BB Gazette Vol.22 No.7 – The Brigade Executive have awarded the Cross for Heroism in the case of Sergeant Ian Menzies, aged 15, 1st Oban Company, who lost his life in a gallant attempt to’ save a comrade from drowning at a deep pond near Oban on i6th January last.

Sergeant Menzies and another Boy named Hugh J. Chisholm were skating on the pond, when the ice gave way, and Chisholm fell into the water. Just at that moment Menzies’ mother, whose house overlooks the pond, came out, and seeing her son on the ice, called to him to come off. He was in the act of coming off the ice when, hearing Chisholm’s call for help, he went straight to the assistance of his friend, and in his efforts at rescue, he also fell through the ice. Although every effort was made to save them, both Boys were drowned. In this case the Executive decided to hand the Cross to the parents of Sergeant Menzies, with an expression of their deep sympathy with them in the loss of their brave son.

The Scotsman 27^th February 1914 – The annual meeting of the Carnegie Hero Fund Trust was held at Dunfermline… The following Scottish cases were dealt with….. Ian Menzies (15) chemist’s message boy, … on the 16^th January 1914, lost his life in an endeavour to rescue Hugh John Chisholm (16) from drowning at the Distillery Pond, Oban. The parents of Ian Manzies are to receive a memorial medallion and the sum of £20.