Life in the Forfarshire Lodges 1914 to 1920.

Life in the Forfarshire Lodges during the Great War of 1914 to 1918.

By Bro Iain D. McIntosh, RWM Lodge Discovery No.1789, Past PG Substitute Master (Forfarshire), Grand Steward (Grand Lodge of Scotland).

In 2014, I wrote to all the Lodges in the Province who were in existence at the time (23) seeking their help, asking them to trawl through their minute books, petition books & etc., and to find what was written and recorded for the period 1914 to 1920. The reason for taking the period up to 1920 was because many of the war memorials and commemoration ceremonies were being held.

I am therefore grateful to the many Secretaries and other brethren who took the time to go through the books and send me the details on how the Great War affected the Lodges and their members, what anecdotes and stories were recorded, and the sad details of brethren who were either killed or injured during that conflict. I was also interested in how it impacted on the life of the Lodge (also the Province) regarding their meetings, the office-bearers, degree ceremonies and new members, the relationship with the community what it was doing with regards to helping on the ‘home front’ and generally how it did affect the ‘normal’ life of the Lodge.

The Lodges that were in existence during 1914-1918 and from which information was obtained in various ways are 15, 47, 49, 66, 78, 90, 99, 120, 123, 158, 182, 282, 448, 486, 593, 679, 870, 967, & 1073. Iain D. McIntosh.

A CALL TO ARMS (BY F. SHEPHERD)

THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE WAR, 1914

From the various Lodge minutes, written in September 1914, there seems to be no actual announcement within those minutes that Britain was at war with Germany. During the early months of the war there are mentions of communications from Grand Lodge asking for donations to the Prince of Wales’s War Relief Fund, the Belgian Refugees Relief Fund and a request from the Marquis of Tullibardine (Grand Master Mason 1909-1913) for ‘Zeiss’ field glasses for the Scottish Horse, a Yeomanry Cavalry Regiment of which the Marquis had been made a brigade commander. The minutes of Lodge Broughty Castle indicate that this was well received and they donated 4 pairs, other lodges record this circular and contribute, further minutes indicate that the Marquis received all the pairs that he needed and thanked the Lodges for a good response. 

BELGIAN REFUGEE FUND

Set up in 1914 as the German invasion displaced thousands of refugees, many fled to neutral Holland, but by early 1915, two hundred thousand had fled across the channel to Britain, they were being held in camps in London, but 7000 had been sent to Glasgow. Glasgow Corporation sent out an appeal letter to Lodges asking for financial help, from the various lodge minutes there was a good response from the masonic fraternity.

PRINCE OF WALES’S WAR RELIEF FUND

A National Relief Fund was set up with Edward, Prince of Wales, as treasurer, to help the families of serving men and those suffering from "industrial distress". In a message in national newspapers, he said: "At such a moment we all stand by one another, and it is to the heart of the British people that I confidently make this earnest appeal." Within a week, donations to the fund had reached £1m.

ADJUSTMENTS TO LIFE IN THE LODGES

The Grand Lodge also intimated that they would be cancelling the forthcoming St Andrews Festival Dinner and only have a meeting to install the office bearers. The Lodges, also in the main, decide to have ‘subdued’ installations and festivals, at the meeting of Masters and Wardens of the Dundee Lodges it was unanimously recommended that no deputations be sent or received by the Lodges. The meeting also decided to hold a combined Church service, to be held in St. Paul’s (South) church on Dec 6th, brethren to meet in the Dundee Masonic temple at 2.15 pm and the collection to go to the ‘Belgian Fund’, also that Lodges were to hand over the ‘sum which was usually spent on deputations for St Andrew’s festivals’ to this fund. To secure uniformity the amount was fixed at 30/- per Lodge. Lodge Albert 448 agreed to celebrate the festival in a quieter way by sending no deputations to other Lodges ‘on account of the serious crisis in which our country is involved’.

The outbreak of war disrupted the arrangements of Lodge St Ninian No.66 who were about to celebrate their Bi-Centenary (first recorded minutes in 1714). In September 1914, they decided that everything about this celebration would ‘lie over’, they cancelled the hire of the City Hall during the present War situation however, they discussed the striking of jewels or ‘badges’ to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Lodge including obtaining cost for some special ‘Gold’ editions, three to be presented to three of their ‘oldest’ members, namely David Taylor, Peter Oswald and David Spence. The minutes also record the congratulations of the Lodge to one of their own members, Brother George Henderson, who had been elected as ‘Lord Provost’ of the City of Brechin.

