52
The Balmoral Scythe
Do you remember the Balmoral Scythe Tree? A scythe tree is not a species of tree; it is a tree with a scythe grown into it. The story of how the scythe got there is usually the same for all the trees containing a scythe, although there are some variations. In America there are several scythe trees in different places, some going back to the American Civil War and more recently to World War I. There, they are well looked after and regarded as war memorials. However, the story of this particular tree is closer to home. In November 1952 I started work on Balmoral Estate in the forestry department. I had only been there a few weeks and we were working near the castle. The foreman was Willie Urquhart and he called me over to have a look at a tree. He told me it was a scythe tree and proceeded to tell me the story of how the scythe came to be there. It was some time during the First World War and a young man had been cutting grass with a scythe in the area when he was informed that he had been called up to the army. So he had hung the scythe up in the tree and placed his piece bag at the foot of it. He said he would leave it all there until he came back – but he never did come back. As the years passed the tree grew round the scythe and, by the time I saw it, the end where the handle had been attached was still visible. I remember very little about the tree itself except that it was a broadleaf. Being winter it had no leaves on it so it would have been difficult for me to identify what kind of tree it was. When I was told the story, no mention was made of who he was or the date on which it happened. If the story is true, he would have been a conscript, and as conscription did not start until January 1916 he could have been called up any time after that, depending on his age.
by David Houston
I stayed at Balmoral for 12 years and as far as I remember I did not go back to look at it again. About a year ago I returned and tried to find it but with no success. I decided to have another look this year but prior to my return to where the tree was, I was informed that the tree no longer existed. This was rather disappointing but I decided to have a look round the area anyway. The tree was in a small wooded area behind Garden Cottage. Where exactly was not obvious to me as it was over 60 years since I saw it last. It had possibly been removed as part of a clean-up of the wood and had likely been in poor condition and past its “fell-by” date. So now there is no tangible evidence of its existence, except for the testimony of those who have seen it, while others have suggested that it is still there. If there is anyone out there who can shed any light on who the soldier in the story was, what regiment he was in or when it happened, feel free to let me know through the Eagle.
Could the answer lie at Balmoral War Memorial?