Medal honour on board ship

A Distinguished Service Medal, awarded posthumously to Cowie man George Ramsay, was presented to his father at Rosyth Royal Naval Base, the Observer reported 100 years ago this week.

George was serving in Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division,when he won the honour for his service in the Gallipoli campaign. He later died in September, 1916, at the Battle of the Somme.

George’s father, also George, of Ontario Place, Cowie, received the medal on board HMS Crescent from the Rear Admiral and Commander in Chief who spoke of the brave deed by which the medal had been won.

Mr Ramsay and Rev A Miller-Marshall, who accompanied him to the ceremony, were entertained by the Crescent’s captain who allowed his car to be used to convey them to Dunfermline Station for the trip home.

The king at that time, George V, had 20 years earlier captained the ship on which the medal ceremony took place.

The Observer said:“All the officers from the Commander-in-Chief downwards seemed to take pleasure in showing Mr Ramsay every attention, and many were the kind words spoken to him about his gallant son.”

Members of Stirling Military Tribunal handed the secretary of the town’s Co-operative Society the most unenviable job of his life.

William MacPherson was given the grim task of having to decide which male members of staff could be ‘spared’ for military service.

The tribunal had been asked by the Army to review their decision to grant to 12 Co-op employees conditional exemption from callup.

Army representative Major Alston said the society employed 87 men, 30 of whom were of military age and 70 women in the grocer’s shops in Upper Craigs, King Street, and Friars Street.