Family’s sad war story uncovered
Masons visit France to honour fallen soldier
A group of Uddingston men travelled to northern France earlier this month to visit the grave of a soldier from the village killed in the First World War.
Thomas Robertson’s grave at Hazebrouck Cemetery was tracked down following research carried out by Stuart Jack of village Masonic Lodge St Bryde’s.
Eight masons from Lodge St Bryde visited the grave along with sites in neighbouring Belgium which included the Tyne Cot Commonwealth Cemetery, the German Cemetery at Langemark and Ypres.
Thomas Robertson – who died aged 22 from injuries sustained in the 2nd Battle of Ypres – had been a clerk in Bank of Scotland branches in Hamilton and Glasgow before emigrating to Manitoba in 1912. He volunteered for the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1914 and fought in the 15th Battalion of the 48th Highlanders of Canada.
He was one of three Uddingston brothers killed in World War One. George Robertson of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was reported missing in September 15, 1916, and confirmed dead the following June. James Robertson, of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, was killed in March 1918.
Stuart’s father, 64-year-old James, one of those on the trip, said this week: “It was a very emotional experience, visiting Thomas’s grave. He set off for a new life in Canada and volunteered to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force, only to die in France a few months later.
“Being a father of two sons, who were standing beside me and reading the inscription on the grave, that Thomas had been the first of three sons who died in the war, made me think of their father James Robertson and the heartache that he must have suffered.”
The brothers’ father James had lived in Mayfield on Uddingston’s Bellshill Road before moving to Bothwell’s Woodlands Crescent during the war years. The family were all members of Uddingston Old Parish Church.
Stuart Jack (31) had researched the history of the village lodge during the years of the Great War using the lodge roll book and minutes from that period along with access to newspapers at Hamilton Library, including old Advertisers.
He said: “Very little was known about Lodge St Bryde members during the war years.
“With more than 1000 men from Uddingston serving in the forces in 1915 it was clear that some had to have been members of the Masonic Lodge in Uddingston.
“Through researching the lodge minutes and with help from the roll book that dates from the formation of the lodge in 1875 along with other sources such as the Hamilton Advertiser and Uddingston Standard newspapers from that time, I have been able to gather the names of 26 men serving on the front who were members, four of whom were killed in action.
“The research is not only valuable to the history of the lodge but to the history of Uddingston.”
The Uddingston masons who went to France and Belgium were Stuart Jack, Bryce Morrison, Duncan Mulholland, Andrew Jack, Andy Nisbet, Alex Hamilton, James Jack and Jim Muircroft.
It was a very emotional experience, visiting Thomas’s grave