Lodge Broughty Castle decided ‘that St Andrew’s festival to be held as usual; that the brethren exercise full-denial (i.e. no alcoholic drinks) and have no supper, but that they would each contribute the 2/6 (ticket money) same as last year and that the sum realised be divided equally between the Red Cross and the Belgian Fund’. Tea was provided for a few brethren, and with song and sentiment a pleasant hour or two was spent. £11 – 2s – 6d was raised which was divided between the Red Cross and Belgian Relief Fund. Also, a collection was taken for the G.L. Annuity Fund, which came to £2 – 4s – 10d.’

Around the Province we read of members and especially office-bearers who are ‘Territorials’ being called up to serve King and Country. At Lodge St Peter in Montrose the Master (Bro Lt. W. M. Wood – later Major, Wood, M.C. & Bar) had already left for service and the Junior Warden Thomas Lyell sends in this letter “I feel it my duty, as I am to be away from Montrose for an indefinite period, to tender my resignation as an office bearer in the Lodge….” After, reference was made in patriotic terms to the services in which our RWM & JW were giving to their King and Country.’

The same is happening in other Lodges, Lodge Grange report a letter from Brother William McKechnie the Senior Warden who was resigning as he was ‘answering the call to the colours’. The minutes of Lodge Albert 448 record the following ‘the RWM Bro Reoch explained that having been called away to serve with the Territorials, he would be unable to give his services to the lodge meantime, he therefore asked to be excused. The acting RWM, on behalf of the Brethren, wished Bro Reoch Godspeed and a safe and speedy return. The Brethren accorded the RWM a hearty send off and Bro Reoch retired.’

CASUALTIES

Across the Province there are reports of early casualties, Bro Sergeant Major D. S. Jillings a member of Lodge Montrose Kilwinning No. 15 became the first person to be shot at in an aeroplane, he was serving in France with No.2 Squadron and whilst flying as an observer to Lt Noel, they spotted some German cavalry at Ghislengen in Belgium, Jillings was hit by ground fire in the hip, the bullet exiting near the spine, for this action he was recommended for the D.C.M., but was instead awarded the newly instituted Military Cross. He later become Group Captain D.S. Jillings GC. MBE MC and then CBE in 1945

In 1913 Montrose was chosen for the establishment of Britain’s first operational airfield and was the base of No. 2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, this squadron was the first to be sent to France in 1914. The records of the Montrose Lodges show a large number of RFC and then later the RAF members joining the Montrose Lodges over the years of the war. Also, in 1918 the base was used for the training of flyers from the U.S.A., some of which joined the Lodges, from the Lodge records about 12 American flyers of the U.S. Army joined Lodge Montrose Kilwinning No.15.

Three other Masonic casualties for 1914 were reported on the 22nd Sept 1914 when three very old and slow cruisers, HMS Hogue, Aboukir and Cressy were attacked and sunk by a German U Boat (U 9) whilst on patrol in the North Sea, these slow old cruisers were no match for this new type of underwater warfare, attack by submarine, Petty Officer Bro David Millar Williamson of Lodge Albert No.448 and Able Seaman Bro Robert Argent of Lodge Thistle Operative No.158 went down with HMS Hogue, also involved in the same action was Bro Reginald Atkins of Lodge Grange No.1073, he was serving aboard HMS Aboukir and was rescued when the ship sank.

In November 1914, Lodge Grange record that Bro Walter Dowler (Driver, 46th Battery R.F.A.) had been killed in action, he was serving with the Royal Field Artillery and appears to have been killed during the German advance on Ypres. (1st Battle of Ypres).

Lodge Albert No.448 in January 1915 record the death of Brother George Jack, Lance Corporal H Company 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Unfortunately, there is no record in the Commonwealth War Grave Commission of his death, or any other contemporary source, he could have been killed at any time from the Retreat from Mons to Ypers late 1914. Many records of the Great War were lost during the bombing of London in the second World War.

THE LIFE OF THE LODGES

In many ways, the Lodges continued in as normal a way as was possible but also beginning to adapt to war conditions. In the first few months of the war, the assumption was that it ‘would be over by Christmas’.

The minutes of Lodge Broughty Castle record, that at their regular meeting, they welcomed ‘serving brethren from the Castle’. The old Rebuilt 15th Century Castle at Broughty Ferry formed part of the UK shore defences, and was garrisoned by gunners of the Royal Artillery and by Royal Engineers.

