W F Cormack

William Fleming Cormack (Bill) was born at Royal Bank House, Lockerbie, and was educated at Lockerbie, Moffat and Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh.   The Second World War interrupted his university studies, and he enlisted in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1940.  In October 1942 he took part in the battle of El Alamein, but was taken prisoner at Gerbini in Sicily and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner.   He was promoted to Captain on his return to Britain, and resumed his law studies in 1946. After graduating he joined his father in the family legal business in Lockerbie, where he worked until his retirement in 1981.  He died on 1st August 2002.   For over fifty years Bill was associated with local and national archaeological and antiquarian societies.  He joined Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society in 1951, and went on to serve the society in a variety of offices.  In 1964 he became Business Editor of the Transactions, and under his detailed and diligent care he produced thirty five annual volumes, as well as theCruggleton Castlemonograph and theIndex to the First and Second Series of the Transactions.   Bill published widely on topics ranging from the Mesolithic to 19th century traditions.  He was an excellent field-walker and his finds were frequently published inDiscovery and Excavation in Scotlandand presented to the appropriate local museum.  His work as an excavator was also well known.  He had a particular interest in the Mesolithic and was involved in much of the early identification of coastal sites.  He was also interested in local parish churches, where his research on landscape, artefacts and oral traditions lead to the discovery and subsequent excavation of the important early church site of Barhobble.   He was an active member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and a Trustee of the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland.  In 1995 he was awarded an MBE for services to archaeology in South West Scotland and in 1998 the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland presented their 'Dorothy Marshall Medal' for his outstanding service to archaeology for nearly half a century.