Bearsden War Memorial

  Douglas was born at 8pm on 19 th November1920 at a house then called St Omer, Bearsden (now 6 Roman Road): Prosaically, as you exit the Post Office at Bearsden Cross, number 6 is across the road and slightly to your left.  The above photo shows the Cross from Hillfoot in 1928, so making allowance for the grainy picture in exchange for it showing the property around the time the Alexanders lived there.  The road running from bottom left is Roman Road and the large lighter coloured building centre left is the school.  Number 6 is ringed in red and stands on the corner of Horseshoe Road. Douglas's father was James, a chartered accountant.  His mother, Mary, gave Doulas her maiden surname as his middle name. War had already touched the family as Douglas's uncle, Walter, had a distinguished career in the First World War (from Milngavie and Bearsden Herald 3rd March 1916): However, he was also wounded: Walter survived his injuries, and in the 1921 Census he is reco...

  William was born on 14th December 1893 at 123 Blythswood Drive, Glasgow.  (At least one of his army documents says he was born at St Andrews in Fife, but this is incorrect.) His father, also William, was a "Registrar of Births, etc" according the record of his marriage to Margaret (Maggie) Lochhead Loudon in 1891.  He had one sister, May, who was a year older. William was educated at Bearsden Public School (now the primary school at Bearsden Cross), then Glasgow High School.  He was in the Scouts and the Boys Brigade. When he left school he initially went to work as a mercantile clerk for James Morton and Sons.  They were iron merchants, meaning they bought iron from makers and sold it (or stored until prices improved) before selling to the highest bidder.  Their office was at 8 Prince's Square, Glasgow, prior to its metamorphosis into a centre for eating and shopping in the late 1980s.  The approximate site of number 8 is the poster of the woman's f...