HLI Masonic Coy 1917

In March 1917, the E (Masonic) Company of the Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was raised and placed under the command of Brother Captain Robert Stobo Renfrew, Past Master and also Deacon of the Incorporation of Masons in 1912. The large percentage of members of Lodge Saint John's, No.3bis, in E Company led to the familiar designation of it as the E Bis Company. Two letters recently uncovered show that the recruitment process was not all plain sailing. The first approach, from Robert Renfrew, PM St John’s 3bis, went out on 2th March 1917. It begins: “ I have been requested by Brother Lt. Col. John Dodds V.D. to assist him in raising a Company (250 men) composed of members of the Masonic Craft. There were various inducements on offer to the Brethren, including a grant of £25 to provide uniforms. Robert Renfrew had hoped to have enough volunteers within a fortnight, but it was not to be. By the day of the deadline, Saturday 24th March, fewer than the 250 Brethren required had signed up. So he invoked the help of the Provincial Grand Master, Brother A. A. Hagart-Speirs of Elderslie. The PGM sent a letter to Lodge secretaries dated 21st of June 1917. In it he asked them to remind the Brethren that the Glasgow Volunteer Regiment “is not getting results as rapidly as might be hoped.” This time the correspondence did the trick. The brethren responded in great numbers and the Freemasons’ Company was born. Lodge St John’s, No.3bis, provided 120 volunteers for the war effort, spread right across the armed forces. Sixteen of those brave Brethren did not make it home.

Reproduced from the July 2015 issue of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow's Newsletter by Bro. Bob Cooper, Curator GLoS. The 2nd Battalion battle honour has the HLI crest top and the Trades House crest bottom, similar to the City Arms, except the field is white and red.

The HLI lodge (1459) was formed at Maryhill Barracks in 1950.

PGL of Dorset has branded beer that they're selling as part of their festival in 2025 in support of the Masonic Charitable Foundation – talk about Craft ale!