63735: Donald Macdonald

Dòmhnall Dhòmhnaill Dhòmhnaill

Donald Kemp (born 1890) known as Donald Macdonald, was a son of Donald Macdonald and Margaret Kemp, 2 Caverstay.

On December 30, 1913 he enrolled  in the Royal Naval Reserve Service Number A5454 and subsequent re-enrollments C4978, D4817 and ED1133. His records indicate that he was 5ft 6¾ in tall with dark brown hair, later greying, dark grey eyes, a fresh complexion, a scar on his forehead and a tattoo of clasped hands over a heart inscribed "True Love" on his right forearm. Donald was a fisherman on Stornoway registered fishing boats and joined the Merchant Navy and he travelled to New York on the SS Columbia.  Donald was Mobilised on August 2, 1914 and served in the iRoyal Navy in the First World War. Based at HMS Excellent and aboard HMS Kent, HMS Victory and HMS President III which was the base for men serving on Defensively Armed Merchant Ships (DAMS). He received £18.15/- in Prize money and his name is mentioned in  Loyal Lewis: Roll of Honour 1914-1918.

After the War he returned to the Merchant Navy and  travelled to the Mediterranean on the SS Glassford, to Naples on the SS Springburn and in 1922 was unemployed and was an Inshore Fisherman and a Road Labourer. 

In 1926 he returned to sea and travelled to the Persian Gulf on the SS British Judge, to Canada on the SS Latchmere (SS Etolia), to Iran on the SS British Trader and the SS British Engineer. For the rest of his records he worked at Inshore Fishing.

In Lochs, in 1923, he married Catherine Kennedy, 15 Marvig. Donald and Catherine settled at  Caverstay Common and they had four children. After the Second World War the family moved to 5 Torostay  and subsequently moved to Sandwick Cottage, Stornoway.