The wind was blowing down the last autumn leaves on the rows of crosses and poppies in the Garden of Remembrance in George Square. Large drops of rain slowly travelled down a few photographs like tears. Someone left a large poppy on the grass with a touching message about Great Grandpa John Wallace of Royal Navy…

No mass gatherings this year’s Remembrance Sunday as just a few days earlier new, stricter COVID restrictions were imposed in the Central Belt. Due to the pandemic the opening ceremony was broadcast online, but people still turned up with wreaths and small crosses with poppies to pay respects to the fallen servicemen, mourn and reflect on the toll taken by the two horrific wars.

Garden of Remembrance in George Square
Garden of Remembrance in George Square
The Royal Regiment of Scotland remembered
The Royal Regiment of Scotland remembered
Large poppy with a message about Great Grandpa John Wallace of Royal Navy
Large poppy with a message about Great Grandpa John Wallace of Royal Navy
Centre group with shadow soldiers at guard, a guy tending to the crosses at the back
Centre group with shadow soldiers at guard, a guy tending to the crosses at the back
A few Glaswegians who turned up to pay their tribute on Remembrance Sunday at George Square
A few Glaswegians who turned up to pay their tribute on Remembrance Sunday at George Square
Raindrops on the photograph of Sgt John Hannah of RAF
Crosses and poppies with handwritten blessings
Small wooden crosses with poppies and handwritten blessings

John and I came to George Square to spend some quiet time by Glasgow Cenotaph and remember his granddad, John Walls, of whom we are very proud. He fought during WWII with 6 KOSB of 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division and received his Military Cross from the hands of General Montgomery himself for extraordinary courage during the Battle of Geel, also known as the Battle of the Geel Bridgehead, in Belgium. The medal and the photo of him with Montgomery is now at Kings Own Scottish Borderers’ Museum in Berwick-upon-Tweed. His battalion was in charge of securing bridgehead position and crossing of the ESCAUT Canal under prolonged machine gun and artillery fire and after repelling several German counter attacks was running out of supplies. Meanwhile, several ammunition carriers had received directs hits and were knocked out, creating serious ammunition supplies shortages. According to his MC citation,

On being advised of the situation, RSM WALLS organised amn-carrying parties and had supplies of amn brought down to the near bank of the Canal, whence he personally transported it to the other side in assault boats and formed an amn dump there.

On the 16 Sep 44 he made three such journeys, all of them under heavy shelling and mortar fire, which was falling with great accuracy on the point of crossing. RSM WALLS showed absolutely no hesitation in transporting this dangerous load across and by his personal example inspired the carrying parties who were working with him…

The following day, RSM WALLS made further journeys across the Canal with more supplies of amn and at all times from then onwards the amn dump on the far side was kept fully supplied by him and adequately stocked. Every such journey was carried out under extremely hazardous circumstances which were intensified by the dangerous nature of the load…

John’s granddad was obviously a brave man with an exceptional sense of duty, but, as my husband recalls, he actually never talked about the war in his lifetime. At least, we can still hold him and his courage in our memories…

Shortly after we had arrived to George Square a group of bikers carrying helmets walked in for a short ceremony at the Cenotaph in front of Glasgow City Chambers. Due to the pandemic public health measures, only a small socially distanced party at a time could enter the U-shaped enclosure, flanked by grey granite guardant lions. The bikers had to wait, then it was our turn to attend the monument.

Due to the pandemic restrictions only small groups could attend the monument to maintain safe distances. Group of bikers are waiting for their turn here.
Due to the pandemic restrictions only small groups could attend the monument at a time to maintain safe distances. Group of bikers are waiting for their turn here
Bikers saying a few words and bowing heads to the dead in the Cenotaph enclosure during a short but moving ceremony
Bikers saying a few words and bowing heads to the dead in the Cenotaph enclosure during a short but moving ceremony

Cenotaph means ’empty tomb,’ a symbolic locus for grief for the living who had to come to terms with the immensity of their loss. Glasgow monument was designed by John James Burnet, architect, and Ernest Gillick, sculptor, to honour the sacrifice of those who gave lives in WW1, and was unveiled in 1924. The War Memorials Online description states that this particular part of George Square was chosen for its historical and emotional significance – it was here that Glasgow soldiers were recruited, from this place they marched to war, and here those who returned took salute. However, Colin Blair in his thesis suggests that the altar-like ‘war stone’ in front of the obelisk and the gilded sword so reminiscent of the cross, as well as the very location of the Cenotaph on the east side of the square, aimed to lend the secular memorial complex distinct religious overtones (pp. 35-6).​(Blair)​

Whether secular or religious in its connotations, Glasgow Cenotaph serves as a solemn and impressive place that both commemorates the fallen and celebrates peace they secured. It is definitely not a place for empty, token rituals – as the wreath to ‘Three Scottish Soldiers’ from Justice371 proves, the grief for the murdered teenagers is still raw and burning nearly fifty years afterwards…

Glasgow Cenotaph monument by John James Burnet, architect, and Ernest Gillick, sculptor, unveiled at this location in 1924
Glasgow Cenotaph monument by John James Burnet, architect, and Ernest Gillick, sculptor, unveiled at this location in 1924
A gilded sword shaped like a cross over Glasgow coat of arms with St Mungo under a canopy on the obelisk
A gilded sword shaped like a cross over Glasgow coat of arms with St Mungo under a canopy on the truncated obelisk
Central obelisk, with an altar-like block, known as ‘war stone’ in front and a granite sarcophagus slab on the ground
John looking at the wreath dedicated to 'Three Scottish Soldiers'
John looking at the wreath dedicated to ‘Three Scottish Soldiers’, lured out of Belfast, unarmed and of-duty, shot by the IRA in 19
Horizontal slab with a carved wreath, a long palm leaf and a word 'PAX'
Horizontal slab with a carved wreath, a long palm leaf and a word ‘PAX’

Notes

  1. Blair, Colin. An Affair of the Soul: Commemoration of the Great War in Glasgow. BSC Honours thesis in Architectural Studies. Strathclyde University, 2012, https://www.firstworldwarglasgow.co.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=20385&p=0.

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