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WW2

This page was initiated as a way to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) on 8th May 1945. We have collated some interesting material from our archives in honour of those who contributed to the war effort which also offers insight into life at the School between 1939 and 1945.

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WW2 MemorialOur WWII bronze memorial sits at the entrance to the School Office. Former Art Master T S Halliday was responsible for sculpting the bronze work while Former Pupil Mr H K Symington provided the stonework.

The full story relating to the war memorial unveiling can be found here in the September 1939 Centenary edition of the School magazine, and a copy of the order of service from the Service of Remembrance at Dundee Parish Church (St Mary’s) can be viewed here.

The memorial was unveiled at 3.30pm on Wednesday 8th June 1949 by Elizabeth Dick (Head Girl) and Roger Chawla (Head Boy). The Rev. J H Duncan DD Hon Chaplain of the School and the Rev. A M Davidson, CBE, MC, DD, KHC Deputy Chaplain General, HM Forces took part in the ceremony. ‘Flowers of the Forest’ was performed by the pipes and drums of the Cadet Corps.

The photograph (shown below) from The Dundee Evening Telegraph shows the ceremony being conducted on The Pillars with school pupils, many relatives of the fallen, friends and Directors in attendance.

The Courier Newspaper

The names of our Former Pupils who served in HM Forces during WWII were listed in our School magazines in 1946. The list can be found on page 36 of the April edition. An addendum to the list also features on page 22 of the June edition. Both can be viewed in full within the Archive Section of our School website.

The names listed on this page are of Former Pupils and former colleagues who lost their lives during the Second World War. Their names are also displayed in our beautifully illustrated Roll of Honour book (photographed below), which sits in a glass case in front of the WWII memorial (just outside our School Office).

Calligraphy

A photographic record of these pages can be found here. The calligraphy was penned by former teacher and painter Joan W Cuthill (1921 to 2010). Joan was born in Arbroath, and also taught at Falkirk Technical School, Morrison's Academy and Arbroath High School. Mr W P Vannet very kindly provided the frontispiece.

