3851: John Macphail

Iain Choinnich Dhòmhnaill

John  (born 1893) was a son of Kenneth Macphail and Christina Macmillan, 19  Southside, Gravir.

On December 15, 1911 he enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve, Service Number A3934. His record indicated that he was 5 ft 6½ in tall with blue eyes,  fresh complexion, a scar over his left eyebrow a tattoo of crossed hands on the back of his right hand and his left forearm. John was a fisherman on Inverness and Stornoway registered fishing boats and in February 1914 joined the Merchant Navy. He travelled to New York on the SS Columbia and to Boston on the SS Hesperian.

On August 24, 1914 John was Mobilised and served as a Leading Seaman in the Royal Navy in the First World War. Based at HMS Victory, HMS Excellent and aboard HMS Patia. He also served on HMS President III the HQ for men serving on Defensively Armed Merchant Ships (DAMS). John was saved when SS Llandrindod sunk. He was awarded £13.15/- of Prize Money and his name is mentioned in Loyal Lewis: Roll of Honour 1914-1918.

After the War he lived at 27 Enid Street, Liverpool  and in 1920 emigrated to the United States of America and lived at Youngstown, Niagara, New York State, Cleveland, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois.