Sisterdies onhearing newsof brother’s fatalinjury

A Stirling soldier’s sister tragically collapsed and died on receiving official word he had died on October 8, 1918, from wounds sustained in action.

Pte John Sheridan, Royal Dublin Fusiliers had served on five fronts and escaped without a scratch until he was fatally wounded three weeks after returning from home leave.

The 38-year-old private was the son of Mrs Sheridan, 50 St Mary’s Wynd, Stirling, and worked as a plasterer before enlisting in November, 1914.

He active service began in June the following year when he was involved in the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign. He later was involved in the fighting in the Balkans, Mesopotamia, Egypt and France.

His two soldier brothers were Willie, a driver with the Royal Field Artillery, and Michael who was a POW in Germany after capture during the retreat from Mons in 1914.

*** Cambusbarron soldier Pte James Woodrow was wounded for the fourth time six days before the Armistice was signed.

The apprentice plumber was 18 when joined the Army in August, 1915. He served with the A&S H and first went to France in November of the following year. He was first wounded in April, 1917, and in May of the following year was shot in the arm.

He suffered a foot injury in August, 1918, and a leg wound on the following November 5. Pte Woodrow, son of Mr George Woodrow, had only been back at the front for 12 days when he was wounded for the fourth time.