John Murray McDougall

Able Seaman

The Collingwood Battalion

Royal Naval Division

John Murray McDougall was born 2 Apr 1894 in Glasgow, the son of George Graeme McDougall and Martha Orr Campbell Murray, my 2 x great grandparents, who were married 24 Nov 1882 in Dalrymple, Ayrshire. The family moved to Glasgow shortly after their marriage. John was the second youngest of five children, he was just 2 years old when his mother, Martha died shortly after the birth of his younger brother in 1896.

Collingwood Battalion on Parade  Gallipolli

John joined the Collingwood Battalion of the Royal Naval Division as an Able Seaman.

The Royal Naval Division landed at Cape Helles at the end of May 1915 and prepared for what is now known as the Third Battle of Krithia. Amongst their ranks were the sailors of the Collingwood Battalion.

On 4 June, the seven hundred strong Collingwood Battalion took part in the second phase of the attack. The Royal Naval Division advanced and captured the enemy front line but suffered heavy casualties. The Collingwood Battalion took over and seized the Turkish second lines four hundred yards further on. However, the neighbouring French troops were driven back by a counter-attack, leaving the Battalion's right flank exposed. Flanking fire caused devastating casualties amongst the Collingwoods, with over five hundred men killed or wounded, including 21 year old, John Murray McDougall.

ADM 242: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War

 The Battalion withdrew but their casualties were so heavy that the Battalion disbanded with the survivors being attached to other Battalions as reinforcements.

Helles Memorial, Gallipoli

John is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, a Commonwealth War Graves Commission war memorial on the Gallipoli peninsula overlooking the Dardanelles.

This is a battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and a place of commemoration for Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave.

The memorial bears more than 21,000 names.