MAYBOLE Historical Society is to receive a poignant reminder of the town's role in the First World War. The historians will be asked to look after a number of medals struck for local soldiers who returned from the fields of battle in 1919.

The town feted returning servicemen. Entertainment was laid on in the town hall and townspeople presented each of them with a medal bearing Maybole's coat of arms on one side and the soldier's name inscribed on the other. A number of medals has been given to Maybole Community Council chairman David Kiltie and he will pass them on to the Historical Society for safekeeping.

Names Inscribed on the medals are: 

Sgt S. Andrew, W.K. Armstrong, D. Clowes, Lieut. A. Cowan, G.K. Dick, J.J. Duncan, W. Dunlop, W. Gardner, J. Hunter, T. Hunter, WA. Kennedy, J. Lawrie, J.W. McCall, W.McDonnell, J. McEwan, J. McKelvie,A. McKie, J. McKie, T. Murray, J.C. Paterson, H. Purdie, J. Purdie, J. Russell, J. Scott, W. Shaw, J. Smith, A. Watt, W. Weir.

According to former Maybole Provost James T. Gray, the out-break of war in 1914 caused almost as much celebration as the warriors' eventual return. In his book Maybole, Carrick' Capital Mr Gray points out:

"Minniebolers as usual were eager to get to grips with the enemy and the local Territorials mustered at the Armoury in the town and marched behind their Band to the station where everyone from babes in arms to the oldest towns-man turned out to cheer them away. "There were crackers placed on the lines, the band blew its loudest, the Territorials waved and cheered and the wives and sweethearts wept as the train steamed out "Those left on the platform assured each other the soldiers were only off on a picnic as the war couldn't possibly last and they would be home for Christmas."

But Mr Gray adds: Little did they think that four long, weary years would pass before the Maybole men would return - and during those years many more would leave the town to join the forces and many would never return." (Article from the Ayrshire Post)

UNCLAIMED MEDALS

Sgt. S.

ANDREW

R.F.A.

W. K.

ARMSTRONG

M.T.C.

D.

CLOWES

A.Y.

Lieut. A.

COWAN

S.H.

G. K.

DICK

R.S.F.

J. J.

DUNCAN

R.S.F.

W.

DUNLOP

R.S.F.

W.

GARDNER

R.G.A.

J.

HUNTER

R.E.

T.

HUNTER

A.S.C.

W. A.

KENNEDY

M.T.C.

J.

LAWRIE

S.L.M.

J. W.

McCALL

R.E.

W.

McDONNELL

R.S.F.

J.

McEWAN

R.S.F.

J.

McKELVIE

B.W.

A.

McKIE

R.S.F.

J.

McKIE

A.C.

T.

MURRAY

N.D.

J. C.

PATERSON

A.S.C.

H.

PURDIE

R.M.I.

J.

PURDIE

R.S.

J.

RUSSELL

R.S.F.

J.

SCOTT

S.H.

W.

SHAW

S.H.

J.

SMITH

R.S.F.

A.

WATT

W.

WEIR

R.H.