Proud Ross-shire roots of VC war hero whose status is set in stone
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Company Sergeant Major John Skinner received the Victoria Cross from King George V at Buckingham Palace in September 1917 for his remarkable courage at the Battle of Passchendaele.
One hundred years to the day since he carried out his brave actions, Glasgow’s Lord Provost Eva Bolander unveiled a World War I centenary paving stone in CSM Skinner’s memory at the city’s People’s Palace on Wednesday.
Many members of the association of his regiment, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers, 25 of his relatives from around the world and representatives from his old school and neighbourhood attended the poignant event.
John’s great-nephew Stewart Skinner, who travelled from Australia to attend the service, is keen for the Easter Ross side of the family to know about John’s honour so they can share in his pride.
John was thought to have been born in Inver in Easter Ross, where his father Walter, a tailor, was from, but was brought up in Pollockshields in Glasgow.
Stewart (70) explained they had lost contact with their Ross-shire family, but John’s strong connection to the area had not been forgotten.
“We wanted to spread the news of his honour to that side of the family,” he said.
“It is a shame they weren’t there and didn’t know about it – when my cousin and I went up there many years ago to visit them, they were very proud of him.
“The more I read about him, the more I realise he was a boy’s own hero, forever in trouble. He ran away from school and joined the army at 16.
“This is a great story for Inver, and we want them to know that he was honoured again 100 years on for what he did to win the Victoria Cross.”
During the ceremony Stewart gave a vote of thanks, his cousin Myra Grant read the Victoria Cross citation and his cousin Alan Skinner delivered a poem.
The Skinner family also commissioned a pipe tune in his name which was played at the event and a painting of the battlefield by one of the relatives was presented to the regimental association.
“The event went very well, it was well worth the trip,” said Stewart.
Jason Ubych, assistant manager at Tain and District Museum, has carried out research on CSM Skinner and said yesterday that when John joined the Army he claimed he was born in Inver.
He explained there is no lasting memorial to John in the area, although there had been talk of naming a street after him or erecting a plaque.
Mr Ubych, whose father-in-law is a Skinner from Inver, said he wasn’t aware of the ceremony in Glasgow or that John had so many descendants.
John’s heroism at Passchendaele saw him collect six men and dash towards the block houses, and he captured the first single-handed.
He reappeared carrying two machine guns, one under each arm, followed by the whole garrison as prisoners and went on to capture the remaining block houses, rounding up 23 more prisoners, three more guns and two trench mortars.
John’s investiture at Buckingham Palace a few weeks later was the second time the King had decorated him. He had presented him with the Distinguished Conduct Medal two years earlier.
Three days after receiving the VC, CSM Skinner married Annie Lee. He was also presented with the French Croix de Guerre.
He was killed in action at the age of 35 in March 1918. His funeral is understood to be the only time in British military history that six VCs have acted as pall-bearers.
Local MP Jamie Stone, who lives in Tain, said: “It’s incredibly important that we remember the people who died, and the fact that Company Sergeant Major John Skinner has an Inver connection will be viewed as a matter of extraordinary pride by local people.”
