Fallin memorial to men lost in WWI
A memorial erected to the men of Fallin, Millhall and Loanhead, who were killed in World War One, was unveiled in November, 1919.
Major AB Murray, of Polmaise , performed the ceremony in front of a large turnout of people from the area.
He drew a cord to remove a Union Jack which had covered the 14ft grey granite obelisk which was erected in the ground of the church, facing the public road.
A short service had earlier been held in the church. It was conducted by Rev James Allan, Bannockburn, and featured the Salvation Army Band, from Stirling.
Following the unveiling, Fallin Pipe Band `played a most impressive Lament’ and in dedicating the memorial, Rev Allan said: “To the glory of God and to perpetuate the memory of our brave brothers who freely gave their lives in our defence. They were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their deaths they were not divided.”
Commandant Baker, of the Stirling branch of the Salvation Army, referring to the men whose names were on the monument, added: “These men were taken in the prime of their lives, many of them in their youth, but they all felt they had lived well and died in a noble cause. They had responded nobly and willingly to the call of duty; they felt the hour had come when they had to stand for their dear ones and all that were precious and good. Although their lives were short, they all felt these men had lived well.
The ceremony ended with the Salvation Army Band playing the Dead March and the Last Post was sounded by the bugler from Stirling Castle. Before the playing of the National Anthem, several wreaths were laid at the foot of the memorial in memory of those whose names were inscribed there.
The memorial was created by Mr William Boddie, Aberdeen, and the arrangements for its erection planned and carried through by a committee of which a Mr Kerr was secretary.
●Roll of honour
Names of those on the memorial are: Second Lt Thomas Gemmell, A&SH; Cpl John Bruce, Grenadier Guards; Cpl James Bridges, Gordon Highlanders; L/Cpl George Riley, Royal Highlanders; Sapper Arthur McGuigan, Engineers; Pte Adam Bunyan, Pte John Boyd and Pte William Nicol, all Machine Gun Corp; Pte Archibald Boyd, Pte Arthur Warren and Pte Moses More, all A&SH; Pte Hugh Cochrane, Royal Scots Fusiliers; Pte John Dawson, Royal Warwick; Pte Richard Dawson, Pte John McBlane, Pte William Nelson and Pte William Bain, all Gordon Highlanders; Pte Robert Williamson, Pte William Thomson, Pte Malcolm Russell and Pte Thomas Cochrane, all Seaforth Highlanders; Pte William Ryan, Cameron Highlanders; Pte James Lyle, Pte John Bain and Pte Alfred Lorimer, all Royal Highlanders, and Pte Edward McCluskey, RASC.