Brave officer who survived the Somme falls ill and dies in Italy
An officer who spent 18 months on the Western Front and went through the Somme campaign died after contracting an illness while serving in Italy.
Capt Andrew McAllister, Royal Engineers, succumbed to peritonitis at Taranto in the south of the country.
News was conveyed to his brother, master joiner John McAllister, Borestone Crescent, St Ninians.
Capt McAllister was eldest son of the late Mr William McAllister, joiner at Ballikinrain, Balfron, and also at Chartershall and St Ninians.
After studying civil engineering in Glasgow, he went out to West Africa and later Nigeria where for 20 years he was a director of works for the British Government.
He had retired to Rhodesia, to farm, but at the outbreak of war offered his services to the Government and received a commission in the Royal Engineers.
Following the Somme campaign, he was dispatched with his company to Italy on special service but died there.
Capt McAllister (49) married a daughter of Mr John Gillespie, farmer, Cultenhove, and the couple had a son and daughter. Mrs McAllister had remained on the farm in Rhodesia while his son – who had been studying engineering in South Africa – enlisted after the start of war and was at that time fighting against the Germans in East Africa.