29018: John Macdonald

John Macdonald (1909-1942) was a son of Donald Macdonald and Mary Macleod, 2/4 Kershader.

He enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve, S/Ns AX14495 and BX9030, on July 11, 1928 under the name Ian Og Macdonald.  His records indicate that he was 5ft 9in tall with brown hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion. John was a fisherman on Fraserburgh, Wick and Stornoway registered fishing boats including the Christina.

In 1931 he joined the Merchant Navy and made four trips to Russia on the SS Cara. He lived at 68 Stamford Road, London in 1935 and became unemployed. John  worked as a bus conducter and was not eligible for the Royal Naval Reserve.

He served in the Royal Navy S/N CJX262193, in the Second World War  and lost his life when the SS Ben Lomond was sunk by a German Submarine in the Atlantic Ocean on 23rd November, 1942. His name is commemorated on the Pairc War Memorial.

He was engaged to be married to a girl from Laxay but he was killed before they could marry. Her wedding dress was part of an Exhibition called Na mo Chuid Aodaich in recent years.

His brother, Donald Murdo, who was in the Merchant Navy, lost his life in the North Sea, in 1940 and a third brother Kenneth, lost his life too.