A Kinross-shire community’s war memorial has been moved to a new safe space, thanks to a near 20-year labour of love.
The Blairingone war memorial used to sit on the wall of the village church.
However, when the building was declared redundant and sold to a developer, there were concerns about its fate.
Former councillor Mike Barnacle started working on plans to relocate the war memorial in 2006.
And on Wednesday, he returned to where it all began to see it unveiled at its new spot on the Blairingone cemetery wall.
Mr Barnacle, who retired as a councillor in May 2022 after 23 years, said he was delighted to finally close the file on the case.
“I’m really pleased,” he said.
“We used to have the odd wreath laid at the memorial for Remembrance Sunday when it was at the church, but maybe now there will be more interest, especially among relatives who are still in the area.”
War memorial tells poignant tale of Blairingone bravery
The memorial lists the names of 19 men from the Blairingone area who died in the First World War.
The 20th name belongs to George Gardiner, who died aged 25, at Normandy in the Second World War.
The youngest casualty was Duncan Hope, who was 17 when he died in France on March 17 1917.
Thomas McKenzie, 28, died after the Armistice, on December 31 1918 in Taranto.
Team work behind memorial move
The Blairingone war memorial relocation follows a joint project involving Perth and Kinross Council’s Bereavement Services, Fossoway Community Development Trust, Fossoway and District Community Council, developers Profile Projects and the landowner.
Funding from the council and Profile Projects, the church developer, paid for an experienced contractor to remove and relocate the memorial and the creation of a new grassed area around it.
Local landowner Johnny Stewart also attended yesterday’s ceremony.
He was finishing a job started by his late father, Sir Robert Stewart, who was also heavily involved in the effort to move the Blairingone war memorial to its new location.
“It’s a triumph,” he said.
“This is what we all hoped for one day and now it has finally happened.”
Kinross-shire Councillor Dave Cuthbert said: “I am delighted that the war memorial has been moved and would like to give special thanks to Mike Barnacle, who put a huge effort into getting the memorial moved, both as an elected member of Perth and Kinross Council and as a private individual.”
