| Notes |
- The Bellshill Speaker newspaper of 3 Dec 1926 says this....
Uddingston Man Found Shot
Tragic Discovery in Garden
An element of mystery surrounds the death of Thomas Finlayson, a young gardener, who was found shot in the grounds of Dunmillan House, Blanefield, where he was employed.
By his side lay a small automatic revolver of German make, and there were two bullet wounds in his chest.
He had in his possession his watch and chain and several pound notes, and as far as is known, nothing was missing from his pockets.
..........
It is now learned that Finlayson was gassed during the war, and was suffering from ear trouble, but he kept his trouble to himself.
Finlayson, who was thirty years of age, lived in lodgings at Burnside Row, Blanefield, his home being 1, Griqua Terrace, Uddingston. He was also well known in West Linton.
He entered the employment of Mrs Dun, of Dunmillan, in July of this year.......
Mrs Finlayson, the dead man's mother, said that his war experiences were responsible for her son's death.
"He was called up when he was nineteen," said the bereaved mother, "and was gassed twice in France. As a result he has suffered from ear trouble and this must have affected his head."
Finlayson was a very likeable young man, and his tragic death has come as a painful shock to his friends.
===================================================
So... did he leave a note (and if he did would the papers have reported it)? Where did he get a German automatic and ammunition? Did it come from a dead German soldier (not he served in the Royal Field Artillery), or did he find it on the battlefield.
In his army records, it is clear that he was a good soldier, and there is no mention of being gassed (it was too normal), nor of having any ongoing health issues (again as normal).
|
1898 - 1926 (28 years)
[1] 
