Hospital stay for wounded soldier

Pte John McRobbie, A&SH, son of Mr J McRobbie, cooper, 6 Abbey Road Place, Stirling, was reported to be in hospital in Cambuslang suffering from wounds sustained in the fighting.

Before joining the Army, Pte McRobbie was employed as a clerk in the Forth Ordnance Stores.

Two of his brothers were also in the Army, one with the A&SH and the other with the Engineers.

Pte McRobbie was a well known juvenile footballer and took part in many works competition matches.

Mr R King, janitor, St Ninians School, received news that his eldest and only surviving son, William, a private in the Canadian Highlanders, had been reported missing as of October 8, 1916.

Pte. King, emigrated to Winnipeg five years earlier but after the start of war, he enlisted in 43rd Battalion, Canadian Cameron Highlanders and landed in England, on his way to France, on New Year’s Day, 1916.

The 25-year-old was a plumber to trade and served his apprenticeship with Robert Frater, Stirling.

Meanwhile, on the home front, the paper reported on a tragedy at a house at 103 Red Row, East Plean, in which 13-month-old Margate Thomson died from the effects of burns and shock.

It happened when the child’s mother left the house to visit a neighbour, leaving the tot asleep in a crib in the kitchen and two other children, boys, sleeping in a bed.

While the mum was away, one of the boys got out of bed, lit a piece of paper which accidentally set fire to the bedclothes in the crib.

At this point, the other boy jumped from his bed and lifted his sister from the crib, but the child had suffered fatal burns

On the homefront, the price in Stirling of a 4lb loaf was increased by all the bakers in the town, including the Coop.

The cost of a ‘quality’ loaf went up from 10d to 10 and a half pence, while a ‘common’ loaf increased by a halfpenny to 10d.

The Observer reported that the weather in Stirling during early November had been extraordinarily mild, so much so that someone was spotted wearing a straw hat in the town.