Ayr man’s final journey home Daughter’s 20,000 mile round trip for Dad
The daughter of an Ayr expat has made an emotional journey of more than 20,000 miles to put her dad to rest.
Edith Macintosh travelled from Sydney, Australia to scatter dad John’s ashes on the River Ayr, carrying out his final wish to return to his hometown.
The ex- Army man moved down under in 1961 after growing up in Newton, and raised his family on the sun- kissed east coast of Australia.
But he never forgot his roots – and after he died in May at the age of 80, Edith decided to make the journey and finally lay his ashes to rest on Scottish soil.
She said: “This was what he always wanted.
“He always spoke about home, or hame’ as he would say. Australia might have been his home, but he loved Scotland the best.
“All his mates here called him Aussie John, and he hated it.
“He lived in Australia longer than he lived in Scotland but he never lost his accent.”
After serving in the Army for three years, including a stint in the jungles of Malaya, John moved down under.
A keen sportsman, he played football professionally until he was 38 years old.
He also represented the state of New South Wales at lawn bowls as well as working as a sprinkler fitter – a trade he passed down to Edith’s brother and sister.
John was cremated in his bowls jersey earlier this year, after his family organised a service attended by exservices personnel in Australia.
Now his ashes will be spread by daughter Edith and her cousins Margaret Macintosh and Kathleen Johnston on the River Ayr, returning him to the land he loved.
Edith said: “This is a great send- off for my dad.
“The only thing about this trip is that I can’t go back and tell him all about it.
“He always loved hearing what was happening at home.”