| Donald McDiarmid
Chief Petty Officer
Donald Mcdiarmid died on 2 December 1932 aged 81 years. He joined the Victorian Navy and served as Chief Petty Officer in the Cerberus and Nelson. He was welter-weight champion of the Victorian Navy, and at one time toured Australia with the famous old-time boxer Harry Sellars. He survived the wreck of the barque Bulwark and with several shipmates was adrift for 9 days in a small boat before being picked up. The men existed by chewing the uppers of their leather sea boots.
excerpt from Deeds not Words, Wilson P. Evans,The Hawthorn Press, Melbourne 1971
Watchman/Caretaker on the Cerberus when Arthur William Brown was shot after sailing towards Cerberus at 1.00 am on the 24th of October 1914.
Adelaide Advertiser, 22 September 1915.
WATCHMAN MISSING.
Donald McDiarmid, formerly watchman on H.M.A.S. Cerberus, has been missing since 17th instant, when he left home with the intention of fishing at the piers. He is 64 years of age and it is feared he has been drowned.
Williamstown Advertiser, 27 March 1915
Died 2 December 1932. Aged 81, was born in Scotland and came to Victoria 56 years ago. The Argus, 3 December 1932.
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5' 11¼" |
40" |
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Dark |
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both arms |
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From Volunteer Listing kept by CPO Goding & held by grandson Lawrence Dilks, Williamstown. Compared with China Contingent List. Prepared by Ada Ackerly, Directory Williamstown Museum, c 1987.
MR. DONALD McDIARMID
The death occurred on December 2 of Mr. Donald McDiarmid at 19 Walter Street, Footscray, after a lengthy illness. The deceased was born at Skye 81 years ago, and came to Victoria at the age of 25 years. He formally lived in Cecil Street, and was well known in our city. The late Mr. McDiarmid joined the old Victorian Navy and served as chief petty officer on H.M.V.S. Cerberus and H.M.V.S. Nelson, and he served in the China War with the Australian Naval Contingent. One of his proud possessions was a large letter of thanks, under seal of the British municipality of Tientsin, north China, for his services from September 1900, to March 1901. One of his early experiences was to be wrecked in the old barque Bulwark in the early eighties, when the deceased, with two or three mates, were adrift for nine days in a small boat before being picked up, after they had existed by chewing the uppers of their sea boots. he was formally a champion heavy weight boxer of his time. The late Mr. McDiarmid was a fine player of the bagpipes and was prominent member of the Yarraville Thistle Society and a life member of the Footscray Thistle Society. He presented his China Sword to the Yarraville Thistle Society and his naval sword to the Footscray Society. A widow is left to mourn her loss. His funeral took place on Saturday afternoon and was largely attended, the remains being interred in the Footscray Cemetery, in the presence of a large muster of his old colleagues of the China Contingent. The casket bearers at the house were the following relatives:‑ Messers. R. Court and D. Swinton (sons ‑ in ‑ law) and W. and F. Blyth (nephews), whilst the casket was borne to the grave by old comrades of the China Contingent. The Australian flag which draped the casket was used as a pall, and was supported by the following old friends:‑ Lieuts. Young and O'Neil and Messrs. T. Francombe, ‑ Elso, A. Currer, S. Harris, D. Grant, W. Lang, ‑ Hinningson, H.C. Stafford, J. Stokes, E.S. Stapleton and others. T. Whitford, of the Navy, sounded "The Last Post," whilst the Rev. W.J. Harris (Presbyterian) was the officiating clergyman at the house and graveside. Nelson Bros. had charge of the Funeral arrangements.
The Argus, 17 December 1932
More details on this person can be found in the Victorian Navy Certificates of Service This is a very large pdf file of 109 mb and takes 13 minutes to download with a 1.5 mbps internet connection. |
