Laxdale School District

D Clark, Laxdale

LAXDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
(Laxdale, Benside, Guershader, New Valley and Coulregrein.)
Population last Census, 826 ; (Males, 383 ; Females, 443).

THE Laxdale district comprises the townships of Benside or New Market, Laxdale, New Valley, Guershader and Coulregrein. Prior to the war there was a fair number in the regular army, navy and militia, and before the cessation of hostilities practically every man of war age in the district had been enrolled. It was heartening to see that many of the young men who had emigrated to Australia, Canada and South America, returned— some to fight in the Colonial units and others to join the native Highland regiments.

The losses were heavy ; in one week news came of four who had fallen, and with the exception of Laxdale, which is the smallest of the villages, every township has had to mourn the death of some of its youngest and most virile inhabitants. A few suffered long imprisonment in Germany, and nearly all who had been in service for any length of time were wounded, but with one exception no one was unfortunate enough to lose a limb.

Private Graham, the Royal Engineers, son of Mr Murdo Graham, Laxdale, gained the Military Medal and C.S.M. Neil Shaw of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. This soldier was only in the early twenties at the end of the war, and it was very gratifying to hear of the grit of a lad of that age in such a responsible position. He is a son of Mr John Shaw, New Valley, five of whose family were on active service, two of whom were killed in France.

From this district, out of a total population of 326, there were 153 men who served, representing 40 per cent, of the male population. Of the total 65 were in Highland Regiments; 33 in the Royal Navy, R.N.R., and Mercantile Marine, while 27 came across with the Canadians. The casualty list numbered 31, being 20 per cent, of those serving. The first to fall was John Robert Macdonald, New Valley, on 6th November, 1914. Alex. Shaw, New Valley, fell on 11th November, and Thomas Stewart, Coulregrein, two days later.

They all did their duty, and perhaps the best epitaph we can devise to the memory of those whose fate it was never to return is to remember the words of the soldier son of Mr Norman Macleod, Benside, who in writing home to comfort his parents on the death of a younger brother in France, said "He has died a good death." They have all died good deaths, and alas ! it was decreed that the writer himself should fall in action on the plains of Mesopotamia.

"Gradh as mo na so cha'n'eil aig neach air bith, gu'n leigeadh duine 'anam sios air son a chairdean." —John xv. 13.

DAVID CLARK.