The search is on for relatives of a “local hero”.
A Fife community is planning a special ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Robert Dunsire being awarded the Victoria Cross.
The brave Buckhaven man was given the honour for twice rescuing wounded comrades at the Battle of Loos during the First World War.
Although a local organising committee has already managed to trace some of the former miner’s relatives, they are keen to locate more and invite them to the ceremony on September 26.
Robert, along with many of his fellow miners, enlisted in January 1915, joining the 13th Battalion Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment).
He won the VC on September 26 that year but just four months later he was mortally wounded. He is buried at the Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery in Pas de Calais, France.
As part of a year-long commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, the UK Government has funded inscribed paving stones marking the heroic actions of all the conflict’s UK-born VC winners.
After a meeting of residents, councillors David Graham and Charles Haffey, and MP Lindsay Roy, it was decided to erect Robert’s stone on a plinth in Toll Park, Muiredge, Buckhaven.
The project is being led by Bert Hannah from the Friends of Methil Heritage Centre.
“We’ve come a long way since the project was started and all the arrangements for the commemoration service at Buckhaven Parish Church on September 26 have been made,” he said.
“So far we’ve managed to trace relatives of Robert in Wales, London and Kirkintilloch, as well as some locally in Fife, but we’re sure that there are many more who would love to come along and help mark the occasion.
“We are appealing for any relatives, or anyone who may know of any, to email us at DunsireVC260915@aol.com.’’
Lindsay Roy said: “People in the community are rightly proud of Robert Dunsire’s outstanding achievement. He really is a local hero.
“I congratulate Bert and the rest of the passionate volunteers for their dedicated work in organising the ceremony and wish them well in their search for more of Robert’s relatives.”