More about Thomas Strachan

Thomas Strachan was the son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Strachan of 39 Lochee Road, Dundee and worked as a Boilermaker. In September 1914 he was one of the first local men to volunteer 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 November he was drafted to the Drake Battalion and trained with them before the Battalion moved to Blandford Camp in Dorset, probably in December 1914 or January 1915. He was advanced to Able Seaman on 1st March when the Battalion was sent to the Middle East to prepare for an assault on the Dardanelles. He arrived in Mudros Harbour on the Greek island of Lemnos and would have spent time ashore training. When the Naval attempt failed to break through the Dardanelles a landing was planned for April. The Drake Battalion landed on Gallipoli in April and took part in the Second and Third Battles of Krithia in May and June. Casualties were high but Thomas Strachan seems to have remained unscathed until August when he suffered from dysentery and colitis and was evacuated to Gezirah Hospital in Cairo, Egypt to recover. At the end of September he returned to the Drake Battalion onboard the SS Clan MacGillivary. He died of wounds on 20 November and his next of kin was informed at the beginning of December. Thomas Strachan was buried at the Pink Farm Cemetery, Helles by the Reverent Cairns, a Dundee Minister. He was commemorated in the Peoples Journal in November 1918 by his dear friend, Violet Aird of 13 West Dock Street, Dundee.

Thomas Strachan   CZ/392 Drake Bn Royal Naval Division

DUNDEE MAN DIES FROM WOUNDS

RECEIVED IN ACTION AT DARDANELLES.

Deep regret will be expressed by a wide circle of friends in Dundee at the announcement of the death of Able Seaman Thomas Strachan, of the Royal Naval Division.

His father Mr Thomas Strachan, 39 Lochee Road, Dundee, has received the following letter from the Royal Naval Division Record Office:—“I deeply regret to inform you that a telegram from Alexandria has been received here announcing the death of your son on 20th November, from wounds received in action on Gallipoli Peninsula.”

A.B. Strachan was attached to the Drake Battalion of the 1st Brigade of the R.N.D., which he joined shortly after the R.N.D. was inaugurated.  He left for the Dardanelles in February.  He was 25 years of age, and was previously employed in Ward Foundry, Guthrie Street, as a boilermaker.

Dundee Courier 7th December 1915