MORE than a century after the death of a West Fife war hero, a headstone has finally been installed at his last resting place.

Corporal William Salmond, who was born in Townhill and lived in Kelty, died in the Great War in May 1917 and was buried in an unmarked grave.

That's now been put right, a headstone is in place and there will be a special dedication ceremony in Dunfermline Cemetery on Thursday March 28. 

Dave Dykes, a volunteer and researcher with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), told the Press: "Even after all this time these cases come up regularly and of course I’m delighted that we’re able to pay tribute to one of our own."

The military occasion will feature standard bearers, a bugler, a piper and a wreath to be laid by the Lord Lieutenant of Fife, Robert Balfour.

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Dunfermline Press: Until very recently, the grave of William Salmond in Dunfermline Cemetery was distinguished only by a small branch.Until very recently, the grave of William Salmond in Dunfermline Cemetery was distinguished only by a small branch. (Image: Dave Dykes)

Participants will meet around 1.45pm at the main gate on Halbeath Road before proceeding to the grave where Patricia Keppie, from the CWGC, will give a welcome speech and a brief outline of their work.

Dave will share William's story and Reverend Alastair Ridland will recite 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon.

Brian Alexander, a bugler from Beath High School, will play the Last Post, followed by a minute’s silence and the Reveille.

There will then be a lament by a piper and the laying of wreaths by the Lord Lieutenant and Ian Mitchell from the CWGC.

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The dedication ceremony will be the culmination of painstaking research undertaken by volunteers on a project titled 'In From the Cold'.

Started more than 20 years ago, it aims to identify the servicemen and women missing from the official CWGC list of casualties from the world wars, and ensure they are given due recognition.

A volunteer, Mark Duffy from Blairgowrie, carried out all the research for William's case and, once it was decided the fallen soldier would receive a headstone, Dave made an appeal in the Press in 2022 in the search for any descendants.

The son of John and Catherine Salmond, William was born in Townhill and came from a mining family.

By the time of the 1911 census it appears they were living at Millers Buildings, Kelty.

The entry includes John, 56, George, 25, Grace, 24, John, 3, Robert, 23, William, 18, Catherine, 15, and Charles, 27.

William was a corporal in the 7th battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) and died on May 3, 1917 when he was 24.

His brother, Charles, also died in the First World War and both are commemorated on the Kelty War Memorial.

Dave told the Press: "The commission have an ongoing programme of replacing old headstones and installing new ones for people like William who haven’t been commemorated with a headstone.

"They are manufactured in the commission's own workshops and delivered in their thousands to cemeteries all over the world."

The CWGC's mission is to "honour and care for the men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the First and Second World Wars, ensuring they will never be forgotten".