In Dundee, an interesting entry appears in the minutes of Lodge Caledonian 254 of Bro James C. McIntosh paying his test fees, not an unusual event and probably not worth mentioning, but this Brother was in the U.S.A, and was described as being in the 5th Troop of the U.S. Cavalry. The minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge indicate that with regards to the Prince of Wales War Relief Fund, it is recorded that the Lodges in the Province had collected £260 towards this fund, a substantial amount in 1915.

1915, THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF THE WAR

With the start of 1915 it was now becoming evident that that the war was going to take a lot longer than people originally thought, Robin Neillands in his book on the Western Front in 1915 gives it the title, ‘The Death of Glory,’ and 1915 witnesses many deaths, one of which is as he points out – is the death of an illusion, the popular mythical image of conflict, with bayonets glinting in the sun, generals galloping on white horses, cavalry charging and routing the enemy, men being led into glorious victories by the skirl of the pipes, an idea that was proving to be a complete fantasy, the reality was, that this war was turning into a nightmare, two opposing lines of trenches now formed the Western Front, stretching from the Swiss border to the Channel Coast and millions of men were facing each other and fighting and dying in the horrendous conditions of trench warfare.
One of the first mentions in the P.G. Lodge Minute book for 1915 is the following –

Lord Dalhousie badly wounded in France.

“It was most unfortunate for them that their worthy Brother Lord Dalhousie, who he thought would have been very proud to have been placed in the chair of Provincial Grand Lodge, had been very severely wounded while serving his King and Country in the Trenches in France. His Lordship as they knew agreed to accept the office of Provincial Grand Master Depute and he would have been with them at the October (1914) meeting to have been installed but for the fact that he was at the front. He was afraid it would be some considerable time before his Lordship got over the very severe wounds he had received, but he had no doubt when he was fit his Lordship would be glad to take a keen interest in the affairs of Free-masonry in Forfarshire. In these circumstances, he felt he would have been doing less than his duty if he had insisted on demitting office at present. At Grand Lodge meeting on February 4th the matter would be dealt with, and if it was the pleasure of the Province that he should continue for a little he would be delighted to do so, but he hoped it would not be necessary to continue for more than a year or a couple of years at the outside.” Brother Arthur George Ramsay, 14th Earl of Dalhousie was a member of Lodge St James No.123 in Brechin, his name along with that of his brother, The Hon Charles Fox Maule Ramsay M.C., appears on their Roll of Honour.

GRAND LODGE DIRECTIVES 1915

During 1915 the minute books announce various directives from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, all related to the war period, in Jan 1915 the following directive was issued by the Grand Secretary David Reid, concerning ‘Rolls of Honour’: -

11th January 1915.

Dear Sir and Brother

I am directed by the most worshipful the Grand Master to bring to your notice the desirability of all the Lodges under the Scottish Constitution preparing and preserving a Roll of Honour containing the names of those brethren of the Lodges who are, or, have been engaged in the service of King and Country with the Imperial Forces at this momentous period in our Country’s history. In pursuance of the object, I am directed to request your Lodge to make up as soon as possible, a list or roll of all Brethren of your Lodge so serving; or may have already given their lives, in His Majesty’s service in the War, and further to suggest that until the close of the war that List or Roll of Honour, should be kept up to date by you, so that when peace again extends its blessings to Europe, your complete Roll along with those of the other Lodges may be available for incorporation in the records of Grand Lodge, there to remain for all time. In keeping up the Roll of Honour to date, you understand of course, that deaths occurring among the Brethren serving or wounds suffered by them, should be carefully noted on the Roll as they come to your knowledge. I need hardly say that any mention of distinguished conduct or service should be similarly recorded

Some Lodges began to compile Rolls of Honour over the war years and still display them proudly in their premises, Lodges that still have these Rolls of Honour are, Ancient 49, St Ninian 66, Forfar Kilwinning 90, St James 123, Incorporated Kilwinning 182, Caledonian 254, Forfar and Kincardine 255, & Panmure 299. One brother in the Province offers to design and record the names, he is Brother George McGregor Martin, (Lodge Thistle Operative 158 and Founder member of Lodge Dundee St Mary 1149) he designed and illustrated Rolls of Honour for Lodges Ancient, St Ninian and Broughty Castle, unfortunately Broughty Castle no longer have theirs as it was lost during a change of premises in the Second World War.

