Dundee Courier 25 December 1914
Private James Donald, Highland Light Infantry, who has returned wounded to his home at Cairneyhill, has some interesting tales to tell of his experiences at the front.
He was hit in the foot by a shrapnel bullet, which passed right through. The HLI were in the trenches at the time, and were attacked by overwhelming numbers of the enemy. Donald lay wounded for two hours and amid a heavy rain of shells. He was then taken to the nearest hospital.
Private Donald has had several narrow escapes. He has six bullet holes in the collar of his coat. On another occasion a shell burst in front of him and singed the hair off his face. He jocularly remarked, “I got a shave which I did not expect that day”. Another bullet buried itself in the equipment over the right breast. He speaks of the light-hearted spirit of the men in the trenches, and observes that when a newspaper arrives the first thing looked for is the football results. There is a great deal of interest taken in the sport, although the papers are usually ten days old.
Cairneyhill People and History 