Stirling Observer

Hit in the neck with a bullet

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News was received in Stirling of the death in Salonica of L/Cpl William McIntosh who was hit in the neck with a rifle bullet on October 13, 1917, and died next day. The 24-year-old was a regular soldier and had been in the Cameron Highlander­s for six years. He went with his regiment from India to France where he was wounded in fighting on Hill 60. After recovering, he returned to the Front before transferri­ng to Salonica. A former apprentice cooper, he was son of Mr George McIntosh, 64 Cowane Street, Stirling, an employee of Stirling gas Company for many years.

Another soldier to be killed in action was Pte Robert Ashwood, Worcester regiment, a former assistant steward at the Stirling County Club, who enlisted in February, 1915. He took part in the Gallipoli Campaign and later went to the Western Front. He was wounded in July and had only been back in the firing line a short time when he was killed.

Official intimation was received by Mrs Wilson, Sinclair Street, Dunblane, that one of her three sons, George, a private in the Machine Gun Corp, had been killed in action in France. Pte Wilson, formerly of Pullar’s Works, Ashfield, joined the Black Watch before transfer to the Machine Gun Corp.

On the homefront, the Observer reported that police were investigat­ing a case of potato `gleaning’in St Ninians. Focus of the `probe’was a field planted with spuds between the top of Randolph Road and St Ninians Parish Church. Two week earlier, owners Messrs Stevenson Bros, Stirling, decided to harvest the potatoes but after they had finished their work many were left in the field. Apparently, it had proved difficult to separate the tubers from the tough earth to which they had stuck. The Observer said:“Somehow or other the story go abroad that Messrs Stevenson had given liberty to the public to `glean’the leavings in the field and for nearly a week women and children armed with barrows, pails, baskets, etc were busy every day, Sunday included, clearing the land of tubers.”However, it emerged that Messrs Stevenson had not given their permission for the field to be cleared and estimated they had lost 20 tons of potatoes. Historical­ly, `glean’was used to describe the gathering of leftovers after harvesting.

 ??  ?? Pte Peter Jack, A&SH, whose mother lived at 44 Baker Street, Stirling, was awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry displayed on September 20 and 21. Aged 20 and a former Manor Powis miner, he joined up in August, 1916, and had been in France for nine...
Pte Peter Jack, A&SH, whose mother lived at 44 Baker Street, Stirling, was awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry displayed on September 20 and 21. Aged 20 and a former Manor Powis miner, he joined up in August, 1916, and had been in France for nine...

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