Men recognised for their bravery

A soldier with Stirling links, whose two brothers had been killed in the war, was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field on October 4, 1917. Sgt Duncan Robertson, Gordon Highlanders, who had been in the Army and lived in Glasgow, received the Meritorious Service Medal 12 months earlier. It was, said the Observer, a distinction gained by few. The sergeant had been in France for three years and had a third brother who was wounded in the fighting. Their mother lived at 17 George Street, Stirling.

Mrs Smith, 3 Springfield Place, Stirling, received information her son, Sapper Peter D Smith was one of the 610 killed when the troop transporter HMT Aragon was sunk by a German U-Boat’s torpedo in late December, 1917. Sapper Smith was believed to have drowned in the Mediterranean. The 30-year-old was employed in Stirling Electric Works before joining up and had also worked as a driver for Caledonian Railways. Mrs Smith had two other sons serving.

The Observer of 100 years ago reported that postal workers had been delivering to households forms for the forthcoming introduction of rationing of margarine and butter, tea and bread. Individual applications for lodgers and domestic servants were available from the food commissioners office. The paper said:“The Stirling scheme is not the national one but the Scottish one which will be merged into the national one when the latter is put into operation next month.”

In pride of place in the display window of Messrs D Stewart & Son, jewellers, Port Street, Stirling, 100 years ago was a trophy which was attracting the interest of many passers-by. It was the silver challenge cup for a football championship held in France by the 40th Division of the A&SH. It was won by 14th A&SH most of whom were raised in Stirling. The trophy was presented to the team by the general commanding the division. The Observer said the Argylls enjoyed a comfortable passage to the final apart from a“very hard struggle”against the Highland Light Infantry.

There was a pat on the back for ladies from Bridge of Allan responsible the cleaning and repairing the clothing of soldiers billeted at Cornton Camp. In some weeks the ladies were processing about 2000 garments.“What this means in the matter of comfort and health of the men can well be realised,”said the Observer.

Praise was also meted out to the Logie work party who, since devoting their energies to war work, had sent away 7900 articles to the Army, Navy and Red Cross. The garments had mostly gone to Scottish regiments and to men from the district. Socks and hospital jackets had been particularly appreciated. The work party collected £312 and paid out £307 for material. In addition, there had been gifts of wool and cloth for the lady workers who met every Wednesday in the Parish Hall in Causewayhead. “Their diligence merits the highest praise,”said the paper.

A number of local soldiers were home on leave in Dunblane. They were Sgt Kennedy, Black Watch; Cpl Alex Fraser, Royal Engineers; Pte Peter Taylor, Tank Corp; Pte James Cramb, Motor Transport; L/Cpl Wilson, Black Watch, and Minesweeper Alex Cameron, Old Doune Road.

Dunblane and Doune section of the Volunteer Corp had a Sunday afternoon `march out’, the paper reported. Led by four pipers and aa drummer, the two sections of `home guard’ marched from Victoria Hall around the streets of Dunblane.