“At Newcastle Liberal Club, last night, employees of the local branch of the North British Rubber Company, Pilgrim Street, gathered at a dinner and did honour to a colleague, Mr. Ferguson Simpson, who was a lieutenant in the 8th Black Watch, and gained the Military Cross for gallantry in the field. During the fighting east of Ypres, from September 20 to October 4, 1918, he, along with two men, rushed and captured a machine gun post in a farm, which was delaying the advance of his company.”

Toasts were drunk and harmony was contributed by – among others – Mr. Ernert Graham, who had been a prisoner of war.

Mr. Simpson was presented with a silver mounted stick. He had been wounded “several times”. He was a cashier with the firm.

At the same event, presentations were made of a walking stick, or safety razor, or a pipe in a case to the following ex-service men:

(These have been placed in a different order from the newspaper report for ease of reading)

Alderson, J.R., Pte., 9th N.F. ;
Blackhill, G., Gnr. A.A.C. Battery;
Borrowdale, J., Pte., Scottish R. ;
Butchard, J.T., Gnr. R.G.A. ;
Carr, J., Pte., 13th N.F. ;
Chalmers, D., Gnr. 282nd S.B., R.G.A., ;
Cockburn, T., Pte., East Yorks. ;
Cole, D.M., Bdr., 59th Bty, R.F.A. ;
Cooke, W., Bdr., 1st Northumberland R.G.A. ;
Corbett, T., Pte., 14th D.L.I. ;
Dodds, E., Gnr. 12th H.B., R.G.A. ;
Dunn, W., Pte., 18th N.F. ;
Eden, N., Pte., 13th D.L.I. ;
Edminson, A., Sergt. 4th N.F. ;
Edwards, D., Pte., D.L.I. ;
Findlay, A.J., Pte., 2nd D.L.I. ;
Gibb, J., Pte., 5th K.O.Y.L.I. ;
Gibbs, H., A/C., R.A.F. ;
Gunn, G., Pte., 5th Tank Brigade;
Harrison, G., 2nd Class A.B., R.N. ;
Harrison, W., Pte., R.A.M.C. ;
Headlam, J., L-Cpl., 9th N.F. ;
Hills, J., Sergt. 16th N.F. ;
Howell, W., A/C., R.A.F. ;
James, Cpl., S., 5th D.L.I. ;
Jenson, J.G., Cpl., 16th N.F. ;
Lowes, T., Pte., 2nd Yorks. ;
Mason, T., Pte., 5th N.F. ;
McCarty, R., A.B., R.N. ;
Melville, M., Lieut., 2nd Border Regt. ;
Milburn, J., R.Q.M.S., D.L.I. ;
Milne, G., Pte., 2nd N.F. ;
New, Pte., H., 4th East Yorks. ;
Nichol, L., Pte., N.F. ;
Oakley, T., Pte., M.T., R.A.S.C. ;
Parkes, J., Cpl., 3rd N.F. ;
Potts, J.E., Pte., 1st West Yorks. ;
Robinson, C., Pte., 2nd N.F. ;
Robson, G., L., Pte., N.F. ;
Robson, G., Pte., 9th N.F. ;
Robson, Pte., 3rd Notts and Derby;
Southern, J., Capt., 16th N.F.;
Spottswood, T., Cpl., R.E. ;
Stafford, B., Pte., R.A.S.C. ;
Stafford, F., L-Cpl., , 1st Leinster;
Taylor, Cpl., T., 7th Seaforth Highlanders;
Walton; F., Pte.,
Wilson, S., Pte., 3rd Yorks. ;
Young, R., Cpl., N.F.