Another directive was issued in February 1915 saying “That any Lodge may, after due notice and by a majority pass a motion freeing members on active service from their Annual Contribution during the continuance of the War without losing their good standing”.

Further on into the year, in June Grand Lodge are forbidding Lodges from initiating applicants who are not domiciled in Scotland (unless they are serving in the forces) “No Lodge in Scotland shall be entitled to initiate into Freemasonry any applicant who’s domicile is not Scottish (other than a person serving in any branch of His Majesty’s Imperial forces) unless said applicant has resided, or has his place of business, for at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of his application, within the Province in which the Lodge is situated, or unless on special cause shown, a dispensation is granted by the Grand Master."

On the home front, the Lodges try as much as possible to continue with the normal business, meetings were held as usual, but as 1915 progresses we see that Lodges are convening more special meetings to work degrees and accommodate brethren who are leaving to join the forces. The minutes indicate that Provincial Grand Lodge is still managing to continue with its normal business and to conduct their annual visitations around the daughter Lodges in the Province. In February 1915, the Grand Master Mason Brother Colonel Robert King Stewart visits the Province and installs Bro Ex-Provost David Stewart as Provincial Grand Master, for a second 5-year term. Originally it was hoped that Brother the Earl of Dalhousie, the Depute P.G. Master would have become Provincial Grand Master in succession to Brother Stewart, but as previously mentioned had been badly wounded in France and therefore unable to take up the office. In Brechin Lodge St Ninian No.66 is trying as much as possible to celebrate its bi-centenary arranging group photographs of the office bearers of 1914/1915, reportedly selling 112 post cards – copies of the group photo. The Provincial Grand Master, Bro Ex-Provost David Stewart (ex-Provost of Monifieth, he served as such from about 1895 to 1909 and was the first elected Provost of Monifieth) is presented with a 200th badge. They organise a Church Parade Service in the East Church with the P.G. Chaplain Rev H.C. Cargill conducting the service, he was assisted by 2 other Lodge Chaplains - Bro Rev Dr Coats, and Bro Rev I.D. McLean. The minutes’ report a parade of Provincial Grand Lodge and other local Lodges and their brethren through the streets of Brechin to the church.

OCT 1915 THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER ADDRESSED THE BRETHREN

The tone of the current thoughts within the Masonic movement and probably no doubt reflected in society generally is summed up by Bro David Stewart, Provincial Grand Master of Forfarshire, when in October 1915 he addressed the brethren at the Quarterly meeting “On the subject of the present National situation” and “pointed out the necessity of the Masonic Brethren in their different spheres, endeavouring to impress on every able-bodied eligible young man who could possibly be spared to take his part in the Defence of his Country and to get himself equipped to do so with the least possible delay. He said there was one thing he was sure they were all very proud of, and that was the splendid way in which the Freemasons had joined the Army and the Defence Forces of the Country and had done their part in this terrible war and he was sure that all the brethren throughout the Province would do so likewise.”

REPORTS FROM THE LODGE MINUTE BOOKS

From various Lodge Minute Books, we read of the affect the war is having on serving brethren, in January 1915 Lodge Caledonian No.254 intimate the death of Brother William Morrison (killed at Ypres serving with the 1st Battalion Royal Scots). In March 1915 Lodge Thistle report that PM William McDougall is now a prisoner in Austria and he is asking the Lodge to help him obtain his release ‘as he is over age’, the Lodge decide to seek advice from the P.G. Secretary, but no more is recorded of this matter. Also from the same Lodge that Bro W.G. McCadden had been awarded the D.S.M., for services in the North Sea. The extract states that this news came from a brother serving on board H.M.S. Vulcan. In 1909 Dundee became a submarine base with H.M.S. Vulcan as the submarine tender ship. However, at the outbreak of war in August 1914, the Dundee submarines were quietly and secretly transferred to the new submarine base at Rosyth. It seems that the sub tender ship was still in Dundee in 1915, Dundee had important shipbuilding and ship repairing facilities and although very little is documented of the activities of Britain’s submarine fleet during the war it is possible that Dundee was still being used to service and repair submarines and that Bro McCadden was serving on the submarines. Brother Layton Blackburn from Lodge Ancient No. 49 is recorded as being lost, serving on board Submarine HMS E10, sunk by a sea mine whilst heading from Harwich to Heligoland (21st January 1915).

