A bench presented to Edinburgh by Officers and Airmen of United States Air Force, RAF Kirknewton, March 1962

Bench beside the Scottish American War Memorial, West Princes Street Gardens

Bench beside the Scottish American War Memorial

This Picture shows the inscription on one of the benches in West Princes Street Gardens. The bench was presented by the Officers and Airmen of the United States Air Force, RAF Kirknewton.

RAF Kirknewton was a Royal Air Force (RAF) base about 10 miles SW of Edinburgh. It also housed United States Air Force personnel in the 1950s and 1960s.

The bench is, appropriately, situated close to Scottish-American War Memorial in West Princes Street Gardens. The photo below shows its position in the gardens

©,

It looks to the south, into the gardens, towards the Ross Fountain and Edinburgh Castle on Castle Hill.

Update

Bench beside the
Scottish American War Memorial

Thank you to Hank Kaczynski for giving me the update below:

1960s

"The base at RAF Kirknewton closed down in 1966 after 14 years of use by the USAF Security Service.

In March 1962, the Lord Provost held a reception for the officers and airman at the City Chambers and a bench was presented to the Citizens of Edinburgh in appreciation of their warm hospitality.

The bench was located in the West Princes Street Gardens and was a 'must visit' when former RAF Kirknewton airman visited the city."

2007

"A photograph taken in 2007 showed the bench sorely in need of refurbishing. I sent an e-mail to the City of Edinburgh regarding the state of the bench. Our association was going to see what we could do to get it repaired."

2009

"On 28 July, 2009, I received a response from the City Park Contracts Officer with two photos showing that the bench had been refurbished.

It now has a different plaque which I believe is better than the original. It includes a quotation from Robert Burns."

Henry (Hank) Kaczynski, Annapolis, Maryland, USA: July 28, 2009

The new plaque reads:

IN TOKEN OF GRATITUDE TO THE LORD PROVOST
MAGISTRATES AND COUNCIL THE CITY OFFICIALS
AND PEOPLE OF EDINBURGH FOR THE ENDURING
FRIENDSHIP HOSPITALITY AND GOODWILL EXTENDED
TO THE OFFICERS AND AIRMEN OF THE 695 2ND.
SECURITY GROUP U.S.A. F.S.S. R.A.F. KIRKNEWTON
DURING THEIR FOURTEEN YEARS OF DUTY IN SCOTLAND
1952-1966

THO' I WERE DOOM'D TO WANDER ON

BEYOND THE SEA BEYOND THE SUN

TILL MY LAST WEARY SAND WAS RUN

TILL THEN - AND THEN I'D LOVE THEE.

ROBERT BURNS

Update

Bench beside the
Scottish American War Memorial

Thank you to Hank Kaczynski for writing again with further details.

Henry wrote:

Two Benches

"It now appears we have had two benches in the gardens for a number of years without most of us knowing it. The first from March 1962 and the second with the Burns quotation. We're trying to find it's origins."

Henry (Hank) Kaczynski, Annapolis, Maryland, USA: July 30, 2009

The bench on the right in this photo is the one with the Burns quotation.

©,

I don't know where in the gardens the other bench is.

Peter Stubbs: August 5, 2009

Update

Benches beside the
Scottish American War Memorial

Hank Kaczynski replied:

Henry wrote:

Two Benches

"A Kirknewton veteran residing in Scotland tells me that the benches are on either side of the Scottish-American memorial"

Henry (Hank) Kaczynski, Annapolis, Maryland, USA: August 5, 2009