Sutherland Scotland

2 June 2006

New generation seeks to honour 'forgotten hero'  

Five Kinlochbervie girls are campaigning for a memorial in the village to a local hero who won the Victoria Cross for valour in the First World War.

Emma Adam, Miranda MacDonald, Danielle Mac-Kay, Donna MacKinnon and Siobhan Macleod, all third-year pupils at Kinlochbervie High School, recently took part in a Channel 4 schools competition titled "Lost Generation", the aim being for youngsters from all over the country to research and put together a presentation on the impact of the First World War on their local area.

The girls chose to research Lance Corporal McBeath, of the 1/5th Seaforth Highlanders, a young Kinlochbervie man who was awarded the VC for his bravery at the battle of Cambrai in November 1917.

After the war he emigrated to Canada, joined the police in Vancouver, British Columbia, and was tragically shot dead in 1922 while apprehending a criminal.

The girls' presentation was one of four that were "Highly Commended" by the judges and was the only Scottish entry in the top five.

High School history teacher Murdo MacPherson, who helped the girls get started on their project, said this week: "They have done exceptionally well, considering the lack of local resources and library facilities and the short time they were given to do it in."

The girls told the Northern Times:

"We chose as our subject the life of Robert McBeath, the Kinlochbervie VC winner. We researched him because he won the highest war medal you can get. He was brought up in our local community and that made the project more personal to us.

"He got the Victoria Cross for capturing 30 enemy soldiers and enabling an advance to continue.

Miraculously he survived the war, but then died in a tragic incident while in the Vancouver Police Force.

"There is no monument for him in Kinlochbervie, except a street named after him. His funeral in Vancouver was the biggest known up to that time and he seems to be more well known in Vancouver than in Sutherland.

"We would like to see a memorial to Robert McBeath in Kinlochbervie.

We are still interested in his life story and would like to find out more about him and even visit his grave in Vancouver, so we will need to do some serious fundraising!

"Copies of the CD we made will be made available for sale locally by the community council. Anyone interested in purchasing a CD should contact Kinlochbervie High School."

The girls' highly commended presentation can be seen on the school website http://www.kinlochberviehigh.highland.sch.uk

© The Northern Times 2006

Go to Robert McBeath History Competition Page

Read the article in the Vancouver Province

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