Lodge Broughty Castle report in April 1915 that Bro George Gall is now a prisoner of war in Germany and that he is asking the Lodge to send him various essentials that he urgently needs, a collection was taken amongst the brethren and they decided to obtain the items he requires, ‘to the best advantage of Bro Gall’ (in 1919 Bro Gall returns to the Lodge after his release as a P.O.W. and he thanked the Lodge for the many food parcels he received from them, via the Red Cross, these he said kept him alive during his years of captivity). From the same Lodge, May 1915, Brother Archibald B. Troup, Drummer Lance Sergeant of the 4th Black Watch was reported as ‘killed in action’. This was the time of the assault on ‘Aubers Ridge’ near Neuve Chappelle in Northern France. He is listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as Corporal Archibald Troop, 4th Battalion Black Watch.

SOLDIER’S TRIBUTE ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE

A poignant report appears in the ‘People’s Friend’ for Saturday 12th June 1915 regarding a small ceremony carried out on the battlefield to commemorate fallen comrades like Archie Troup.

“FALLEN COMRADES”

“Pathetic Last Tribute to 4th B W Heroes”

“Carried His Son’s Cross”

Probably no more moving document has been published in connection with the great war than that given below, which tells of a sad expedition of five members to pay a last tribute of respect to 25 fallen comrades of the 4th (City of Dundee) Black Watch.

It is from the pen of Company-Quartermaster Sergeant D Beedie, and few will read it without being able to conjure up in their mind’s eye the pathetic occasion. The fact that Company-Sergeant-Major Donald Pyott, who lost a son in the action commemorated, and Private John Troup, whose father was also among the fallen, took part in the ceremony renders it almost unique in the annals of the Black Watch as a regiment. The picture is an eerie, yet a thrilling one – that of five intrepid men creeping, in the dusk of a May evening, to within 125 yards of the German trenches, risking their lives at every step, to express tangibly their sense of loss by the deaths of their heroic comrades. The following is Sergeant Beedie’s pen-picture of the incident: -

“A lovely morning again. I am pleased to say l am still very fit. I am jolly glad to be alive to say so, as I had another exciting, if somewhat sad, experience last night. A small party of A Company set out to mark the last resting-place of our fallen chums. Pipe-Major Low, Broughty Ferry – who, by the way, is a handy man here, being a painter – had crosses nicely lettered and ready to be stuck in the ground. So off we set to the trenches, a distance of six miles. The party consisted of Corporal Gammie, Lance-Corporal Forbes, Private Troup (whose father was among the killed), Company-Sergeant-Major Pyott (who lost a son on the same occasion), and myself. Surely, even in these times, in a party of five, it is unique to find a father carrying a son’s cross (for young Donald Pyott) and a son carrying a father’s (for Lance-Sergeant Troup)."

Names of the Fallen

“We got to the place all right, but had to wait for an hour until it was dark, or rather dusk, as we were in full view of the German trenches, about 125 yards away, and we know to our cost that the Huns pay no respect to the dead. Private Blues, of A Company, was shot through the heart at the same place while looking through the graves. Corporal Gammie was a capital guide, and found the places all right. We put up a big cross for: -

We put up another cross for: -

“Then Colour-Sergeant-Major Pyott put up a pretty little white cross for his boy. When we left, his “Good-bye laddie.” brought tears to more than one pair of eyes. I was standing by the graves of some of my best pals, particularly that of Sergeant W D Brown, who had been my shooting pal at all the rifle meetings for the last four years. I taught him most of his shooting. Aye, and I taught him how to beat myself, for he was top scorer at class firing, being 10 points ahead of any other body in the regiment, and one of the few who earned “Cross-rifles”, the badge for marksmen, at the first time of asking. It is at times like that, when one is wondering and wishing that a feeling of hatred for the foe comes over you, but I suppose it is all part of the game and of the price we have to pay.”

“Our next duty was to get over the front of the trench to where Sergeant Troup was laid. It was now dark, and in turn we jumped over the parapet, and being now without cover of any kind, crawled over to the place. We had some difficulty in getting to it, as, when the star shells went up, we had to lie flat. As very little movement would be `spotted`, you may understand we lay very flat indeed. There are many brave fellows lying out there just as they fell, but we had no time to pay any attention to them. We got to Troup’s grave, and set the cross edgeways on to the trenches. It bears the simple inscription: -"

“456 Sergeant Troup, H Company 4th Black Watch, killed in action – 1915.”

