The names of the 15 victims who lost their lives in two separate tragedies in Levenmouth 70 years ago have been added to the Civilian Roll of Honour.
On January 23, 1941, 15-year-old pithead worker Peter Graham and coal miners Colin Smart, George Storrar, James Anderson and David Laing were fatally injured near Lady’s Rock in West Wemyss after a sea mine that had been washed up on the beach detonated.
Peter died at the scene along with Mr Storrar (38), a special constable, and Mr Laing (69). Mr Anderson (58) died later that day at Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital and Mr Smart (36), who was with the Home Guard, hung on for a further 11 days before succumbing to his injuries.
Just five months later, on Monday, June 2, eight children and two adults were killed in another disaster in Buckhaven.
Townsfolk were celebrating their annual gala in 1941 when beachcomber Robert Birrell dragged a large section of pipe from the water’s edge and, helped by his friend Henry Wilkie, hauled it into a cart and carried it to a stable.
The activity attracted eight lads, the youngest of them only 10.
The two men and the boys died instantly when the pipe, which turned out to be a mine, exploded.
In wartime Britain the incident was simply regarded as “one of those things” and was buried in history until 2006 when a book detailing the event was published and a special plaque was erected by the Levenmouth Regeneration Initiative.
The 10 victims were Mr Birrell (31), George Irvine (13), George Jensen (14), Robert Jensen (15), Joe Kinnear (13), William Kinnear (10), John Thomson (12), Henry Walton (14), Mr Wilkie (36) and James Wilkie (12).
The names of the victims from both tragedies have all been added to the Civilian Roll of Honour, thanks to the efforts of Jim Grant from the In From The Cold Project (IFTC) and local man Jake Drummond.