An Ayrshire MP visited Tower Hill Memorial in London recently to pay tribute to the fallen from his constituency.
The memorial commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave.
And MP Alan Brown was invited to visit Tower Hill by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Of the many names listed, 13 are associated with his Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency.
One of the fallen was Benny Thomson, a winger who played for Kilmarnock Football Club during the 1930s and scored in the 1938 Scottish Cup Final against East Fife.
He served as a fireman and trimmer in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. Thomson was posted aboard the steamer SS Balmore and was killed in action when the ship was sunk by German aircraft in the North Atlantic Ocean in November 1940, at the age of just 27.
The 13 servicemen commemorated were connected with the town of Kilmarnock as well as the Irvine Valley and Ballochmyle areas of the constituency.
Mr Brown said: “I was proud to attend Tower Hill and I thank the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for reaching out and highlighting the connection with my constituency.
“As MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, it is important to me to honour the war dead from our constituency and to pay tribute to their sacrifice.
“The Tower Hill Memorial is particularly significant to our community as it commemorates 13 individuals who were connected to our community, either by birth, schooling, or residence.
“One of the casualties remembered is Benny Thomson, a Kilmarnock F.C. player who served as a fireman and trimmer during the Second World War.
"The fact that just two years before his death he was playing - and scored - in the Scottish Cup Final is almost unthinkable in modern times - it sends shivers up your spine. His loss is a poignant reminder of the sacrifice made by so many young men during that conflict.
“It was humbling to see the names of these brave men and women who gave their lives in service to defend the country during these torrid times. I am proud to say that I lay a wreath every year at Remembrance Services across our constituency to ensure that their memory is never forgotten.
“It is also worth noting that my Great Uncle, Hugh Wilson, is amongst the names of the fallen at the Newmilns Memorial. The sacrifices made by the people of Kilmarnock and Loudoun during both World Wars cannot be overstated, and it is a privilege to represent a community with such a strong connection to the country’s military history.”
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