50563: Donald Nicolson
Dòmhnall Choinnich Dhòmhnaill
Donald (1891-1945) was a son of Kenneth Nicolson and Peggy Carmichael, 16 Lemreway.
On December 16, 1911 he enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve Service Number A3954. His record indicates that he was 5 ft 5¾ in tall with blue eyes, a fresh complexion and tattoos of clasped hands over a heart inscribed "True Love" on his left wrist and a horse-shoe on his right wrist. Donald was a fisherman on Peterhead and Stornoway registered fishing boats and joined the Merchant Navy in 1913. He travelled to Russia on the SS Kennett, to Halifax on the SS Ionian and to New York on the SS Cameronia.
Donald was Mobilised on August 3, 1914 and served in the Royal Navy in the First World War based at HMS Pembroke and aboard HMS Orama, HMS Hindustan. On June 2, 1918 he was transferred to HMS President III which was the HQ for men serving on Defensively Armed Merchant Ships (DAMS). Donald was awarded £18.15/- Prize Money and is mentioned in Loyal Lewis: Roll of Honour 1914-1918.
At Stornoway, in 1918, he married Katie Ann Macaskill, 12 Gravir. They were living at 16 Lemreway and 12 Gravir as landless cottars before land raiding Orinsay in 1922. Donald and Katie Ann settled at 7 Orinsay and they had four children, three of whom died in infancy.
Donald was widowed in 1926 when his wife, Katie Ann and son, Kenneth died of Measles.
Donald was one of the victims of the 1945 drowning tragedy at Loch Shell.
Details
- Record Type:
- Person
- Also Known As:
- Domhnall Ruadh Choinnich
- Date Of Birth:
- 2 Oct 1891
- Date of Death:
- 11 Mar 1945
- Gender:
- Male
- Brothers Keeper Reference:
- CEP 5947
- Occupation:
- Fisherman; Royal Naval Reservist; Royal Naval Seaman; Merchant Naval Seaman
- Record Maintained by:
- CEP
Related Media
Carnegie Trust Certificate of Heroism
Donald and Catherine Nicolson, 7 Orinsay
Pairc Naval men