Donald Matheson

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Biography

Donald was born in 1899. He was a merchant marine during World War I and a sailor on the SS California when it was torpedoed by a German U-boat on February 7, 1917. He also served on a minesweeper during the war. He often told of how each of the British ships had a Gaelic speaking Scot on board so that they could communicate in Gaelic over the airwaves without the German's knowing what was being communicated.

Donald was employed by Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn where he worked for 43 in the maintenance department. He retired from the Hospital never having taken a sick day.

Donald was a bagpiper and played with several pipe bands. Most notably the Clann Erinann Pipe Band located in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. He enjoyed bowling and played on several teams.

Donald saw a doctor in the late 1970s about a back injury. The doctor inquired about the last time he had seen a doctor. He told the doctor that he hadn't seen a doctor since his retirement several years prior. The doctor told Donald that a man of his age should have a physical examination annually. Upon further questioning, it was found that Donald had seen the doctor at his retirement party and his last physical examination had been when he entered the Royal Navy.

He passed away in 1984.

Sources

Personal observations Jim Matheson

• He was my maternal grandfather