William James Falside

William James Falside was born in Eskdalemuir on the 30th November 1883, and was the son of John and Elizabeth Falside. His father was a minister, and it seems William was keen to follow in his footsteps. After attending Hutchesons' Grammar School, he enrolled to study for an Arts degree at the University of Glasgow, and the Theological Hall at Davington.

William joined the University of Glasgow in 1901. In his first year he studied Maths and History, followed in his second with classes in Latin and Logic. In his final two years he took classes in Moral Philosophy, English, and Education, and graduated with an MA on the 17th April 1906.

Having graduated, William began his probationer career as assistant, first in Dundee and for a few months in connection with the Moncrieff Church, Alloa. In June, 1911, a vacancy occurred at Howgate, and William was unanimously chosen as pastor of the congregation.

When war broke out, William was granted permission to join up, and enlisted as a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps in January 1916. He served for two years in East and West Africa as a private, before being appointed as Chaplain in His Majesty's Forces. After holidaying briefly in Penicuik, William served as a chaplain in Ireland for a number of months, before returning to Howgate to await orders to proceed abroad.

William was given instructions to proceed to Italy, however contracted influenza on the journey. He was taken to Faenza Military Hospital, near Bologna, where he died of pneumonia on the 7th October 1918. Chaplain William James Falside is buried in Faenza Communal Cemetery, Italy, and named on the Howgate Village War Memorial, the Howgate Church Roll of Honour, the Penicuik War Memorial, and on the University of Glasgow Roll of Honour.

William's two half brothers - James and John Falside, both of the King's Own Scottish Borderers - were also killed in the First World War.