Welcome Home Dance

In the Cumnock Chronicle dated 27 September 1918
(accessed on microfilm at Burns Monument Centre, Kilmarnock)

SKARES

Remember the Welcome Home Dance in Garallan School this evening.
Private William Alexander MM, RSF is home on leave. He has been on service since war began and has been wounded five times.
Private Robert Wallace RSF is also home from France and
Private William Corbett HLI is on draft leave.

From an earlier Chronicle
On the 5th Jan 1917 Pte William Alexander, RSF, of Skares was awarded the Military Medal and he was presented with a gold watch along with Pte Alexander Hodge on 19 Jan 1917.

Pte Wm Alexander was the son of James Alexander 58 Skares and his sister was Mrs Rankin of Townhead St  (Cumnock Chronicle 5 jan 1917)

From Army Pension Records (accessed from the ancestry website)
Robert Wallace S/15408 Cameron Highlanders formerly RSF no12224
He was 20 and 152 days when he enlisted on 18 Nov 1914, was a miner, 5 ft 3 1/2 in had tattoos of horseshoe and good luck on right forearm and a heart and 2 crosses on the back
Address: 52 Skares Row, Cumnock, father Hugh Wallace, wife Christine Smillie, spinster, married at Tarbolton 22 January 1917
He served in France
He was discharged 11 Sep 1919 at Hamilton
Robert Wallace on Cumnock Connections tree

From Army Service Records  (accessed from the ancestry website)
William Corbett 63516 HLI, 15th Battalion,  of Crichton Row, Skares, Old Cumnock
occupation: waggon lifting machine man
age 21 28 May 1916 (born ab 1895 )
next of kin mother Mary
He was 5 ft 8 in with brown hair and eyes

In 1901 census the family was at Crichton Row

John Corbett             49

Mary Corbett             36

John Corbett             10

William Corbett             6

Janet Corbett             3

Robert Corbett             1

Military Medal (M.M.)

(Level 3 Gallantry Award) (from http://www.greatwar.co.uk/medals/ )
Instituted on 25^th March 1916 (and backdated to 1914).
The Military Medal was awarded to other ranks of the British Army and Commonwealth Forces. It was an award for gallantry and devotion to duty when under fire in battle on land.
On the reverse of the medal is inscribed “For Bravery in the Field”. Recipients of the medal are entitled to use the letters M.M. after their name.
The Military Medal is the British Army equivalent of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.), the Distinguished Flying Medal (D.F.M.) and the Air Force Medal (A.F.M.).