 2-3 Main Speakers + Buffet lunch
Further details to be issued in due course – a must not miss event!

October 20th The Work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Iain Anderson – Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Hope to be able to attend both event's.

Don the Doc

[gary thomson]

hi, where is everyone these days?. we were always on the 1st page but have now dropped to page 3, sorry to see that. Been a while since we all got together for a beer and a blether anyone out there listening and interested.

All the best Gaz T.

[dundeesown]

Hi Gaz
Hows it hingin,I`m up for a beer or three if the troops are gona have a wee jont inta the Ferry.( canna a be in the huff ? ).
Gary

[George Armstrong Custer]

Sounds good, gentlemen. Quickest way to set something up is to agree on a date - preferably far enough in advance to give the most people the opportunity to plan ahead to be there, but not so far away that we all forget about it. How about either Friday 1 March or Saturday 2 March, kicking off in The Gunners?

George

[gary thomson]

Hi, both those dates are ok for me, i will go with what best suits everyone else.

all the best, Gaz T

[Ian Robertson]

Sorry for the tardy reply guys. That weekend is ok with me.

regards

Ian

[George Armstrong Custer]

Both the Friday and Saturday are OK for me, too, so if anyone has a preference for one or the other, let's go with that?

George

[gary thomson]

that's great, what about you Gaz F, any preferences as to most suitable night ?. anybody else out there up for a pint, Bob, Neil, Auld Tam & Anne, Jim ? or anybody else.

Gaz T.

[dundeesown]

I`m up for it but how about the Friday.
Gary.F

[George Armstrong Custer]

Let's go for Friday 1 March, then - 7.30 for 8 at The Gunners?

And if that Bob Servant, Independent, approaches us after we've had a few drinks he'll get a rap in the puss......

George

[gary thomson]

friday is fine for me, an ile hud yer coat while yir gein him a dooin and jump in fur ye if it looks like he's gettin the better o ye.

all the best, Gaz.

[George Armstrong Custer]

Why thank you Gaz - that's the kind of thing that sustains me in my times of trouble. Have given Neil a pm on FB drawing his attention to this - though it seems he moves in celebrity circles with the likes of Gary Lineker these days, so he may have moved out of our league.

Best,

George

[Locheelad]

Ta for the email George. Greetings to y'all how's it hinging? As it stands sadly I won't be there as I'm in Manchester that night to see the Reds move a step nearer the league the following day in the match v Norwich. One must make use of ones season tickets so one must! would be great tho to see you guys - hold another soon please or let me shout the next dates if ok with you. glory glory
Bob

[Black Watch]

Friday is good for me too. Need to look out something for the show and tell... should really have been but I like the other smiley better.

[gary thomson]

Good to see so many up for a sophisticated evening in the "Gunners" sipping dry sherry. Imagine giving up such a night to watch 22 overpaid diddies chasing a pig skin 'see you another time boab.

See you all on Friday 1st. Gaz.

[jlang]

Hi

Unfortunately, it looks like I will be in Aberdeen on the week end in question.  Thanks for the email George.  I will check this thread more frequently.

Cheers,   Jim

[KOF]

Ach, I can't make it up to the Ferry this time. I shall get there another time when work isn't beating me over the head with deadlines. Have a grand time and I'll see you gents later.

Cheers

Colin
(KOF)