David Stirling Memorial

The David Stirling Memorial celebrates the man that founded the SAS in 1941. The Memorial is set in a position in Stirling that commands fantastic views of the Trossach Hills.

In 1448, the Stirling's acquired the Keir Estate to the north west of Stirling, hence the location of the memorial. They already had land at Loch Morar near Fort William, which is where Stirling is buried.

Although there had been a house on the Kier Estate from the 16th century, in 1760 Stirling built a the large Mansion House that remains there to this day. The entrance to the Kier House is just down the road from the memorial, but is private property.

His nephew Archie Stirling, a former Scots Guards Officer and millionaire businessman, is the current Laird of the Keir Estate.

Let's have look at the life of this fabulous fellow:

15/11/1915 David was born in Keir House. He was the son of Brigadier-General Archibald Stirling of Keir and Margaret Fraser, daughter of the Simon Fraser (Lord Lovat).

1920-30s He was educated in England at Ampleforth College, where he took part in the Ampleforth Officer Training Corps. He then briefly attended Trinity College Cambridge, before being expelled for 28 transgressions. After that, he attempted becoming an artist in Paris, but was unsuccessful.

1937 Stirling joined the Army in the Scots Guard.

1939 Stirling was in America, training to climb Mount Everest when World War II broke out, he immediately returned home.

1941 Stirling was part of a unit that was sent to fight in North Africa. It was while in North Africa that Stirling founded the SAS (Special Air Service). They were highly trained soldiers that would parachute in behind enemy lines, or drive behind enemy lines with long range vehicles.

1942 Stirling was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in recognition of his service in the Middle East.

1943 Stirling was captured by the Germans and ended up in the Colditz Castle Prison in Germany.

1946 Stirling was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

1947 After WWII, Stirling transferred to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers and granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

1949 Stirling and N H Wilson founded the Capricorn Africa Society in Southern Rhodesia. The society aimed to fight racial discrimination in Africa. There were also branches in Kenya, Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Tanganyika and London.

1965 Stirling and John Woodhouse registered the private military company, Watchguard International Ltd, in Jersey. Assignments included work in The Yemen, Iranian and Africa. The company operated in Zambia and in Sierra Leone, providing training teams and advising on security matters.

1965 Stirling retires from the Regular Army Reserve of Officers.

1970 The private military companies that Stirling had formed over the years, were linked with a failed attempt to overthrow the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

1970s Stirling was accused of being part of a secrete organisation set up to infiltrate and undermine Trade Unions in the UK.

1970's Stirling organised a Private Army called Great Britain 75 (GB75) in a hope to overthrow the government. However, in August 1974 the plans of GB75 were made public and his plans were quashed.

1984 The new base of the SAS was renamed Stirling Lines (from Bradbury Lines) in his honour.

1990 Stirling was Knighted, becoming Sir David Stirling.

4/11/1990 Stirling died aged 74 at Westminster. His funeral service took place at St Cumin's Church on the shores of Loch Morar. His Grave is at the Old Cemetery in the small Village of Morar.

In 2002, the David Stirling SAS Memorial created by Anglea Conner was unveiled on the Hill of Row, where it can be visited today.

There is a memorial stone dedicated to The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) which was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. It was their desert navigational skills that assisted the SAS in the World War II.

There are the names of 317 members of the SAS who were killed in World War II listed on 32 plaques on the ground around the statue, two of the plaques show the SAS badge and six are blank.

There is also a separate stone, listing those who gave there lived between 1940-1945.

There is an excellent website Roll of Honour, which not only provides details of the site, but also lists those honoured and their rank.