120th Anniversary
Two world wars in the space of just 30 years
Second world war parade in Cowgate Kirkintilloch |
Hundreds joined up with the 216 (Dunbartonshire) Anti-Tank Battery of the Royal Artillery.
Led by captain John Cameron, from the Kirkintilloch iron founding family, the unit trained at Strathaven for three months before being stationed in England.
From there they were quickly mobilised to North Africa, where they saw heavy action in the desert war campaigns against the wily Field Marshal Rommel.
And on March 13, 1941, Bishopbriggs saw their first civilian casualties.
After pounding London relentlessly, the German Luftwaffe turned their sights on Glasgow, where the Clydebank blitz left few buildings standing and thousands homeless.
On that terrible evening, a mother, daughter and son died when a stray bomb from the night-raid fell in Bishopbriggs.
The image of the burning buildings is still remembered by many - the flames lit up the sky and were clearly visible from Kirkintilloch.
Following the blitz, many city children were evacuated to homes in Auchinairn and Bishopbriggs.
CRIPPLED
Kirkintilloch remained unscathed, but on April 8 that same year a day-time raid took seven lives after a direct hit on Bishopbriggs School (now Bishopbriggs library) and three buildings opposite.
The school was empty at the time, but its janitor was among the dead.
Bishopbriggs soon hit back and anti-aircraft guns at Rushiehill Army Camp famously crippled one bomber, which crashed spectacularly into the Campsies.
A forest of 30ft long barrage balloons on 6,000ft cables were later placed at Low Moss, curtailing much of the bombing over the Glasgow area.
Wartime Rabs lift the Scottish Cup
NOT all was doom and gloom during the war years, as local football fans of the time would have agreed.
In 1943 the war looked like it could go on forever. But Rob Roy FC Juniors shone a ray of joy into Kirkintilloch by taking the Scottish Cup for only the second time in the club's history.
Beating Benburb 3-1 at Hampden after two draws was a breath of fresh air for their legions of fans, compared to years of bombs, air raids and worrying news from the front.
Local footballing legend Billy Williamson played with the side from 1939 until 1941 when he moved to Petershill in Springburn briefly before a dazzling career at Rangers.
The former Lenzie Academy PE teacher recalled signing for the Rabs at 17 just as the war started.
He said: ''All the men had been called up except those with reserved jobs. I was a student at Jordanhill so I was exempt too.
''All the players were juniors or were working seven days a week as locomotive moulders or in one of the other reserved occupations.
''Because of the shortage of players at the time I played eight different positions.''
In 1941 Billy signed up for five years service with the Navy before returning to football.
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