Councillors praise work to restore Fodderty War memorial
Cllrs Margaret Paterson and Angela MacLean join Alf Leslie at the Fodderty War Memorial
The gate memorial at Fodderty Cemetery in Ross and Cromarty has been restored to its former glory as part of a Highland Council project to carry out refurbishment works to war memorials across the Highlands ahead of the WW1 Centenary.
An inscription on the ornate memorial reads that it was erected in memory of “the men of Strathpeffer and District” and dedicated on Armistice Day in 1933.
The Fodderty War Memorial designer/maker was Messrs A. Marshall Mackenzie & Son, Donald Matheson LRIBA & FRIBA - a Scottish architect responsible for various prestigious projects through the UK including Australia House in London.
The memorial was dedicated by the Rev Walter M Reid of Strathpeffer on the 11th November 1933 in honour of local mem who died in WW1. The gates and tablets were opened and unveiled by various members of the families who had lost sons.
The inscriptions on the inside of the arch are in Gaelic and their poignant translation reads:
Land of my heart, the sweetest music
takes me home forever
Won with the hand
Yet, the chords are broken
Better is the heritage that recognises
Heroes in times of hardship
Descendants of the noble clans
First born of the highlanders
They stood in that country
In their rank and file
Men who never turned their backs on friend nor enemy
First in and last out
Men that neither bought nor sold their honour for the world
Truth in their hearts
Strength in their arms
Bound by their language
Far and wide will travel word of the hero
Who in battle is better than a hundred
Offspring of the Highlander
Offspring of warriors
Stay close to your reputation and heritage
The mouth speaks, but actions speak louder
Nobility is earned.
Over the years the metal gates had deteriorated and were in a poor condition. The in-house council project, using funding from the Scottish Governments Centenary War Memorial Restoration Fund and the skills of local craftsmen from Black Isle Bronze Nairn, James Evans & Sons Dingwall and Hoods of Dingwall, has seen the complete restoration of the now eye-catching memorial.
Councillors Margaret Paterson and Angela MacLean met up with the Council’s War Memorial Project Co-ordinator Alf Leslie at Fodderty Cemetery to admire the work which included restoration of the complete memorial including lettering, scroll work and the stone work surrounding the gates as well as having the gates repaired and repainted.
Cllr Paterson said: “Angela and I went to see the gates when they were taken to Black Isle Bronze to be cleaned and restored so seeing them now proudly back where they belong is wonderful. I very much feel that we are the custodians for future generations and have a responsibility to keep the memorial in a good order in tribute to the many men lost and their families. I’m delighted this work has been done in time for the Centenary.”
Cllr MacLean added: “The transformation has been stunning and to have been involved in this project from start to finish has been very rewarding. When we saw the gates in the Black Isle Bronze foundry getting cleaned and repaired we had the opportunity to see close up the very intricate original design. It was clear that the design and craftsmanship was of the highest quality. Using local skilled people we have been able to replicate this skilled work and bring back the memorial to its former glory.
Both Cllr Paterson and MacLean thanked everyone involved in the project, particularly Alf Leslie for his care and commitment to the Fodderty memorial and all the other memorials across the Highlands.
Restoration works on the WW1 memorials across Ross and Cromarty completed this year include those in Ullapool, Dundonnell, Gairloch, Invergordon, Conon Bridge, Muir of Ord, Cromarty, Strathconnon, Evanton, Contin, Garve, Maryburgh, Fettes and Kinlochewe.
On the Black Isle, The Avoch Gentlemen’s Golf Society fund along with the Council and the Scottish Governments Centenary War Memorial Restoration Fund carried out the restoration works required on the Avoch War Memorial. The Highland Council has recently arranged for a contractor to carry out the restoration works at the Munlochy War memorial.