In 2025 the museum were gifted Alexander Finlayson Beaton’s wartime medals by his daughter Maggie Hardy (nee Beaton) and granddaughter Tracy Anderson. This fascinating account of Grandpa Beaton’s wartime experiences was written by his granddaughter and has also been gifted to the museum. It is published here by kind permission of Tracy Anderson. Alexander Finlayson […]
Grandpa Beaton’s World War II Story Read More »
The museum has six objects in its collection that once belonged to Colonel John Cameron of Fassifern (or Fassiefern), these include a childhood toy, a love token, and objects associated with his military service. Cameron was a cousin of the Camerons of Lochiel and educated partly at the grammar school in Fort William, but also
Military Stories: Colonel John Cameron of Fassefern (1771–1815) Read More »
Donald was one of the first Commandos to train at CBTC Achnacarry during World War II. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth Donald’s fam
Down Memory Lane with Donald Cameron – Lochaber’s first Commando (1923 – 2015) Read More »
Following Remembrance weekend, Denise Orzel, daughter of Private Bill “Dutch” Holland, a commando who had participated in Operation Chariot visited th
“The Greatest Raid of All” – Operation Chariot (26-28 March 1942) Read More »
We have been lucky enough to receive this beautiful marquetry box in recent weeks and like many of our objects this box’s story begins right here in t
The Marquetry Box with a Fascinating Past Read More »
Darkness shrouded the Scottish sky one fateful night in 1692, when booted feet echoed their steps off stone walls and floors as streams of blood sprea
The Massacre of Glencoe 1692 Read More »
Syd Shadbolt – Commando 5
In 2020 the family of the late Syd Shadbolt approached the curator of the West Highland Museum, regarding a collection of W
The Syd Shadbolt Collection Read More »
Although the first garrison at Fort William was erected in 1654, it was not until 1690 that the timber and earthwork construction was replaced by a mo
The Governor’s Room Read More »
It’s armistice day and one hundred years since the consecration of the tomb of the unknown warrior. On Radio nan Gàidheal Murdo Paton related how th
The Unknown warrior Read More »
ST VALERY-EN-CAUX JUNE 1940
In his book, ‘Fo Sgàil A’ Swastika”(“Under the Shadow of the Swastika”)(1), Donald John MacDonald recounts what happened
NO LONGER FORGOTTEN AFTER 80 YEARS – THE 51ST HIGHLAND DIVISION Read More »
