Kilsyth Chronicle - Friday 15 October 1920 -BANTON WAR MEMORIAL -UNVEILING CEREMONY. ON SUNDAY FIRST, OCTOBER 17lh Service in Banton Parish Church at 3 p.m., to be conducted by the REV. J. ARCHIBALD DRON. UNVEILING CEREMONY at 4 p.m. by JOHN STEVENSON, ESQ., J.P. Collection during Church Service in aid of Local Sufferers through the War.

Kirkintilloch Gazette - Friday 22 October 1920 -BANTON WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILED -Sunday was a memorable day in the history of Banton village, for in the afternoon the granite Celtic cross erected in front of the Parish Church was unveiled. At the service held in the Church the attendance was quite in keeping with the occasion. One could hardly recall and Haggs and even farther afield swelled the the church being so full. Visitors from Kilsyth attendance. Rev. J. Dron, who conducted the service, found an appropriate text in "Neither count I my life dear unto myself.” Men had in all times (he said) counted some things more than life and had been ready to sacrifice their life for things that are dearer. It was a feeling implanted in the nature of man by God. With most it had been and still is patriotism — that peculiar feeling of love had loyalty to one's own country and one’s own blood. These were the men whom they called the heroic the nation. It was because those men whose names were imperishably engraven on their memorial stone belonged to that number that they were met there to honour and extol them. It was fitting that the willingness to make the supreme sacrifice should have a special place in the teaching of Jesus, Who Himself came to make that sacrifice and called upon men to do so. They had erected this stone that it might be a memorial for all time for their sons and friends who gave their lives in this cause. Many more went forth to the help of the Lord against the mighty, they were all worthy of honour, for they left in the spirit of sacrifice; but God did not call for this last sacrifice from them; but to those others the call came, and throughtheir names and memories are inshrined for ever in the hearts that knew and loved them, yet in the wider sense they belonged to all and represented all, and it was right and fitting that the whole community should erect this memorial. It would be before their eyes throughout their lifetime; it would before the young of this generation; and though boys were often considered thoughtless, yet they thought more than one imagined, and it would give an impression to them which would be incentive to heroism which they would carry to the generations following, and thus the heroism and sacrifice of those would be as seed cast into the ground which would be for ever bringing forth fruit in nobility of mind and character. The inhabitants had done well and he would like to refer to the harmony and good feeling which characterised the committee from the beginning- Would not the memory of those who fell be an incentive to us so that time of peace we would be brave and just for the sake of others and filled with the spirit of sacrifice. Let ail the ends be not selfish gain, but our country's, our God's and truth's, and thus we shall not be unworthy of those of all the ages who counted not their lives dear to themselves, but lived and died for their country and their fellowmen. While the names of the fallen were read, the congregation stood. (names) At the close the Dead March was played. The congregation and a good few others who had been waiting outside lined round the dhurch grounds, where Mr John Stevenson, J.P., unveiled the memorial. He commended the action of the people of Banton. who had been able amongst themselves to raise this monument in memory of the young men who fell in the war. A more fitting memorial than this symbol of sacrifice could not be erected. They were greatly indebted to those who had worked so harmoniously to secure its erection. Rev. Mr Dron offered up dedicatory prayer. Mr Alexander Ameil, as representing the friends and relatives of those who made the supreme sacrifice, thanked the inhabitants for the very handsome memorial, saying that their sorrow was chastened with joy when the inhabitants had come forward so unanimously and unselfishly and said they would erect this in honour of those who had fallen. Rev. Mr Dron accepted the memorial on behalf of the office-bearers and Kirk Session. It was a thing that would be neat their hearts always, and they would keep it in order and keep it beautiful. Several bunches of lovely flowers were laid at the foot of the monument by worshippers before the service.

Kilsyth Chronicle - Friday 22 October 1920 -BANTON WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILED. -Sunday was a memorable day in the history Banton village, for in the afternoon the granite Celtic cross erected in front of the Parish Church' was unveiled.