Tom had a very good
undergraduate record. Although he studied in the Arts Faculty, and took
classes in Latin and Political Economy, his passion was for Science. He
gained a clutch of First Class Distinctions in Natural Philosophy, Physics
Lab, and Intermediate Honours Mathematics, as well as a Second Class
certificate in Chemistry. At this time in his life, however, as in the lives
of so many others, events took a dramatic turn. World War 1 began in the
autumn of 1914 and put thoughts of careers, and in Tom’s case of graduation,
on hold. By the time he graduated MA with Honours in Mathematics and Natural
Philosophy on 21st June 1915, he was already in uniform.
As a member of the OTC, Tom
had applied to serve in the 3rd Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish
Rifles) in the Special Reserve in February 1915. He was posted to the 1st
Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers in July 1915, then to the 2nd Battalion
Scottish Rifles on 18th October. He was transferred to the 23rd Trench
Mortar Battery in February 1916. He was given command of that Battery on 8th
July 1916, and awarded the temporary rank of Captain. His was an active
service. Following action in the Somme campaign, and in particular, for his
part in events in October that year, he was awarded the Military Cross (MC).
The citation reads: ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He fought his
trench mortars with great courage and skill throughout the operations. He
has previously done fine work.’ (near Gueudecourt 23rd October 1916).
Nearly a year later, in
August 1917, he was reported as suffering from debility from stress of
service, reflected in tremor of the hands and eyelids. He left France on
20th September 1917 to begin recuperating. He was ordered to report for duty
with OC Royal Flying Corps cadet brigade, St Leonards on Sea on 11th
November for an observers’ course. However, on examination, he was
considered not to be sufficiently fit to be a pilot or an observer, due to
stress of service and deteriorated eyesight after 28 months of continuous
service in France. From 4th March 1918 he was deployed as an instructor in
the Cadet Brigade, the Officers Technical Training Wing of the Royal Flying
Corps (later to become the RAF). He was not demobilised until April 1919 and
his commission was only relinquished a year later, in 1920.
When Tom came back to
Glasgow he returned to University, and after taking further classes in
Physics and Geology, graduated BSc on 4th February 1921. He was ready to
teach again. He was appointed Lecturer in Physics and Dynamics at the Royal
Technical College, where he may have met his future wife, who was tutoring
there in the early 1920s. He resumed his school teaching career at Whitehill
School in 1921, but also continued conducting evening classes at the College
for many years thereafter. On his return to Glasgow, Tom carried out much
research on developing radio communication, reflected in the licence he
retained from 1923 from the General Post Office, London, ‘to conduct
experiments with wireless telegraph equipment, and to use applications for
receiving wireless signals for the purpose of giving demonstrations.’
He married Jessie Cameron
in 1924 and they had five children. He continued his teaching career at
Riverside School and later at Queens Park Secondary School, where he retired
as Deputy Head in 1955. He continued teaching for several years after that
at Allan Glen’s School. As well as taking evening classes in Mathematics and
Dynamics at the Royal Technical College, he was well known in Glasgow as a
private tutor. His obituary records that ‘he was well known to pupils all
over Scotland through these books of examination papers which he edited,
supplying answers and many useful hints.’ He was also a noted student of the
life and works of Robert Burns, on whom he wrote and spoke widely.
Thomas Black Duncan died
after a short illness on 4th February 1962.
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