James Calder, Portsoy war casualty

Today we remember Portsoy native James Alexander Bruce Calder, whose parents George and Jessie Ann Calder had left Scotland and settled at 106 Summerhill Avenue, Toronto, Ontario.  James served as Pte 766781 in the 123rd Canadian Pioneers and was 24 years of age when he fell in action.

James was buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery in Belgium, where a gravestone marks his final resting place.

In memory of Donald McBain

On this day we remember Portsoy native Donald McBain, son of James McBain and Susan Reach, whose home was in Schoolhendry Street.  Donald was serving in the Royal Naval Reserve as mate on board SS Ballogie when it was torpedoed off the Yorkshire coast on 9th November 1917.  He was aged 61 when he lost his life and left behind a widow, Williamina McBain, who lived at 175 Crown Street in Aberdeen.

The Tower Hill memorial in London bears a dedication to Donald, as well as to over 36,000 other men of the Merchant Navy who were lost at sea.