Villagers honour medal winners
Gathering to mark bravery of war heroes
People in Whins of Milton honoured their World War One heroes 100 years ago this week.
Presentations were made to Military Medallists sergeants Donald Aitken and Robert Ferrier and Bombardier William Marshall.
They were among 70 from the village who had responded to the country’s call to arms, and no fewer than 50 were former pupils of the school there.
Sadly, 10 of the Whins of Milton lads had been killed in the fighting, but former Whins of Milton school pupil Sgt John McAulay was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery at the Battle of Cambrai in November, 1917.
Only Sgt Ferrier was able to be present at gathering as the other two were in hospital recovering from wounds sustained in the fighting.
And before a gathering of villagers, dignitaries and wounded soldiers, Mrs Murray of Polmaise made presentations of watches to Sgt Ferrier, the father of Sgt Aitken and a brother of Bombardier Marshall.
Sgt Aitken, Gordon Highlanders, son of Constable Aitken of Bothkennar, was employed with Messrs Lawson Ltd, of Stirling, and joined the Colours in 1914 before transferring to France a year later. He took part in the Battle of the Somme in August, 1916, when, on seeing his officers killed, took charge of the Gordons under him and through his “fearless” leadership enabled them to achieve their objective. For his actions, he was awarded the Military Medal. According to the Observer, he was “dangerously wounded” on September 28, 1917.
Sgt Ferrier, Royal Scots, was brought up by his uncle, Mr David Ferrier, a Whins of Milton nailmaker, and he was employed as a miner at Plean Colliery before joining up in June, 1915. He took part in the ‘great offensive’ on the Western Front in April, 1917, and when his two superior officers were wounded, took command of the platoon. He led the men with “great spirit and dash” and for that he was awarded a Military Medal. In October, 1917, he suffered severe shrapnel wounds in the arms and legs and was in hospital in Devon for three months.
Bombardier Marshall, Royal Field Artillery, was the brother of Mr R Marshall, joiner, The Whins, and worked as a miner at Plean Colliery before joining up in May, 1915. He had been in France for two years and three months. In one of the big offensives in October, 1917, he showed “great energy and activity” in bringing up supplies of ammunition while under heavy fire, winning the Military Medal for his actions.