More about William Kemp Fyfe

William has no known grave but is remembered on the Arras Memorial.

William Kemp Fyfe   CZ/3967   Drake Bn   R.N.D.

LOCHEE MAN DIES OF WOUNDS.

Leading Seaman William K. Fyfe, of the Royal Naval Division, who was reported wounded and missing four weeks ago, is now reported to have died of wounds on 13th April last.  Leading Seaman Fyfe was recommended for the Military Medal in November, 1916, for a specially meritorious deed of valour in action.

Prior to enlistment he was employed in Camperdown Jute Works, Lochee.  He was 23 years of age, and leaves a widow, who resides with her father, Mr John Tonner, 3 Tofthill, Lochee.

Dundee Courier 11th June 1917

William K Fyfe was the husband of Mrs Mary Fyfe, 3 Toft Hill, Dundee and the son of Mrs Mary Fyfe of 58 Lorne Street, Lochee, Dundee. He was a Mill Worker when, in April 1915, he volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. In September he was drafted to the Drake Battalion and joined it in Gallipoli the same month. After the evacuation in January 1916 the battalion undertook garrison duties in the Aegean. In April he was granted leave in Malta and returned to his battalion just before it sailed to Marseille in May to join in the fight on the Western Front. He was with the Drake during the last phase of the Somme Battle in November. At the end of the month he was hospitalised with scabies. On recovery he was advanced to Leading Seaman and granted leave to Britain in January 1917. The RND took part in the Puisieux and River Trench fighting in February. During the Battle of Gavrelle in April William Fyfe was listed as Wounded and Missing. His body was not recovered and his name is listed on the Arras Memorial in Northern France. A report in the Peoples Journal dated 19 May 1917 states that he had a brother and a sister.

Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie