Gunner (56) one of war’s oldest

‘Exceedingly fit’soldier back in Balfron

One of the British Army’s oldest soldiers fighting at the Front was home on leave in Balfron.

Gunner John Barclay, 56, was a reservist when the war broke out and a member of General French’s Expeditionary Force, dubbed a “contemptible little Army” by the Kaiser.

Despite his advancing years, Gunner Barclay had been involved in much hard fighting in the previous four years but looked “exceedingly fit” when he returned to Balfron.

He was son of the late Mr James Barclay, slater, whose brother, William, had continued that trade.

Gunner Barclay himself worked as a slater before joining up.

He is not believed to have been the oldest to serve in the war. It emerged almost a century on from the outbreak of the conflict that a 67-yearold soldier was Britain’s oldestknown combatant victim.

As the Daily Telegraph explained, Henry Webber was far older than the maximum age to serve in the Army but he succeeded in lobbying the authorities to allow him to join up.

Mr Webber was born in Tonbridge, Kent, in 1849, and educated at Tonbridge School and Pembroke College Oxford, graduating in 1870.

He worked as a stockbroker but after the outbreak of war tried to join his sons in uniform. He was repeatedly turned down, as he was more than 20 years over the age limit.

He first volunteered to serve ‘in any capacity’ but when rebuffed he recruited a company of ‘rough riders’ fellow horsemen like himself - and offered the unit complete to the Army. Again, he was turned down.

But he persevered and was given a commission in July, 1915. Whether this was in recognition of his persistence or because he lied about his age, is unclear.

The Military Services Act, in January, 1916 made all single men and childless widowers between the ages of 18 and 41 liable to conscription.

Further legislation in June of that year extended conscription to all men between those ages, and the age range was extended to 50 in April ,1918.