First World War 1914-15 Star – Private Alexander McIntyre, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
1914-15 Star – S-17324. PTE. A. MC INTYRE, CAM'N HIGHRS.
Alexander McIntyre was born in Oban, Argyllshire, and later resided at Scarfield Cottage, South Corran, Onich, near Fort William. Prior to enlistment he was employed as a Railway Guard in Glasgow.
He enlisted at Glasgow on 13th February 1915, aged 19, and was posted to the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. After training, he proceeded overseas, going to France on 25th May 1915, where he joined the 2nd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders in the field. At this time, the battalion was serving on the Western Front, engaged in continuous trench warfare during a period marked by frequent raids, artillery fire, and attritional fighting.
On 2nd October 1916, while serving with the Camerons, Alexander McIntyre was wounded in action, suffering a gunshot wound to the back. This injury was sustained during one of the most intense phases of the war, with the battalion involved in operations during the later stages of the Somme campaign, when casualties from small-arms fire and shelling were heavy.
As a result of his wounds, he was evacuated from the front and eventually returned to the United Kingdom. He is recorded as being back home on 16th May 1917, having spent several months undergoing treatment and recovery. Despite this, his injuries proved significant enough to affect his continued military service, and he was ultimately discharged from the Army on 15th August 1918, before the end of the war.
Alexander McIntyre’s service reflects that of many young Highland soldiers who answered the call in 1915, endured the realities of trench warfare, and suffered lasting wounds as a result. His experience as a wounded veteran, rather than a fatal casualty, adds an important dimension to the story of the Cameron Highlanders and the men who returned home bearing the physical cost of the conflict.
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