Mrs Hilda Clow is the widow of Goerge Clow's nephew Bobby, and she donated Goerge's personal effects to be diplayed in the Museum of Abernethy. Among these effects was the original telegram received by George's mother informing her that he had been killed in action. How many parents answered a knock at the door to find a telegram boy standing there, telegram in hand, giving them the awful news that there child had been killed in the Great War? The telegram to Mrs Clow read: To: Mrs Clow, Struan, Abernethy, Fifeshire. Deeply regret to inform you that 2 Lt G. R. Clow Black Watch was killed in action March 19th. Lord Kitchener expresses his sympathy. In a cruel irony Lord Kitchener himself was killed when HMS Hampshire hit a mine and sank off Orkney just a few months later on 5th June 1916. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton. George Robert Clow was born in Abernethy on 13th October 1888, the son of Robert and Annie Clow, he originally lived in Station Road, and then Struan House, Abernethy. His father was a Draper. In 1901, when he was 12 years old, he lived with his parents and his brother John, aged 17, his sister Annie, aged 15 and his sister Rebecca, aged 14. George was educated at Perth Academy and originally enlisted with the Royal Engineers (Regimental No. 342) before being transferred to the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) with the same regimental number. He arrived in France on 23rd June 1915 and was killed on 17th March 1916. Having no known grave he is “Remembered with Honour” on the Loos Memorial. George Clow was 27 years old when he lost his life. Extract from Wauchope’s History of the Black Watch in the Great War. “The next tour, this time in the Hulloch sector, lasted from the 9th to 17th March, when the battalion moved back to Philosophe, where Lieutenant R.B.A. MacDonald and Second Lieutenant H.M. Drummond reported for duty. Like the last, the period was uneventful except for the last day when the enemy shelled the Battalion line heavily; two officers, Second Lieutenants Howard and Clow, and two other ranks were killed and 16 other ranks were wounded.” George Clow is also commemorated on the Abernethy Parish War Memorial.