Families mourning loss of loved ones

Doune and Deanston pay heavily with losses

Doune and Deanston had paid a heavy price for its contribution to the war effort.

Reporting on the death in action of Cpl Duncan McColl – the latest casualty from the area – the Observer’s correspondent there said: “Never before did families live in such constant daily anxiety and almost every day the story of bereavement and sorrow is told to some stricken home.

“Of late, this has been increasingly felt in our community, the losses of our gallant men killed in war having been more frequent than hitherto.”

Cpl McColl died in France when the dug out he was in was hit by a shell. His wife, from Deanston, received confirmation of his death and letters of sympathy from his commanding officer and many others who spoke highly of ‘Doachie’, as he was known.

The Observer said that his death meant there was only three soldiers left from the “heroic” company of Doune and Deanston Territorials who two years ago marched from Doune Cross “to fight for their country on the battlefields of Europe”.

And Cpl McColl was not the only one with links to the Doune and Deanston area reported dead 100 years ago this week.

Mrs Shearer, Broach Cottage, Lanrick, received official word that her husband, Pte Robert B Shearer, Royal Engineers, was killed in action on June 20, 1917. He had been in France for six months. Before joining up he was with the Cranston Ivanhoe Hotel, London.

He was formerly from Doune and his father was for many years gardener at Row House.

Trained as a carpenter in Stirling, he left a widow and one child.

Meanwhile, Mrs Bissett, Main Street, Doune, was informed that her husband James, a private in the Black Watch, was wounded and suffering from gunshot wounds in the thigh. He had earlier been awarded the Military Medal.

Doune man John JL Logan, a wireless operator on a mine sweeper patrolling the North Sea, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his conduct a few weeks earlier.

Before joining the Navy, he was employed as a clerk with Messrs Morrison and Taylor and also Messrs Fleming and Buchanan, lawyers, Stirling.

Elder brother Arthur, who joined the A&SH the previous year, was in France.

Both were sons of Mr Logan, head gardener to Sir A Kay Muir, Blair Drummond.

Home on leave in Doune that week were L/Cpl Blair who had served with distinction in the Bantam Battalion of the Royal Scots.

Sgt Major R Ferguson, Black Watch, arrived in Doune after a spell in hospital in England.

He was badly wounded during the severe fighting around Bullicourt, but was said to be making a steady recovery.

Never before did families live in such constant daily anxiety and almost every day the story of bereavement and sorrow is told to some stricken home. Of late it has been increasingly felt in our community.