Price of Victory - Local Casualties - West Fife Heroes

In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the 16 October 1915 issue)

 

It struck me on looking through the local newspaper 100 years ago that there were increasing numbers of war casualties and this is what I have decided to highlight this week.

 

 

 

Price of Victory - Local Casualties - West Fife Heroes

 

The Brothers Robertson - A Church Tribute

 

In St Margaret's UF Church on Sunday the Rev John Sanderson made sympathetic references to the death of Private James Robertson son of Mr John Robertson, Reid Street.  He pointed out that of five sons of Mr Robertson who were serving, 2 have been killed and another wounded.  Private Robertson he said was a member of the choir of St Margaret's Church.  He took a known interest in the work of the choir his place being seldom vacant either at the services or at practice.  At the close of the service the 'Dead March' in 'Saul' was played by the organist Mr Wm Davidson the congregation meantime upstanding as a mark of reverence for the brave dead.  

 

[St Margaret's United Free church opened in East Port, Dunfermline on 02 September 1827 with room for 970 people.  The church was demolished in 1981 to make way for a new headquarters of the Dunfermline Building Society.  The congregation had previously moved to a new church in the Touch area of Dunfermline in 1974 and the congregation of St Margarets, which is now part of the Church of Scotland, is still in that same building in Touch].

 

9th Black Watch Cricketer Wounded

 

Twelve Dunfermline men who enlisted in the 9th Black Watch together have suffered badly in the recent fighting.  Nine have been wounded as yet nothing has been heard of the 3 others since the battle took place.  Among the wounded is Private Robert Boyd the well-known Fife cricketer who appeared for many seasons with Fifeshire Club.  He is at present lying in a French Hospital with a severe shrapnel wound in the right breast.  His parents reside in Elgin Terrace.

 

Another member of the company is Private Peter Philip.  He is at present in Edinburgh Infirmary and has been wounded in the legs and shoulder.  After being wounded he had to crawl several miles to safety.

 

Private Henry Wilson of the same regiment who previous to the war resided in Nethertown is in an English hospital with a bullet wound in his hand. He was employed as a miner before enlisting.

 

Private Thomas MacDougall who enlisted at the same time is also in hospital slightly wounded.  He was a rubber worker and when he enlisted resided in Dickson Stret.

 

Private Adamson of Forth Street is another of the unfortunate twelve.  His wounds are also slight.

Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........

Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland. Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.