Serbian medal for Corporal McIntosh

A delegation of teachers met Stirling School Board 100 years ago this week to discuss their demands for a war bonus.

A Mr Chisholm, representing teachers at Stirling High School, said they had been compelled to make the request because of the increased cost of living caused by the war.

He spoke of the relative prosperity of the industrial classes but insisted teachers had not benefited from a general upward movement of wages at that time.

There was, he added, an injustice to the teachers as ordinary citizens but also a more serious aspect.

“Early in the war, Mr Pearce, President of the Board of Trade, in advising teachers as to their duty, An honour was bestowed on Cpl Alex H McIntosh, 1-5 A&SH, whose parents lived in Sauchieburn, Stirling.

He was presented with the King of Serbia’s Silver Medal for distinguished conduct during the fighting in Gallipoli.

He enlisted on his 21st birthday, at the beginning of the war, having before worked as a forester on the estate of Sir Hugh Shaw Stewart, Inverkip.

Word reached Stirling that former Whins of Milton miner Pte Archie Paterson had died while serving with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

The 42-year-old had five years earlier left Stirling to seek his fortune in Canada and found employment at Vancouver Island.

Following the outbreak of war, he joined Canadian forces but suffered fatal wounds during fighting on October 16, 1916.

Pte Paterson formerly worked at Plean Colliery and had a wide circle of friends in Bannockburn.

His wife died before him and he was survived by his only daughter, Phemie, 12, who was staying with an aunt on Vancouver Island.

L/Cpl Peter Ferguson, Royal Scots, whose parents lived at 6 Bayne Street, Stirling, was wounded in action.

He enlisted in June, 1915, and had been at the Front for 12 months.

A year earlier, he suffered from a frostbitten foot and was invalided home but later returned to the trenches.

The 23-year-old worked before the war with Mr Marshall, contractor and carriage hirer, at Cowie.

His older brother, L/Cpl A Ferguson, serving in the Army Ordnance Corp, was a grocer in the St Ninians branch of Stirling Co-op before enlisting in October, 1915. Mrs John Mackie, 43 Lower Craigs, Stirling, was officially notified that her son, John, 28, a private serving with the Australian contingent, was killed in action on October 10, 1916.

It was reported that Pte John Mulhearn, 10 A&SH, from Stirling,died in St Luke’s Hospital, Halifax, from wounds suffered in the fighting three weeks earlier.

His body was brought back to Stirling and buried at Ballengeich Cemetery.

The 25-year-old left a widow and three children living in St Mary’s Wynd, Stirling.

He was a miner and enlisted at the start of the war having also served with the Black Watch Militia.

Mrs McMeekin, 36 Broad Street, Stirling, learned that her husband David, serving with the Scots Fusiliers, was killed in action on October 25, 1916. Information came from pals in the regiment.

He enlisted six months earlier and had been at the Front for six weeks.

The 21-year-old from Plean, was formerly a miner and worked at Millhall.

On the homefront, the Observer lamented the loss of its “greatest attraction” as the men of the Royal Flying Corp left town having been stationed there over the summer.

Daily aviation displays had been of much interest to townsfolk and visitors, and hundreds gathered on Saturday afternoons to watch the flyers.

At first, citizens were a “little excited” when they heard and saw aeroplanes humming and whirring above them but they later became blasé about the flying machines.

“One little miss of eight remarked that unless it was a case of loop-the-loop she didn’t bother to look at them,” said the Observer.

“She was different to a man of 80 who travelled from Falkirk to Stirling because he wished to see a flying machine before he died. His wish was gratified.”

It was also reported that lads in the town aged 16 and 17 had received their military papers.

“The boys were prouder of the military communication than their parents who received a shock when the particulars were handed over by the postman,” said the Observer.

Sending out the papers was a way of checking on the boys’ ages. The military had no claim on the lads until they were 18.