“On the stand of the cross there is the simple word `Archie` by which he was known to all the regiment. Young Troup stuck it well, and said very little. We eventually got back safe, and it was a very silent walk home. None of us had much to say, but we (at least I did) felt that we had done the only thing we could in paying our last respects to our fallen comrades.”

There is another name mentioned in this article, that of Pte A. McIntosh, this could be the same Alexander McIntosh of Lodge Progress No.967 (Hose-pipe weaver of Dundee, initiated Feb 1912 aged 30) the lodge minutes mention his death on the 20th May 1915, The Commonwealth War Graves Record also record a Bro Alexander McIntosh of the 4th Black Watch being killed on the 9th May 1915.

The Pipe-Major Low mentioned in the article was also a member of Lodge Broughty Castle No.486, he survived the war, on the 30th January 1920 when this Lodge, held a special ‘Welcome Home Dinner’ for all those who had served under the ‘Colours’ he played the haunting tune of ‘Lochaber No More’ again at a special moving ceremony on the 9th September 1920 to unveil the War Memorial in the Lodge, Bro Low, played the ‘Last Post’.

Back to 1915. The same lodge reported in June that, Bro John Forbes of the Royal Naval Division had been wounded in the fighting at the ‘Dardanelles’ and a letter of sympathy would be sent to him. He is not the only Forfarshire brother suffering from wounds out there, Lodge St Ninian No. 66 also report that one of their members, Corporal John Hodge had also been wounded at the Dardanelles, he was serving with the Australian Infantry Force, unfortunately in August 1918, Bro Hodge, now a sergeant, would be killed in action at the Somme. Lodge Broughty Castle report one of their own, Brother Dalson of the Australian Infantry Force had been killed at Gallipoli. (Although he does not appear on the Lodge War memorial).

Lodge Grange No.1073, Monifieth, report that Brother Sergeant J.C. Ramsbottom (Royal Mounted Police) was awarded the D.C.M., ‘for great bravery and consistent good work from the 9th to the 28th May 1915, near Ypres - he had been employed both day and night in collecting stragglers, directing traffic and collecting war material.’ The same lodge reports that Brother Lance Corporal John Don (1st/7th Black Watch) ‘had been wounded at the front, but was reported as recovering.’ (He would later be killed during the Battle of Arras in April 1917).

Lodge Dalhousie in Carnoustie report a few incidents and casualties to serving brethren – a letter from the United Grand Lodge of England in March 1915 intimating that Brother W.L.G. Lamb had been interned at ‘Spandau, Germany’. Also, that Brother Smith was now a prisoner in Germany, although they record later in November that he had been released and was back in the Lodge. In May, they sympathise with Brother Andrew Simpson after his son had been killed at the front, in the same minute they report letters from two wounded brethren.

In May of 1915 they record that Brother George Street had been killed and £5 had been given to his widow. (This Brother had been initiated into the Lodge in 1909, his birthplace being recorded as Dublin, the information given on the Commonwealth War Graves Certificate says that he was in the ‘Wiltshire Regiment’ and the husband of Sophia, of 1 and 2 Dorchester Street, Bath.) He is buried at the ‘Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery, Souchez, just north of Arras, and near Vimy Ridge.

Lodge Dalhousie also record a ‘Petition for membership’ from Mr George McKenzie Samson VC. For some reason, he did not join, but later joined Lodge Charleston of Aboyne No.281. (Seaman George M. Samson had been awarded the Victoria Cross for action at Gallipoli in April 1915.) Being born in the Town of Carnoustie His name appears on the impressive Town War Memorial.

In August Lodge St Peter No.120, Montrose report that the meeting had been called to install Captain Brother Thomas Lyall, who had been elected Senior Warden in November 1914, but was at that time ‘abroad on active service’ Bro Lyall had now been given leave of absence to return to Montrose and was duly installed as Senior Warden. The RWM expressed the hopes that he would be ultimately returned in safety from the war. During the war, Brother Lyall was awarded the Military Cross and after the war duly became RWM, also Provost of Montrose and in 1929 was commissioned as Provincial Grand Master of Forfarshire.

