Battle wounds claim the life of captured sergeant

An Aberfoyle soldier, being held by the Germans as a Prisoner of War, was reported to have died from wounds sustained in battle. Sgt William McDowall, Machine Gun Corp, Gordon Highlanders, was the son of Mr and Mrs McDowall of Dounance.

The 22-year-old, who enlisted in the Gordons shortly after the start of war, received the wounds that led to his death in September, 1915, at the Battle of Loos. “He died in the hands of the Germans,” said the Stirling Journal. ***

*** Mr and Mrs Daniel Kennedy, Alexandra Cottage, Bridge of Allan, learned that their son, a lancecorporal in A&SH, had received the Military Medal for Gallantry in the field between September 19 and 21, 1917. The 22-year-old was mobilised with the Territorials at the start of war. In civilian life he worked as a slater with his father.

***

*** In Gargunnock, Pte James Barclay was home on leave. He emigrated to Canada a number of years earlier and at the start of war enlisted in the Army Service Corps of the Canadian Army. He had been in France for some time.

***

*** On the homefront, Callander dairyman Andrew Waugh, Balvelachlan, appeared before Sheriff Sym at Dunblane Sheriff Court charged with breaching the Food and Drug Act by selling, through an assistant from a shop in Callander on September 24, 1917, milk that was not “genuine” in that water had been added.

Mr Waugh denied the charge and claimed the milk “was sold as it came from the cow”. However, analysis showed it had been adulterated “with not less than 8.35 per cent of added water”.

Sheriff Sym found the charge to be proved and imposed a fine of 20 shillings.