Local losses at the battle of Cambrai

Cheery letter home then gunner killed

Fighting around the French town of Cambrai and on other fronts exacted a heavy toll on Stirling soldiers.

Two Dunblane soldiers were killed in the battle at Cambrai, which saw the mass use of tanks for the first time in the history of warfare.

L/Cpl Peter McFarlane, who was serving with the Black Watch and whose mother lived in Caledonian Place, Dunblane, died during the battle.

Before enlisting the 27-year-old worked with Mr McGregor, coal merchants. He had been home on leave only two months earlier.

The second Dunblane victim was Pte William Miller, A&SH, who died on November 26. He was one of three sons of Mr and Mrs James Miller, Ivy Cottage, who were all on active service.

The 21-year-old married his sweetheart during a spell of home leave but had since been at the front for 18 months. He was formerly employed at Dunblane and Bridge of Allan railway stations.

Mr and Mrs Murdoch of Ashfield learned their son James, a gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery, had been killed in action.

The 32-year-old, who enlisted 18 months earlier, had worked as ‘foreign correspondent’ with Messrs Robert Puller & Sons, Keirfield Works, Bridge of Allan.

An added element to the tragedy was that a “cheery” letter from James was delivered to his parents’ home the day before they learned he had been killed.

In Thornhill Mrs Scoular, Low Town, received word from the War Office that her eldest son Private JF Scoular, Scottish Rifles, died in a hospital in Egypt on November 7 from wounds sustained in fighting between British troops and forces of German-backed Turkey.

In a letter to Mrs Scoular the matron of the hospital said everything possible had been done to save her son’s life. He passed away quietly and was laid to rest in a cemetery in the Sinai Desert. Many of his comrades, including a cousin, attended Pte Scoular’s funeral.

His brother Jack, who was also in the forces, was home on leave from France when news of his death was received. Jack later returned to France, where he had been involved in the fighting for three years.

Sgt WB Moyes, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, was awarded the Military Medal for his work during the previous week.

He was the eldest son of Rev WN Moyes, The Manse, Strathblane.