Some interesting entries appear in the Lodge Broughty Castle No.486 minutes for this period which show how ‘life’ went on in the lodges during this year – 1st July 1915, ‘A communication had been received from a Brother Francis H.E. Hughes, 24 Gardner Street, Lochee in which he asked the support of the Lodge about a petition to form a new Lodge in Dundee. (Dundee St. Mary No. 1149) the letter explained that the intention was to cater for those who for business or other reasons could not attend evening meetings and that the meetings of the new Lodge would be held on Wednesday afternoons. The Lodge agreed to support this petition when it came up at the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge, also for 4th November 1915 - Two letters were received from South Africa, the first being one from Thos C Kinsey, Secretary of “Frontier Lodge No. 2092 E.C. Cathcart, C.P. (Cape Province) intimating that brother William Sheriff Nicoll – a life member of Broughty Castle had been elected R.W.M. of that Lodge for the year 1915-1916 as was installed on the 24th Sept last. The other letter was from Brother Nicoll himself asking for his ‘advancement in the science’ to be recorded in the books of his mother Lodge. The secretary was instructed to write a letter of congratulations to Bro Nicoll.

Also in the minutes of Lodge St Peter No.120, in common with other Lodges in the Province – we read that due to the ‘present National Crisis the Festival of St John should not be observed that year’.

LODGE DUNDEE ST MARY NO.1149 CONSECRATED.

On the 25th August 1915 Lodge Dundee St Mary No.1149 was duly consecrated in the Masonic Temple, Dundee, by the Provincial Grand Master Brother David Stewart. During this period Dundee, did have a proper ‘Masonic Temple’ this was situated at the bottom of Castle Street and had been opened in 1910 to accommodate the various Lodges in the City as well as the Provincial Grand Lodge. It closed in 1920.

THE BATTLE OF LOOS

On the 30th September 1915, the minutes of Lodge Progress No.967 in Dundee simply mentions – “The loss to Dundee of the men killed at the Battle of Loos.” Dundee was particularly hit badly by this battle, as indeed was the whole of Scotland. In local Dundee history books, the Battle of Loos is sometimes referred to as ‘Dundee’s Flodden’ due to the number of local men killed. The local Battalion was the 4th Black Watch, a Territorial Regiment, also known as ‘Dundee’s Own’ and was recruited from mostly local men. On their arrival in France it was ‘partnered’ with the 2nd Black Watch and part of the ‘Meerut Division of the Indian Corps and stationed north of La Basse canal.

They were first involved at the Battle of Neuve Chappelle in March 1915, then during an assault on Aubers Ridge on the 9th May. The battalion then became part of the plans for the ‘Loos offensive’ which became the first of the great offensive and disastrous battles of the war – The Battle of Loos, which started on the 25th September and finally petered out in October 1915. Of the 6 army Divisions that were involve in this battle, two were fully composed of Scottish regiments, the 9th and 15th Scottish Divisions, also there were other Scottish regiments and companies scattered amongst the other four Divisions

The Lodges in the Province suffered many brethren killed during the Battle of Loos, some of those were: -

MAJOR ELMSLIE TOSH

Second-in-Command of the Battalion was the only son of Alex Tosh CA, Woodmuir Park, West Newport, born 1872 and educated in Dundee. At an early age, he went as a trooper in Natal Mounted Police but returned to qualify as a CA and joined father's firm. Aged 26 he commanded a draft as a Lieutenant 1st Volunteer Battalion Royal Highlanders on 16 Nov 1898 to go to the Boer War attached to 2nd Battalion Black Watch. He gained the South African medal [Clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal]. The Lockit Book records his appointment as an Honorary Burgess of Dundee; and Contemporary Newspapers record his Boys' Brigade & other activities. Member of Lodge St David No.78.

Wounded at Aubers Ridge on 9 May 1915, he had returned to the battalion to be killed, aged 43, at Loos on 25 September 1915.

2016 DUNDEE COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF LOOS

At 6.30 am, on the morning of the 25th September 2016, exactly 100 years to the day and time that the men ‘went over the top’ to begin the Battle of Loos, members of the Dundee Black Watch Association assembled at the Dundee War Memorial, on the top of the Dundee Law (Hill that overlooks Dundee) along with some very cold members of Provincial Grand Lodge, to commemorate that event.

On the next day, the 26th September 2016 a big event was held in the City Square at which the Duke of Rothesay (Prince of Wales) and the Duchess of Cornwall were the main guests, again to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Loos.

Poem about the 4th Battalion, The Black Watch, known as 'DUNDEE's OWN'

Anon. The Peoples Journal –11th December 1915

Link to Part Two of this article

Iain D. McIntosh, 2020