9425: John Macaskill

Iain Iain Aonghais

John (born 1911) was a son of John Macaskill and Ann Morrison, 17 Gravir. 

Around 1925 the family built a house at 40 Gravir and after the death of his mother  they moved there.

On April 2, 1930 he enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve, Service Number  AX15196 and re-enrolled under BX9529. His records indicate that he was 5ft 4½ in tall with fair hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He and his brothers Allan and Angus had a Tattoo of a cross and flowers inscribed to my dear mother. John was a fisherman on Fraserburgh and  Stornoway registered fishing boats, including the Honour Bright, the Excel, the Mary Jane and the White Clover, until 1933 when he joined the Merchant Navy. His first trip was as the Captain's Boy on the SS British Councillor, he made seven trips to St Johns on the SS Beaverburn, travelled to Russia on the SS Abbotsford, to Australia on the SS Cornwall. In January 1937 he and his brother Angus travelled to Australia on the SS Cumberland.

John was Mobilised on January 2, 1940 and served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Based at HMS Europa and aboard HMS Chitral. He received Agricultural Leave in Gravir in 1944 and 1945. John is mentioned in  Roll of Honour: Pairc, Second World War.

John settled in London and lived at 116 Grosvenor Road.