James Stroyan was my great grandfather on my mother's side. He worked in a shop in Girvan, Ayrshire and he was too old to be called up for active service. The shop owner's son was called up, and somehow James Stroyan went to fight in his place. I know that he returned on Leave at least twice during the war, so he may have seen quite a bit of action. My grandmother could recall seeing him return on Leave, striding down the platform wearing his kilt. During one particular battle, his company had gone "over the top". Some men, including James, managed to return to their trench, and he noticed that a young officer he was friendly with was missing. He went back over the top and managed to find the officer, who was still alive. Both of them were then captured by the Germans, and sent to a POW camp. He died there of dysentery, on 26/07/1918. He was 42 years old. It is not known what became of the young officer. After the war, his widow received a letter from a German officer who had been a guard in the camp. He said how sorry he was that James had died, because he thought he was a very decent man.

Keith Henry