William Barr (Reverend) Macfarlane

William Barr Macfarlane was born on the 19th March 1888 in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, to James and Agnes. He went to Leys School in Cambridge where his uncle, John MacFarlane, worked.

Memorial chapel at the University of Glasgow — The Memorial Chapel at the University of Glasgow

William came to the University of Glasgow in 1906 to study for an MA and took a variety of subjects including: Latin, Mathematics, Moral Philosophy and History. He graduated on 16th November 1911. He then came back to study theology, although didn't graduate in this. During this time he also travelled and went on horseback through Syria and Palestine as well as teaching for a brief period in the Orthodox Greek School at Horns in Syria.

Having always wished to enter into the Church of Scotland, he obtained his licence in 1913. William was assistant minister in the South Dalziel Parish Church in Motherwell, a post he held until the outbreak of war.

During his time at University, William had been in the Officer Training Corps and during the war was gazetted to the Kings Own Scottish Borderers. William volunteered for service on the 4th August 1914. He was injured during a charge in Gallipoli by a piece of shrapnel and died on board the hospital ship Asturias on the 20th July, aged 27. 2nd Lieutenant William Barr Macfarlane is commemorated on the Helles Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.