In April 1909, the Hamilton Herald and Lanarkshire Weekly news reported that the Blantyre company (of Territorials) were again up to strength with a decent compliment of young men enrolled for volunteer military duty. However, it was stated that there was always room for more.
The reporter added the somewhat sarcastic comment to this news item by writing, “Now that the company has been brought up to the full compliment we may venture to hope that the company’s officers will not allow themselves to again be caught napping, as our correspondent found them at their last annual meeting!”
Pictured here by Blantyre photographer, David Ritchie are 5 soldiers of the time, most likely Blantyre men. Little did these men know the importance of training and their time served as volunteers during that time as Britain found itself in the most horrific war, just 5 years later.
