John Ross Robertson (2)

Location: Montrose Air Station museum
Town/village: Waldron Road, Montrose
County: Angus
Postcode:  DD10 9BD

Details on cross:

Starting at the top of the shaft:
Small metal GRU plate stamped with G R U, two small nails

(painted):

ERS TARB DEN HELDEN TOD
(He died a hero’s death)

On the cross beam (painted):
EIN ENGL FLIEGER OFFZ
(An English Flying officer/airman)

Nailed over these words are 4 rows of GRU tags:

Lt. J. Ross. Robertson

Fife & Forfar Yeomanry

Attd. R.A.F.

12-5-17

Text type: The gothic German lettering is painted and very, very faded, the English lettering is on GRU metal tags

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: 2130
Cross beam width: 850
Width of wood: 480
Thickness or depth: 50

Other information
Mounting to wall:  This soft-wood cross is mounted in a display case in the J Ross Robertson hanger at the museum. It was donated to the museum by the family.
Detailing: N/A
Evidence of use in field: Reputed shrapnel marks.
Surface insertion depth (if apparent): None
Finish: Untreated softwood, now grey

Condition:  Not very good – woodworm (now eradicated) damage to LH crossbeam and the upper part of the shaft. Cross beam is cracked at LH end. A very rough cross to start with. The German painted lettering has almost disappeared and the GRU plates are corroded.

Other information, notes and observations: See blog and post on Dunfermline

Survey and photographs Scott Galloway
Date of survey: 29 July 2016