125765: Roderick John Macdonald

Ruairaidh Iain Mhurchaidh Mhurchaidh

Roderick John (1891-1919) was a son of Murdo Macdonald and Margaret Macdonald, 36 Leurbost. He was a bachelor.

He was a fisherman and he enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve on 1st November 1910 under Service Number 2966/A. In 1913 he joined the Mercantile Marine and sailed on the SS Cameronia, SS Grampian, SS Carthaginian, SS Mongolian and returned to fishing until he was Mobilised.

Roderick John served in the First World War on the HMS Dolphin, HMS Victory, HMS Vernon, HMS Manco, HMS Hersilia, HMY St George, and HMS Wallington. He was lost in the Iolaire Disaster and is buried in Crossbost Cemetery. His name is commemorated on the Lewis War Memorial, the Village Memorial in Crossbost, The Iolaire Memorial at Holm and the Iolaire Centenary Memorial in Stornoway.