23626: Donald Morrison

Dòmhnall Aonghais Iain

Donald (1881-1916) was a son of Angus Morrison and Isabella Macdonald, 9a Calbost.  

On 1st December 1904, he enrolled with the Royal Naval Reserve Service Number  X3350 and re-enrolled under PA741 and B2491.  His record (held by The National Archives) notes that Donald was 5 ft 9½ in tall, had a chest measurement of 37in, with a dark complexion and grey eyes. His service records also gives an alternative date of birth, 24th February 1880.

Donald was a fisherman and moved to Govan in 1910 to work as Rigger at Fairfield Shipbuilders, Glasgow and Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, until 1914 when he joined the Merchant Navy. He travelled to Barbados and the Pacific on the SS Crown of Aragon.

He married a girl called Sarah and they lived in Govan and later at 108 Henderson Street, Glasgow.

During the First World War Donald served in the Royal Navy based at on the HMS Invincible in battles at Coronel and in the Falklands. He was killed when the Invincible was sunk in the battle of Jutland. His name is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial in Kent (section reference 18), Loyal Lewis, the Pairc War Memorial and the Lewis War Memorial in Stornoway.