Law the site for mainGreat War memorial

Law Recreation Ground was one of two sites suggested by South Lanarkshire Council to represent the area in the Centenary Fields project,

The project aims to protect at least one green space in every local authority area across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland to commemorate the centenary of the bloodiest conflict in British history.

Councillors were told by officials at last week’s council enterprise resources committee meeting that the site at Law had been chosen by Centenary Fields as it is already the site of a war memorial and therefore has tangible links to World War One.

Chair of the committee, Councillor John Anderson, said: “This project will provide a fitting tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

“Centenary Fields have decided that the Law site which has a war memorial located in it erected in May 1920 to commemorate those who were killed or missing in the Great War, is the appropriate location in South Lanarkshire.

“Our committee’s job was to agree to the decision of Centenary Fields and move to designate Law Recreation Ground as an area of green space for the public to enjoy in perpetuity.

“Such simple freedoms are part of what our Great War ancestors fought and died for and we are honoured to be a part of this unique legacy project.”

It is thought that well over 600 men from Clydesdale were killed in the conflict and that there was not a town, village or hamlet in the area that escapedloss of some degree.

The establishment of the Centenary Fields site at Law will be among the last events locally to mark the centenary of the war, each community having carried out its own form of homage. Carluke’s commemoration was centred around its Town Called Courage ‘re-branding’ with three VCs – two from World War One – being Carlukians.