Latest from trenches and homefront
A woman with links to Doune, who was taken ill while nursing war wounded, died from an illness she contracted.
Miss Gertrude Row Fogo was the youngest daughter of David Row Fogo, of Doune. She worked at Red Cross Hospitals at Cramond House and Kingsknowe before moving to the Bangour War Hospital, West Lothian, where she served for a year before retiring in October, 1916, on grounds of ill health.
Thornhill soldier Pte James Brown was home on leave following injuries he suffered in the fighting. He had to have a finger amputated but was on the mend and due to report back to his regiment following his furlough.
A bomb which prematurely exploded at the Front claimed the life of Gavin Wilson who was serving with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
His father, Archibald, was for many years grieve (manager) on the farm of Braeval, Aberfoyle. One of Gavin’s brothers had already been killed in action while a third was wounded a short time earlier.
All three were out in Canada farming when they enlisted.
Cpl Alexander Sutherland was also serving with Canadian Forces when he was wounded on December 26, 1916. He suffered shrapnel wounds to the head and face and one of his eyes was badly damaged.
Cpl Sutherland was from Deanston but emigrated to Canada three years earlier. He returned with the Canadian contingent in August and had been at the Front for three months. He was the son of Mrs Young, Deanston Post Office.
In Doune, villagers learned that Pte D Crombie, serving with British forces in Salonica, had been promoted to lance corporal for his “capable service against the enemy on the Macedonian front”.
David’s father, John, was with the Army in France. And Pte John McGachnay , Army Service Corp, who was formerly employed on the Keir estate, was home on leave. His wife was a Doune woman and daughter of Mrs Tom McLeod, also of Doune. Pte McGachnay had been on active service for two years.
In Gartmore, Pte Hugh Shields, Black Watch, and Sapper A Thomson, Canadian Engineers, were home of 10 days’ leave.
Both had been at the Front for several months and due to “return to their posts of danger. “
People in the village also learned that Capt Hector H Calder had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order having also been Mentioned In Despatches. He was son of the late Mr Hector Calder, Lovedale, South Africa, and Mrs Calder 6 Glenavon Terrace, Partick. Part of his education was at Gartmore Public School.
He had been on active service in France for two years.
On the home front, 23-year-old railway booking clerk Harry Eddie appeared at Dunblane Sheriff Court charged with assaulting Harry Blyth, Ballanton Lodge, Aberfoyle, who he suspected of throwing a snowball at him.
The court was told how on December 20, 1916, in Main Street, Aberfoyle, the accused was leaving the station when he was struck “very severely behind the left ear” by a snowball.
“It seemed to be the practice for certain young people to stand outside the railway station.. and engage in such things as snowballing, and there was no doubt that Eddie suffered a good deal of provocation.”
Eddie was said to have “lost his temper” and struck the boy several hard blows on the mouth. He admitted seizing hold of Blyth by the throat, shaking him and striking him, and was fined 40 shillings.