A Sight Scotland Veterans member who helped create Scotland's national Korean War memorial has returned to the site to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice on its 73rd Anniversary.
Veteran and Linburn Centre member Adam McKenzie, 97, joined fellow veterans, dignitaries and supporters at the Scottish Korean War Memorial to commemorate the anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. During the service, Adam read Binyon's lines during the Call to Remembrance and the Kohima Epitaph before laying a wreath on behalf of Scottish Korean War Veterans.
Representing Sight Scotland Veterans, Linburn Activity Worker Lorna Donaldson and Centre Officer Lynda Sunderland also attended the ceremony and laid a wreath on behalf of the charity.
Adam is one of only two surviving Korean War veterans in Scotland. He served for 34 years in the Army, including 26 years overseas, and has dedicated almost five decades to ensuring those who lost their lives in the conflict are remembered.
A memorial built through determination
For Adam, the memorial holds a deeply personal significance. He was instrumental in bringing the project to life after discovering there was no dedicated Korean War memorial anywhere in the United Kingdom.
He explains:
"We decided we wanted a memorial because there was no memorial solely to Korean Veterans in the whole of the United Kingdom. The only other place you’ll find the names of UK-based Korean War Veterans is The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where they’re spread all over the wall alongside others from other wars. So I went to Birmingham where we had a General Meeting and I pitched the idea - and got laughed out the hall. They said I’d never get it off the ground, so myself and some others decided to go it alone."
The journey from idea to reality was far from straightforward.
"We bought three acres of ground from West Lothian Council for one penny - it was a donation really but in Scotland if it’s a land transaction it has to be financial, I’ve still go the papers in my house – and then we stood outside every supermarket in the area and collected money to help build it. We thought we had sufficient funds to build the memorial we wanted, we secured a bid, but then they came back to us two weeks later and said they couldn’t build the one we wanted - they did what they could, but it wasn't what we envisioned."
"I pitched the idea - and got laughed out the hall. They said I’d never get it off the ground, so myself and some others decided to go it alone."
Even after the memorial was completed, there was more work to do to make it accessible for everyone.
"Six months later, we got a letter in saying that we had to close it, because we hadn’t made facilitation for people with wheelchairs and disabilities to access it, so we raised another £8,000 in grants to build the wider gates and put a tarmac path up to the memorial from the car park. We then put out a request to get more funding and eventually rebuilt it to how it looks today. I’m very proud of it."
Today, the memorial stands as a lasting tribute to those who served. It features an arboretum of 1,114 native Scottish trees, one for every serviceman who died during the conflict, and two mounds shaped to reflect the Yin and Yang symbol on the South Korean flag. Between them sits a traditional Korean-style shrine displaying the names of those who lost their lives.
Finding support at the Linburn Centre
Adam first learned about Sight Scotland Veterans through a former colleague who had also served in the Army and had experienced sight loss. After meeting again at a veterans' event, Adam mentioned that he too was beginning to lose his sight, and was encouraged to visit the Linburn Centre.
He said:
"I’ve been going to the Linburn Centre for two years now and I really enjoy it. I do exercises in the morning at the Centre, and then other activities in the afternoon. I missed some months as I had a stroke in between and I lost all my mobility but I’ve been building it back up slowly - although I wish I had the energy these two have! [laughs and points to Lorna and Lynda]."
Honouring service and sacrifice
The commemorative service brought together veterans, families and civic leaders to remember those who served in the Korean War.
Among those attending were Moira Niven MBE, Lord-Lieutenant for West Lothian; His Excellency Kim Heung-chong, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Kingdom; and David Boe, National Chairman of Royal British Legion Scotland.
The ceremony included hymns, readings, wreath laying and a minute's silence following the Last Post, ensuring that the courage and sacrifice of those who served in Korea continue to be remembered for generations to come.
If you would like to visit The Scottish Korean War Memorial, you can find directions here.
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