McLaren dux killed at front
Had been home two weeks earlier
There was sadness in the Aberforyle area after news filtered through that a popular villager had been killed in action on October 23.
The death of 2nd Lt John Ferguson, 2nd Scottish Rifles, was confirmed in a War Office telegram received by his relatives.
He was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Duncan Ferguson, Dowally, and grandson of John Ferguson, Foresthill.
The 25-year-old was educated at Aberfoyle Public School and McLaren High, where he won the dux medal. He attended arts classes at Edinburgh University and had almost completed his degree when war was declared.
As a member of the Royal Scots Territorials he was called up in August 1914 and later that year received his commission. He had been at the front for 16 months and was home on leave three weeks earlier.
The Observer said: “A young man of excellent character and marked ability, he was much esteemed by all with whom he came into contact and high hopes were held for his future career.”
Lt Ferguson was also well known in football circles, having played with Callander Thistle.
He moved to an Edinburgh club after being spotted playing in a five-a-side match at Gartmore Games.
An inside-right, he had a prolific goalscoring record and five years earlier Third Lanark secured his services. He played many fine games for the Cathkin club, said the paper. Drymen villagers learned with pride that among the recently-announced recipients of the Military Cross was Lt Laughland Brown Govan, Royal Field Artillery.
The 21-year-old was educated at Kelvinside Academy and Bradford Grammar and was the grandson of the late Thomas Brown of Dalnair. Old servants and others remembered him visiting his grandparents at Dalnair, where he was known as Brownie Govan.
In Thornhill there was anxiety over a the condition of a soldier who had links with the village and was in hospital suffering from a bullet wound.
Burns Hamilton, son of Mr and Mrs Hamilton, Skeoch View, Thornhill, was a member of the Canadian contingent which went to the trenches in May. The gunshot had left him with a bullet lying dangerously near to his spine.
Doctors in France decided it was inadvisable to remove the bullet there and he was transferred to a hospital in Dundee. X-rays showed the bullet had moved only slightly. He remained confined to bed.
He was the youngest of three sons, all of whom had joined the Army. One had already been killed in the fighting.
At the quarterly meeting of Stirling Combination Poorhouse committee members discussed an application by the porter for an increase in wages.
The wages for himself and his wife were 27
The lieutenant was one of three brothers serving with the Colours.
At the close of the Sunday service at Aberfoyle Parish Church the minister Rev William Moncrieff Taylor lamented the brave soldier’s death .
He said John had died just hours after parishioners had said a prayer for the safe return of him and all the other lads serving at the front.
“This day three weeks ago he was a worshipper in this church, where as a laddie he attended the Sunday school and sang in the choir with unfailing regularity,” added the minister.
“On the evening of October 9 he left home for the front and in two weeks to a day he was laid low.”
The congregation then stood during the playing of the Dead March. shillings per week plus free accommodation, coal and light. He also received a two shillings per week war bonus. The committee decided to increase his war bonus to five shillings a week.
The rise in prices caused by the war was blamed for an increase in the average cost of maintaining each inmate at the poorhouse. The bill per inmate was up from four shillings and seven pence in 1914 to six shillings and four pence in 1916.
Among those awarded a Military Medal for bravery was L/Cpl JM Battison, A&SH. The 27-year-old postman was the second son of Mr and Mrs Peter Battison, 10 Nelson Place, Stirling.
A member of the pipe band, he joined the Territorial Battalion shortly after the start of the war and went to France in December 1914.
Another Military Medal recipient was Sgt Andrew Buchanan, a former Millhall Colliery miner whose mother lived at 40 Barnton Street, Stirling. The 30-year-old was a member of Stirlingshire Territorial Battalion and called up at the outbreak of war.
Stirling area railway stations on the Caledonian Railways network had received best kept station awards.
Second-class awards went to Strathyre, Lochearnhead, Dunblane and Doune. Bridge of Allan and Stirling received third-class honours, while those receiving fourth-tier accolades were Callander, Kinbuck, and Killin Junction.