As we remember the centenary of the early stages of World War One, we can reflect upon how the people of the Largo area played their part. Many would serve their country overseas - some never to return. Others would support the war effort from home. The 'Largo Village Book', published in 1932, gives some insight into home-based activities. For example, Homelands would become a base for a Red Cross work party (convened by Mrs Paxton). They met weekly to make clothing such as shirts, socks and pyjamas to pass on to the Red Cross for the troops. The Grove in Upper Largo was also the base of a sewing party (convened by Miss Baxter), which sent supplies to hospitals, charities and direct to men fighting overseas.
Another well-documented enterprise was moss-picking. Parties met weekly in both Lundin Links and Upper Largo to collect sphagnum moss to be used for dressings. Millions of dressings were made from this material during World War One as dried sphagnum can absorb up to twenty times its own volume in liquids and promotes antisepsis. An Edinburgh surgeon named Charles Walker Cathcart organised collections of the moss throughout Scotland and centres for its cleaning and preparation. It was to his Edinburgh depot that the moss collected in Largo was sent. Mrs Gaskill of Lahill was the convener of the moss picking.
When the Largo Parish war memorial was unveiled in 1921 it bore the names of 51 men who fell in the Great War. The above postcard shows it not long after completion and before a house was built behind it. After World War Two a further 16 names were added to the memorial, on two panels on a wall behind the original monument.
Another well-documented enterprise was moss-picking. Parties met weekly in both Lundin Links and Upper Largo to collect sphagnum moss to be used for dressings. Millions of dressings were made from this material during World War One as dried sphagnum can absorb up to twenty times its own volume in liquids and promotes antisepsis. An Edinburgh surgeon named Charles Walker Cathcart organised collections of the moss throughout Scotland and centres for its cleaning and preparation. It was to his Edinburgh depot that the moss collected in Largo was sent. Mrs Gaskill of Lahill was the convener of the moss picking.
When the Largo Parish war memorial was unveiled in 1921 it bore the names of 51 men who fell in the Great War. The above postcard shows it not long after completion and before a house was built behind it. After World War Two a further 16 names were added to the memorial, on two panels on a wall behind the original monument.
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