More about John Brown

For reasons unknown this man is not listed on the original Dundee Roll of Honour.

John Brown   19268/DA   H.M. Trawler Perfect

MAN DROWNED AT DUNDEE HARBOUR.

An exciting affair occurred at Dundee Harbour late last night, resulting in a naval seaman losing his life in King William Dock.  The unfortunate man was John Brown (34), a deck hand, belonging to Orkney.

It appears that deceased and a shipmate, a second engineer, were standing in the vicinity of King William Dock when they heard a cry for help, which seemed to come from the dock.

Deceased ran round some waggons which were standing on the quay, and jumped into the water, but apparently got into difficulties, and cried for help.

His companion, the second engineer, immediately went to his assistance, and jumping into the water, got hold of Brown and kept him up for some time, while calling for help.

Eventually, however, the engineer became exhausted, and had to release his hold on Brown.  Shortly afterwards a small boat appeared on the scene, and the engineer was rescued.

Efforts were then directed to recovering the body of Brown, whose naval cap was found floating in the dock.  About one o’clock this morning his body was recovered from the dock by means of grappling irons.

Dundee Evening Telegraph 14th August 1918

———————————————————————————————————————————-

John Brown was the son of Mr James and Mrs Jean Brown of Ferry House, Grimness, South Ronaldsay in the Orkney Islands. He was the husband of Margaret J Brown who lived in Front Road, St Margaret’s Hope, South Ronaldsay. Aged 38, he joined the Royal Naval Reserve in January 1918 after being employed as a ferry seaman in Orkney. He drowned on 13 August 1918 whilst returning to his ship in Dundee Harbour and was buried in the Dundee Eastern Necropolis on 19 August 1918. His name is recorded in the Dundee Seamen’s Roll of Honour because Dundee is his last resting place and in the hope that Dundee men and women buried elsewhere will be similarly recognized.