Donald fought for the British forces (U.K.) in the first world war. In the second world war he was a merchant marine and served aboard the S.S. Baron Blythswood. This ship was torpedoed by the infamous submarine U.99, under command of Otto Kretschmer, the ace u-boat commander responsible for sinking 266,629 tons of shipping. There is some mystery surrounding the sinking of the Baron Blythswood. From information taken from LLoyds War Losses , the ship apparently was topedoed on September 20, 1940 at the location 56N 23W. Of the 47 crew, 16 were lost. Another crew member was lost in the chief officer's boat. The Invershannon, an allied submarine sighted the wreck still afloat at 55 40N 22 04W on September 21, 1940 and placed bombs aboard her which sent the Baron Blythswood and the bodies of the sixteen men, including Donald to a watery grave.

Back to Gordon.

Back to Remembrance Day