Charles Thomas Kennedy VC memorials

[petercharleskennedy]

The headstone for this VC holder (North Merchiston Cemetery, Edinburgh) was erected by the Royal Highland Fusiliers in 2001. I contacted them recently to let them know that, unfortunately, the birth month is incorrect - it should be January and not June. After about four weeks I finally received a reply from Colonel R L Steele (Retd), the Regimental Secretary. Apparently no action will be taken "DUE TO MOD CUTBACKS". Surely a VC holder, who lost his life seven years after gaining the award, this time saving lives in Edinburgh (as a civilian), deserves to be remembered correctly.

Headstone with incorrect details

charles thomas kennedy gravestone.jpg (71.81 KiB) Viewed 2025 times

A memorial plaque on a bench in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh, also has the incorrect birth month, and states that Charles was born in the Grassmarket area - Edinburgh Old Town. He was actually born in Jamaica Street, Edinburgh New Town. Any ideas on how to contact the Grassmarket Area Group as, up to now, I have drawn a blank.

Memorial plaque with incorrect details

charles thomas kennedy memorial plaque.jpg (59.08 KiB) Viewed 2025 times

After all, Charles Thomas Kennedy VC was a true hero in war and in peace.
Thanks for any help anyone can give.
Peter

[Philip Wilson]

Suggest you contact the Secretary of The Victoria Cross Society.

http://www.victoriacrosssociety.com

[petercharleskennedy]

Thanks for your reply. Already contacted Brian Best, who was very intererested but can only correct their own records. He is to publish my biography of Charles Thomas Kennedy in the March 2012 journal. (That was before the reply from the RHF - which took over four weeks - so he doesn't know what their reply was.)

I have also written to the Scotsman Newspaper Group, who reported on the unveiling of both memorials, but have heard nothing.
On Friday I wrote to the Victorian Military Society as well.

[Philip Wilson]

Thanks - I look forward to reading your article on KENNEDY VC in The March 2012 Journal of the Victoria Cross Society.

Have you approached the V.C. & G.C. Association or the Royal British Legion in Scotland to see whether they are able to assist in anyway?

[petercharleskennedy]

No, but I will now, thanks for the suggestions.

[petercharleskennedy]

Thanks - I look forward to reading your article on KENNEDY VC in The March 2012 Journal of the Victoria Cross Society.

Have you approached the V.C. & G.C. Association or the Royal British Legion in Scotland to see whether they are able to assist in anyway?

The Royal British Legion Scotland have completely ignored my letters.
Still waiting for a reply from the VC & GC Association - although they appear to be more concerned with living recipients.

[petercharleskennedy]

Finally heard from the Royal British Legion Scotland. They are looking into changing the bench plaque. The headstone seems to be more of a problem (meaning cost). The Royal Highland Fusiliers won't change it (they erected it) due to "MOD cutbacks"!

[SWB]

So the headstone is not CWGC, but just in the style of?

How about finding out much it will cost to recut the headstone and replace the plaque and see about raising funds?

Regards
Meurig

[petercharleskennedy]

No, the headstone is not CWGC as Kennedy was killed as a civilian saving lives in Edinburgh. Seeing as how the Royal Highland Fusiliers had the stone erected only ten years ago, and they have his Victoria Cross on display in their museum, they should replace it. They have even put on the bottom of it that they dedocated the stone.
Surely all that needs to be done is change JUNE to JAN.

The plaque on the bench was only erected last year!

[petercharleskennedy]

Thanks - I look forward to reading your article on KENNEDY VC in The March 2012 Journal of the Victoria Cross Society.

The biography I submitted to The Victoria Cross Society has been printed in the March journal. Unfortunately the editing and additions done to it have made it almost unrecognisable from the original work. I have noted 21 mistakes and incorrect details that were not in the submitted work. I would like to point out to anyone reading the article that Charles Thomas Kennedy was not illiterate; the spelling mistakes, printing errors and incorrect facts are none of my doing.
I am very disappointed with The Victoria Cross Society.

[Philip Wilson]

Peter

Have you registered your concerns with VC Society editor? If the errors are not of your making then unless a correction is made others will read the article and possibly not spot these. What are the significant errors please? If Charles Thomas Kennedy did not sign his attestation papers then there may well have been a good reason why he could not do so.

[petercharleskennedy]

Charles Kennedy did sign his enlistment papers - I don't know where the editor got the idea from that he was illiterate. After all, he later obtained a 2nd class certificate of education while in the army.
I have notified the editor of his errors in a detailed account of the 21 errors. No reply as yet, but I have requested either the article to be reprinted or a retraction included in the next journal.

[Philip Wilson]

Peter

Thanks - I shall make a pencil note in my copy of the VC Journal March 2012 cross referencing your concerns. I sincerely hope the errors you have pointed out are corrected by way of an addendum with suitable apology.

[petercharleskennedy]

Philip

Thanks for your interest. It seems a shame that, while trying to get the details corrected on Kennedy's headstone and memorial bench, all that has happened is that more mistakes now surround the life of this brave man.
He was a military hero, a hero in civilian life and a sporting hero - in a cup winning football team.

[petercharleskennedy]

Just heard from The Victoria Cross Society -
"We will print a retraction in our next Journal and highlight the factual errors".