Tom Lang sent in these 2 photos adding, “I found these 2 photos in the archives of The Daily Record, 27th June, 1917.” Wishing to add a little more as I usually do, I looked into things a little deeper:
1) Sgt Archie Peat, M.M., Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), Blantyre, and
2) Pte Andrew Bryce, M.M., Scots Guards, Blantyre.
Andrew Bryce was born in 1886. The 3rd child of parents Andrew and Jessie, they lived at 88 Bairds Rows, just off Glasgow Road. Andrew’s father was a roadsman. By 1901, the family had moved nearby to 31 Forrest Street, out of the rows into a nearby home. This was no doubt due to the increasing size of their large family of ten. That year, Andrew was 15 and is noted as being a coalminer. He would likely have been employed by Bairds.
By August 1914, with WW1 in full swing, Andrew signed up for the army at the age of 26. His enrolment suggests he was born in 1888, rather than 1886 and conflicts with the census.It is noted he was single.
Archie Peat was born in 1883, the son of Archibald and Helen. Their third child, he was a Pastry Baker at Avon Buildings, Blantyre. Regimental records from 1920 show him still in duty and service, meaning most definitely he survived the war.
These were men of Blantyre, leaving their jobs, to go to war with no previous military experiences. Brave indeed. Lest We Forget!
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2016
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However his greatest claim to fame was he was the baker responsible for the internationally renowned Andra Little,s rolls and pies
😡Tom Lang Thanks Christine, alphabetically I’m just at the ‘D’s on Larkhall Memorial – a long way to go.