T H E C O V E N A N T E R
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Sir, number of these were held in Lanarkshire.
I enclose this article to be used by you April 17th witnessed a service held at the
for insertion in the Covenanter. The World Larkhall War Memorial. This was attended
War II exhibition at Hamilton Low Parks by sixty-two members of the Downie family,
Museum and adjacent to the Cameronian members of the public and Cameronian (SR)
Exhibition is now in place and will veterans who paraded complete with the
stay there until November 2006. I have Standard, buglar and piper. The Cameronian
contributed materials to the exhibition, Flag was raised on the memorial flagpole.
including a letter from L/CPL William The gathering was to remember the death
Downie sent from Stalag XXA. A photo of L/Cpl William Downie who joined the 6th
of his camp football team which was in a Battalion as a territorial and served during
sunday newpaper here in the 1940s. Willie World War II. Willie with his brother Jim
had been a professional footballer. These were involved in the 1940 battle of Narvik.
along with other materials and including Willie was badly wounded by mortar fire.
a German Hospital Records copy from a He was completely incapacitated and lay
collage poster in the exhibition. in the snow for dead until a german patrol
I also have in my possession a map saw him move and took him prisoner.
showing the positions of all the stalag and Willie spent two years in hospital at
luft camps in Germany and Poland during Trondheim and Oslo until he was sent to
the war. I have a map showing the advance Stalag XXA at Torun (Thorn) in Poland. He
of the Cameronians up to April 1945, worked with other prisoners on the farms
this shows that the 6th Battalion were at until he was made a corporal serving in the
Breman on the 19th April, 1945, just north British Military Police.
of where L/Cpl William Downie was killed. In 1945, the germans vacated the camps
Four Downie brothers served at the same and moved west to avoid being over run by
time with the Cameronians as territorials in the Russians. The prisoners were also forced
World War II. These were, William Downie, marched westward. Thousands walked for
John Downie, James Downie and Charles up to six-hundred miles before reaching
Downie, all from Larkhall. John and James allied lines. Willie walked four hundred
also served in N. Africa, Sicily and Italy. miles before being killed by friendly aircraft
John also served in Madagascer (with the fire on the 19th of April 1945, the infamous
2nd Battalion.) ‘long march’ deaths at Gresse on the River
Charles (6th Battalion) was invalided Elbe in Germany.
out during the war and he died in Killearn Following the 17th April service in
Military Hospital of brain tumours just two Larkhall, family members travelled to
weeks after Willie was killed at Gresse. I Berlin and Commonwealth Cemetery on
have a book, The History of 6th Battalion the Heerstrasse, Charlottenburg.
The Cameronians (S.R.) World War II which The services at Larkhall and Berlin were
contains Rfn. Charles Downie’s name conducted by the Rev. Willie Downie, a
(Service No. 14741554) L/Cpl William nephew of L/Cpl William Downie and
Downie’s service number was 3245722. a member of the Cameronian Families
This has been a year when many events Association. Terry Mackenzie and his
have commemorated the sixtieth anniversary staff have mounted a special exhibition
of the end of World War II. National events concerning World War II at the museum
have been held throughout the United in Hamilton including mention of
Kingdom and world-wide. These parades Cameronians and the Gresse happening.
and Festivals Of Rememberance included June 5th at Douglas witnessed the gift of a
those held in Edinburgh and Glasgow. replica plaque of the plaque mounted inside
Cameronians and their families also the church at Broekhuizen in Holland. The
remembered during this year. plaque was given into the keeping of the
Veterans of the regiment including Douglas museum at a dedication service
members of the Cameronians (Scottish conducted by the Rev Willie Downie. A
Rifles) and Family Members organization similar service is held each year at the
attended a number of these. Naturally, a memorial gifted by the Dutch and situated
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