More about David Kidd

David Kidd  C1/176  Hood Bn

Died at 9.15am aboard Hospital Ship “Canada” at Malta from Enteric.

DUNDEE SEAMAN DIES OF ENTERIC.

Mr David Kidd, baker, 8 Strathmartine Road, Dundee, has received intimation from the Naval Record Office in London of the death of his youngest son, Able Seaman David Kidd, of the Clyde Division, R.N.V.R.

Seaman Kidd, who was a member of the Hood Battalion, died in hospital at Alexandria on 29^th August from enteric.  He was at Antwerp, and after being home went to the Dardanelles, where he was seized with illness.

Seaman Kidd was 21 years of age, and had been a member of the R.N.R., for about fifteen months.  He served his apprenticeship  as a baker, but before the outbreak of war was employed at Fairmuir Turning Works.

Dundee Courier 8th  September 1915

David shares a final resting place with Cpl, John Samuel Hayes, 10329, 6th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment, who died 29.08.1915 & Pte John Carle, 415, 1st Battalion Australian Infantry, who died 28.08.1915.

Family Background:

David`s father, also David, was a baker and the family lived at 4 Commercial Street and then 55 Strathmartine Road, Dundee. David served his apprenticeship as a baker and then went to work at Fairmuir Turning Works.

Service History:

David joined the RNVR onboard HMS Unicorn in February 1913.On the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Hood Battalion and served at Antwerp and then Gallipoli. He was wounded on 15^th May 1915 fighting in the 2^nd Battle of Krithia and on recovery fought in the 3^rd Battle there. In August 1915 he became ill with enteric fever and was evacuated on Hospital Ship Canada, dying onboard in Malta port.

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David Kidd was the son of Mr David Kidd of 8 and also 55 Strathmartine Road, Dundee and was a Baker when he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn at Dundee in February 1913. He had served an apprenticeship as a baker but took up employment in the Fairmuir Turning Works in Dundee. Shortly after mobilisation in August 1914 he was advanced to Able Seaman. He was sent to Betteshanger Camp near Deal in Kent to train for service as a Naval Infantryman. In October he went with the Hood Battalion to Antwerp to help the Belgians defend the port. The RND was withdrawn after two days and reformed back in Britain. The Hood Battalion went to Blandford Camp in Dorset to train in advanced military tactics but was sent to the Middle East at the end of February 1915. An attempt was made to force the Dardanelles by sea which failed and a decision was made to land troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula in late April. The Hood Battalion landed a two days after the initial landing and took their place in the front line. In May the Battalion attacked the Turkish Lines during the Second Battle of Krithia and David Kidd was slightly wounded in the last day of the assault. He was hospitalised but returned to the Battalion in the middle of May. He would also have taken part in the Third Battle of Krithia when the Hood suffered many casualties. David Kidd later became ill with enteric fever and, in late August, was evacuated to Malta on the Hospital Ship Canada. He died onboard the ship in port in Malta and was buried in Pieta Cemetery, Malta by Chaplain A McKinnon. Grave Reference Bay 12A Grave 3. He is commemorated on HMS Unicorn’s Memorial. The Courier printed an In Memoriam notice placed by Jessie Fraser, his lady friend, on 1 September 1917.