Name Rank Regiment Date of Death
William M. Adams Engineer Officer MN 29th October 1939
William Ronald Allison Lt. SAAF 1st March 1944 
Alan Reid Beveridge Fl. Sgt. RAF  1st July 1941
Robert Graham Webster Beveridge Fl. Lt. RAF  14th April 1942
Blair Shaw Robertson Black Cptn. (Hampshire Rgt) Black Watch RHR September 1944 
 Hugh Alexander Agnew Bodin Fl. Sgt. RAF 2nd September 1944 
 David Miller Brown Gunner RA September 1943 
 John Donald Brown Sgt. Pilot RAF 12th April 1941 
 Kenneth John Burnett Cptn. Border Regiment May 1945 
Betty H. S. Cochran Flight Officer WAAF 8th October 1945 
Arthur William Cooper Chief Engineer Officer MN 21st November 1942 
John Frederick Cooper Lt. RE 23rd February 1943 
Norman Roy Cooper 3rd Engineer Officer MN 19th March 1941 
Ian Scott Cowley Lt. Black Watch RHR 16th April 1943 
William Gordon Dickie Pilot Officer RAF 11th August 1940 
Robert Campbell Duff Sgt. Pilot RAF 18th March 1940 
John Steven Duncan W/Bombardier Field Regt RA 27th February 1943 
Gordon Bannerman Dundas Sgt. Wireless Operator Air Gunner RAF 27th September 1941 
Edward Thomson Halley Fl. Lt. RAF 19th December 1942 
 Colin C. Hayens Cpl. Seaforth Highlanders December 1944 
David Guthrie Jack  Wireless Operator MN 1st March 1941 
Douglas R. Jeffrey  Sgt. RAF 23rd March 1943 
 James Keir Lt (T/Capt.)  Queens Own Cameron Highlanders   4th December 1941
Frank Bruce Law  Sgt. Pilot RAF September 1944 
Frederick Leonard Lees  Sub. Lt. (A) RN 2nd July 1940 
 Ian G. McCall Captain RAMC  October 1943
Charles A. McGregor Captain Black Watch RHR 27th October 1942 
John Alexander Ross McIntyre Sub. Lt. (A) RNVR May 1945 
A. Ian Mackay Sgt. Observer RAF 21st April 1943 
Donald R. McKay Sub. Lt. (A) RNVR 30th July 1941 
George W. Mackay Lt. East Lancashire Rgt 1st December 1941 
John Douglas Mackay Sgt. Observer RAF 8th August 1941 
Earnest McArtney Martin Major, Indian Army Attached to Duke of Wellington's Rgt 21st December 1942 
Neil Garland Melrose Bombardier West Yorkshire Rgt RA HAA 27th June 1945 
Lindsay J. Millar Sub. Lt. (E) RN 27th March 1942 
Ian Cameron Millar DSC Lt. RNVR 21st October 1941 
William McInroy Miller Radio Officer MN 4th April 1941 
Grant Muckart DFC Warrant Officer (No. 97 Sqn) RAF April 1944 
Conrad Howard Newstead Sgt. (No. 35 Squadron) RAF 24th July 1941 
David Duncan Nicoll Cptn. 1st Fife & Forfar 22nd November 1944 
 James Scott Nicoll Cptn. Frontier Force Regiment, Indian Army  8th July 1944
 James Stanley Nicoll Chief Radio Officer MN September 1944 
 Robert Carmichael Nicolson Engineer MN 29th April 1941 
 James E. Paterson 5th Engineer Officer MN 17th October 1942 
 Thomas Renwick Swanley Paterson Lt. RA 21st January 1944 
Robert L. Patterson  Pilot Officer RAF 18th July 1940 
William B. Pattullo Pilot Officer RAF October 1940 
James Harvie Petrie Pilot Officer RAF June 1943 
Talbert Stevenson Philip L/Bdr. (126 Highland Field Regt) RA August 1944 
Ian Grant Robertson Cadet MN 16th May 1941 
James C. Robertson Paymaster Lt. RNVR December 1941 
William A. Robertson Colonel CBE MC TD RAMC 26th March 1942 
John W. Scrimgeour Captain RA 1st June 1944 
Douglas Mackay Shepherd Captain East African Intelligence Corps 12th June 1943 
David R. Snodgrass 1st Radio Officer MN 4th June 1941 
Robert Hay Soutter Flight Sgt. RAF 14th November 1942 
William Harvey Spreull Capt. Seaforth Highlanders April 1943 
Douglas C. Stewart Leading Airman FAA 27th August 1941 
Ronald S. Watson Lt. RNVR December 1941 
Noel G. Whyte Writer RN 17th October 1942 
James Armstrong Wright MC & BAR Major Black Watch RHR December 1944 

Insight Into School Life During WWII

Please take some time to delve into our School magazines from 1939 to 1945 within the Archive Section of our website to find out more about our school during wartime Dundee. The Editorial sections of each magazine provide a wonderful insight into how pupils and staff adjusted to new ways of teaching and learning whilst also supporting the local community and the war effort too.

Ian M Bain was Rector from 1932 to 1955 and in that time he and the Board of Directors had to adapt and change the way the School maintained its educational provision whilst looking at ways to help others. His article in the December 1939 School magazine entitled ‘The School in War Time’ sets the scene. He opens with a quote from a pupil: “I never expected the War to be like this, I thought we would hear bands playing and see a great outburst of national patriotic feeling”. A week before war broke out, the school set about creating adequate air-raid provision, and in August 1939 the process of evacuation began.

On 9th October 1939, the School was inspected and reopened but in the meantime our school community came together and we set about creating our very first remote learning programme. With the kindness of school families and staff, Senior School classes began in private houses and by the time the School opened in October there were already 26 centres in full operation with a further 5 in their early stages.

By December 1939, the School still lacked permission for Junior School pupils to return so they continued to be educated in private homes by our Junior teachers in the West End, Lawside, Lochee, Downfield, Maryfield, Baxter Park, West Ferry and Broughty Ferry. (Read more...)