Honorary Agent of Shipwrecked Mariners' Society

On February 16, Mr Edward McDonald, the Society’s Hon. Agent at St Mary’s, Scilly Islands, had the gratifying experience of being publicly presented with a silver teapot in recognition of his kind assistance to shipwrecked crews (mostly from torpedoed vessels), and the inscription, ran as follows:- “Presented to E McDonald, Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, by the officers and men of the Scilly Naval Base, for services rendered to survivors landed at Scilly, 1915-1918.”

The ceremony was performed by Lieut. Thompson, RNR, in the unavoidable absence of the officer commanding the Naval Base, and attention was called to the fact that, during the period referred to, more than 2,000 shipwrecked sailors had been cared for and forwarded by Mr McDonald to the mainland, usually via Penzance. Sometimes his house was crowded with sailors during the night, while he went around to find billets for them, being helped by Mrs McDonald, who often provided tea, coffee etc, to keep the men warm until they were provided with lodgings.