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    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Dunfermline Garden for Heroes - WW2 and several later conflicts

    Full view of platform and wall with plaques on

    Source: Copyright Lisa Jennings

    1/28

    Current Location

    Former Bee Alley Gardens, Garden of Honour, Monastery Street, Dunfermline, Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 7PQ, Scotland

    OS Grid Reference

    NT 09022 87255

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    Names listed on this memorial

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    © WMR-8517

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    Type of Memorial
    Garden
    WMR Reference Number
    8517
    Description
    Memorial wall with dedicatory bronze plaques, shield bearing St Andrews cross and eternal flame all set within a garden. Nine steps lead up to the wall that is situated atop a stone platform. Inscribed on the plaques are the names of those commemorated. Additional plaque bears names from the conflicts in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. There is also a metal bench, an explanatory noticeboard and a black granite obelisk which is close to the pergola between this memorial and the WW1 memorial. The government paving stone for Sergeant John Erskine VC is next to this obelisk.
    Inscription
    PRO PATRIA/ IN MEMORY OF THOSE OF THIS CITY/ WHO DIED IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 - 1945 Plaques: (Names) Additional plaque for other country wars Obelisk-At the going down/of the sun/and in the morning/We will remember them Sign Board- GARDEN FOR HEROES/You are about to enter the Garden for Heroes. This area was/designated jointly by the families of servicemen and women and/by the people of Fife as a place where we can go, sit and/contemplate the loves of our loved ones, family and friends who/through their actions and deeds have influenced or touched our/lives in a manner that we feel would define them as HEROES Bench-GARDEN/FOR/HEROES
    War
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Number Commemorated
    311
    Died
    311
    Information shown
    forenames, surname
    Order of names
    Alphabetically
    War
    Iraq (2003-2011)
    Number Commemorated
    1
    Died
    1
    Information shown
    forenames, surname, year of death
    Number Commemorated
    1
    Died
    1
    Information shown
    forenames, surname, year of death
    Additional Information
    Kosovo
    War
    Northern Ireland Conflict; The Troubles (1969-1998)
    Number Commemorated
    1
    Died
    1
    Information shown
    forenames, surname, year of death
    War
    Afghanistan (2001-2014)
    Number Commemorated
    1
    Died
    1
    Information shown
    forenames, surname, year of death
    Maker(s)
    • Mr James Shearer RSA, Architect

    Sponsor Type
    public
    Maintenance History
    2004: Plaque added for Iraq casualty.

    Ceremonies

    Unveiled

    9 August 1953

    Provost R H Robertson

    Dedicated

    9 August 1953

    Rev J H Webster, Dunfermline

    Rededicated

    4 March 2011

    Custodian
    Fife Regional Council

    Components

    Wall

    Height: 2000 mm

    Width: 6300 mm


    Made from: Stone


    Condition: Good


    Plaques

    Height: 530 mm

    Width: 3140 mm


    Made from: Bronze


    Condition: Good


    Plaque

    Made from: Metal


    Condition: Good


    Seat

    Made from: Metal


    Condition: Good


    Obelisk

    Made from: Granite - Black


    Condition: Good


    • http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?p=4816&mforum=warmemscot#4816
    • Dunfermline Press: 1 August 1953; 8 August 1953; 15 August 1953
    • https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/145020/
    • 'Dunfermline Press' about Corporal Mason's name being added. http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/roundup/articles/2011/03/04/410817 Memorial tribute to West Fife Black Watch soldier By Gary Fitzpatrick. Published 4th March 2011 FAMILY, friends and comrades of fallen Black Watch corporal Tam Mason gathered at Dunfermline War Memorial to remember his life and mark the occasion of his name being added to the memorial plaque. In a poignant ceremony held in bright early spring sunshine on Monday, accompanied by a bugler and piper, the Rev Seoras Mackenzie, Black Watch padre, said Tam gave his life so others could enjoy peace. "He was prepared to put his life on the line for people like us. "That life was taken by that dreadful act of terrorism," said the Rev Mackenzie. He added, "Tam died so that others were free not to live in fear and under repression." Tam grew up in Rosyth and lived later in Dunfermline. He was 27-years-old when he died as a result of severe injuries he sustained in an explosion in Afghanistan. He was flown back to the UK but died in hospital in Birmingham six weeks after the horrific blast. Tam, who was on his second tour in Afghanistan, had joined the army in February 2005 and qualified as a mortar fire controller, earning promotion to corporal two years later. His mum, Linda Buchanan, who lives in Kelty, said after the ceremony, "It's been a very emotional occasion. "There's an element of pride of course because Tam died doing the job he loved. "He was proud to be in the Black Watch and he always said there could be no greater honour than to die doing the job he loved so much. "He used to say, 'Whatever they say about the army, the Black Watch is different and we're like one big family'. "He was one of the last to join before the change came in over to the Royal Regiment. "Tam is the first thing I think of every morning when I wake up and the last thing I think of when I fall asleep and I know that will always be. "He was fun-loving, loved a challenge, was very motivated and because he was like that it rubbed off on those around him. "He was respected by those who knew him." Meanwhile, Tam's family are delighted with the response to their petition calling for a memorial garden to be built for the families of those who have died in recent conflicts. More than 700 people have signed the petition which has been left in shops around West Fife and is also being backed by the Press with dunfermlinepress.com users able to sign online. "We've had tremendous support from the public and from the other families," said Mrs Buchanan. "People have been getting in touch from all over Scotland so if we have this quiet place where people can go to remember their loved ones, people could be coming to Fife from all over."
    • Film showing the construction of the memorial- https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1793