The adjacent photographs are of St Michael’s Memorials to those killed during both World Wars, 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. The WW1 memorial is mounted on the wall of the inner vestibule facing the entrance to the sanctuary. We have photographed both sides (left and right) so that individual names can be distinguished. A smaller open book memorial commemorates those killed during WW2.
Click here to view our Memorials Database which went on-line in time for Remembrance Day 2005, but research is always ongoing. We would be extremely grateful if anyone can send us whatever little information, they may have on any of the names – street where the person lived, regiment, or school attended. Simply contact us and let us know. Sometimes it only needs one small detail to allow us to confirm a name. For instance, we have been unable to trace a few of those on our own War Memorial and on that of North Merchiston Church, however some of the names can be found in a compilation produced by Edward S Flint for the The Edinburgh’s War Project, see War Memorials Gorgie and Beyond. As we have not yet obtained sufficient evidence that these names match, we hesitate to add them to our database.
Prior to WW1 no nation had systematically cared for its war dead – in fact, throughout the ages only the graves of the Great Commanders received any recognition. During WW1 the Imperial War Graves Commission was created as a permanent organisation to safeguard for all time the remains of our gallant dead, wherever they might be. As time passes, very few know those who gave their lives. This corner of our website aims to show that the men and women, on the St Michael’s and North Merchiston memorials, once lived their lives in the same houses, in the same streets, as others do today.
