Village mourns soldier’s death

People in Aberfoyle were in mourning following the death of another soldier from the village. Pte Robert McDonald, Black Watch, reported missing in May, 1917, was presumed to have been killed at that time. He left a wife and three children who lived at Station Buildings in the village.

*** Pte James McColl, who was serving with New Zealand Forces and had links with Aberfoyle, was wounded in France but said to be on the road to complete recovery.

*** An honour was bestowed on Balfron soldier Sgt James Adam, 9th DAC, son of Mrs Mary Adams, Hillhead. He was awarded by the King of the Belgians the Croix de Guerre. The sergeant, a native of Balfron, had seen much service having joined up 20 years earlier.

*** Home on leave in Kippen were Sapper James Leckie, Royal Engineers, Pte Jack Gilchrist, A&SH, and Gnr James Simpson, Royal Field Artillery. Deanston welcomed home on leave from France a soldier from the village Pte W Rory, Army Service Corp. Another enjoying a short period away from the fighting in France was Pte James Morrison, son of Mr Morrison, Mains of Doune, who was serving with Australian Forces. He had seen much of the fighting in France and was also with other ANZAC troops in Gallipoli, for which he was awarded a badge.

*** On the home front, it was revealed at a meeting of the Western District Committee of Stirlingshire that a man in the parish of Baldernock (now East Dunbartonshire but formerly Stirlingshire) had died from anthrax. The medical officer said the disease had been traced to a shaving brush purchased in Glasgow. He suggested disinfecting brushes by boiling them in water over three consecutive days . A similar case had occurred on the south side of Glasgow, and both cases had been taken up by the authorities in the city. Anthrax is spread by