The foundation stone for the Grantown War Memorial was laid in September 1921 in a ceremony conducted "with the ancient rites peculiar to Freemasonry".

The memorial described in the "Strathy" as a pillar of victory" was erected in the Square to commemorate the 251 soldiers from the parishes of  Cromdale, Abernethy and Duthil who died in the war.

 The event was recorded as follows: "The attendance of the general public was not quite as large as might be expected, due doubtless to the fact that the date of the ceremony had not been adequately advertised, but the assembly of freemasons was the largest ever seen in Grantown. No fewer than 18 Lodges were represented, and the arrangements were made by the provincial Grand Lodge of Elgin and Nairn