War lecture attracts biggest-ever audience

More than 2000 pack hall for illustrated talk

One of the biggest public meetings ever held in Stirling took place 100 years ago this week.

An estimated 2000 people packed the town’s public hall for an illustrated lecture on the ‘Great War’ given by Mr JJ Sims , general director of the Gospel Forward Movement for HM Forces. Seats, windows and passages were filled and hundreds had to be turned away. A cash collection, taken on the night, included 1200 threepenny bits plus many sixpences and shillings. Proceeds were to go on the costs of distributing around the military camps in Stirling a penny booklet, entitled ‘We Drew the Fire’ issued by the Gospel Forward movement.

Official news was received by Mrs Ward, 69 Lower Bridge Street, Stirling, that her husband Driver John Ward, Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action on August 7, 1918. A Capt Jones, writing to Mrs Ward, said her husband was bringing up ammunition to the guns when a shell came over, killing the horses he was riding and leaving him with severe wounds to the arm and back. He was taken to a dressing station but later died. Driver Ward was the son of Mr and Mrs John Ward, Ballengeich Road, Raploch, and worked as a miner at Fallin before joining the Army in April, 1915. He was attached to the Veterinary Corp but later transferred to the Royal Field Artillery and had been in France for six months.

Pte Robert McLellan, Machine Gun Corp, a former apprentice grocer in the Craigs branch of Stirling Cooperative Society, died on August 7, 1917, from wounds received in action. The 20-yearold was employed as a dredger at Granton Docks when he joined up seven months earlier.

News was received of the death in action in France of Cpl Robert Macauley, Cameron Highlanders, a native of Stornoway, who was well know in Stirling area for his work as a grain traveller with Messrs D&J MacEwen. Before that, he was a partner with Messrs Farquhar Macauley & Co , potato merchants, Stirling. Cpl Macauley was later a grain merchant in Glasgow but made his headquarters in Stirling. He had joined the Lovat Scouts two years earlier and was transferred to the Cameron Highlanders. He had been in France for 18 months.

Pte William Robertson, Gordon Highlanders, son of Mr James Robertson, foreman, Well Green, Stirling, was said to be “mending slowly”, after suffering gunshot wounds in the thigh on July 31, 1917, while serving in France. The 19-year-old joined the Army in October of the previous year having before worked as a butcher with Mr James Cullens, Port Street, Stirling. He was being treated at a hospital in England.

Mr and Mrs J Rourke, 24 Caledonia Place, St Ninians, received official word that her son, Capt James Rourke, Canadian Pioneers Battalion, was in a casualty clearing station suffering from gunshot wounds to the neck. Capt Rourke emigrated to Canada a number of years earlier and was engaged in farming there but joined the Canadian military contingent on the outbreak of war.