Visitors are being given a rare chance to delve into the lives of forgotten Angus heroes who died in the First World War.
Kirrie’s Fallen Men at the Gateway to the Glens Museum tells the stories of Private John Adams McLeod and Lance Corporal David Gray Kidd.
The war service of the Wilkie brothers, sons of the Wilkie linen manufacturing business, is also covered in the display.
The exhibition includes a display of medals, photographs and drawings, military items, death plaques and a Black Watch uniform, loaned by The Black Watch Museum.
Rachel Jackson, senior museum assistant, said: “We also had a large loan of objects from Lady Airlie. This includes the Military Cross of Captain Patrick Julian Harry Stanley Ogilvy, killed in action in 1917. This would be the current Lord Airlie’s uncle.
“We also received telegrams from Buckingham Palace to Lady Bridget Coke (the current Lord Airlie’s mother) stating war was imminent and a First World War jacket belonging to the 12th Earl of Airlie (the current Lord Airlie’s father).
“Other objects on display are a First World War Black Watch uniform, 1914 Mons Star awarded to CQMS Ian Ross, a couple of death plaques and lots more.”
Rachel said the museum previously made a plea for information about Kirrie soldiers and were contacted by local man James Wylie.
Mr Wylie came into the museum with his relative’s First World War medals and kindly loaned the Allied Victory Medal and British War Medal, awarded to Private John Adams McLeod, together with a large picture.
Rachel added: “A few days later, by chance, a local woman came in the museum to ask if we knew anything about a John Adams McLeod.
“Her friend (Christina Rowan whose family own Wilkie’s factory) had found a death plaque for John Adams McLeod in 1978 in an attic while renovating a house near Kirriemuir called ‘Olimuir’ and had cared for it ever since.
“With a bit of research we discovered that John Adams McLeod’s sister, Betsy, had married a local farmer called Charles Lawson Wylie in 1923 and they had lived in ‘Balbridie’ which is a property very close to ‘Olimuir’.
“On checking with the Wylie family they confirmed that when Betsy and her husband retired and handed the farm on to the family, they moved in to ‘Olimuir’.
“The Penny, his medals and a portrait have now all been reunited and will be on display here in the museum as part of the Kirrie’s Fallen Men exhibition.”
A display by Kirriemuir Heritage Trust continues the First World War theme in the museum’s upper gallery. The group has sourced many local photographs, news articles and interesting artefacts.
The Home Front exhibition is the first of four displays on the First World War planned by the trust.
Both exhibitions run until January 10 and can be viewed during normal museum opening hours, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm.