The Inspiring Story of Private Ron Wheeldon: A Black Watch POW in WWII

This blog was written by Freya, one of our three young volunteers who contributed to our special exhibition, ‘Captive Voices’. Freya will be attending university this autumn to study History. Private Ronald ‘Ron’ Wheeldon was born on 24th June 1926 in Mosborough, Sheffield. Coming from a mining family, Wheeldon chose a different path, finding work … Read more

Keeping Robert Burns alive within The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

Written by Captain (Retired) Alan McEwen MBE Having never read or studied the works of Robert Burns throughout my early years at home or my public schooling years in Dundee, it was not until I joined 1st Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in 1979 at the age of 21 that I began to … Read more

Innovation in the Archive #ExploreArchives

The Black Watch Museum archive holds a considerable quantity of primary source material relating to the Battle of Loos, 24th September 1915. This event has significant resonance to both the regiment and the region, in particular to the City of Dundee which, to this day, still commemorates the battle and losses felt by the city. … Read more

My time as a Poppy Partner..

In early summer of 2016 by happy chance, I stumbled across a request for volunteers at the forthcoming Weeping Window: Poppies exhibition at the Black Watch Castle and Museum; I was thrilled. I had seen the poppies on television, but didn’t to London to see them at the Tower; didn’t even manage to buy a … Read more

Being a Poppy Partner, Graham Halstead

” I have been a supporter of the Poppy campaign as long as I can remember, especially after my father died from his third heart attack when I was just 17. He fought in the Second World War in Burma, for the ‘Forgotten 14th’ , and, although he survived, I don’t doubt that the horror … Read more

Being a Poppy Partner, Colonel Alex Murdoch

My expectation of being a Poppy Partner was that it would enable me to support and assist the staff at The Black Watch Museum welcome the public attending the Poppy Exhibition. I imagined coaches arriving and visitors being guided in an orderly manner to view the exhibition. My experience has been quite different and has … Read more

Remembering the Battle at High Wood, 30th July 1916

On 30th July 2016 we remembered 154 men of The Black Watch who were killed, most at the Battle of High Wood (as part of the Battle of the Somme). The Memorial Service was led by Rev Alex Forsyth, and attended by families of the fallen, veterans and members of the public. 154 crosses were … Read more

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