George Mackinlay had a book of poetry published while he was a teacher at Perth Academy, just before he enlisted in the Great War. Sadly the book is out of print and the school have been unable to locate a copy. Fortunately some excerpts of his poetry were published in the school magazine "The Young Barbarian" one of these poems was "Winter 1914". The poem was written as he contemplated the impending war. The poem can be read below.

WINTER 1914, George Mackinlay

'I have left my love in the North, The love that knew not flower, ‘Twas life itself that cast me forth And I might not stay it’s power. For I need not now a heart of love But a heart devoid of fear. And the man that would hear the victor prove, Let him barter his grasp of the joys that thrill, For a body that will not fail his will. And a mind that is firm and clear.'

One of the students on the school trip in November 2022 read the poem at the Menin Gate beside the panel which bears George's name.

George Mackinlay was born on 20th October 1890, the eldest son of Mr. George Mackinlay of 65 Bank Street, Hillhead. Educated at Hillhead High School, he proceeded to Glasgow University, where he graduated M.A., with Honours in English Literature, Language, and History in 1912.

He was killed in action on the 15th August 1917. 

Extract from the Hillhead High School Roll of Honour: "In 1913, he was appointed Assistant English master in Perth Academy, which post he held until he joined the Army in 1914. It is no secret now to say that the headmaster was hoping to see him on the first available opportunity established as one of the English masters in his old school. He was at all times a keen sportsman, and entered fully into the athletic and social life of the School, both as a pupil and as a member of the Former Pupils Club. An enthusiastic player of Rugby, a leading member of the Literary Association, whose Magazine he founded and edited, he was perhaps one of the best and most widely known of the former pupils of the School."

"To those who knew him there is no need to praise him, but some things may be recalled in tribute to his memory. Clean-minded, generous-hearted as boy and man, he was never known to do a mean act or to take an ignoble view of life. A poet and dreamer at heart, he took the best out of life. As a memorial to this gallant soldier and scholar a small volume of his poems has been published."

"This for his friends but for himself - 'He hath outsoared the shadow of our night'” 

George Mackinlay is also commemorated on the Hillhead High School War Memorial; the Glasgow University War Memorial; and the Glasgow Provincial Training College War Memorial.

IN FROM THE COLD

The “In From The Cold” project (IFCP) was formed over twenty years ago to research and identify all service men and women missing from the official Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) list of casualties from the First and Second World Wars. Unfortunately, many names were missed from the lists supplied to the Commission and as a result, many casualties had no official recognition. Record-keeping was not always as accurate as it should have been back in the pre-computer days of the early twentieth century.

With modern technology and the greater accessibility to remaining records, it's possible, through painstaking research, to find many of these missing names, and to gather the supporting evidence required for recognition by the CWGC and the appropriate military authorities. 

George Mackinlay is one of these casualties and we are grateful to IFCP for their work in ensuring that one of our own former pupils of Perth Academy is now officially recognised by the CWGC. Having no known grave George's name was added to the Addenda Panel at the Menin Gate in May 2017, shortly before the school trip.

During the major refurbishment of the Menin Gate, which is currently underway, George's name will be added to the panel commemorating members of his regiment, the Cameronian's, and his name will appear alongside those of his comrades.