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DD1 3BP - Victoria Dock

David Milne enrolled on the 19th of October 1914 in Dundee with the Royal Naval Division who mustered on HMS Unicorn. This was a new Division set up by Winston Churchill at beginning of the war, initially made up of Naval Reservists who were additional to the needs of the fleet.

HMS Unicorn was the base for the Dundee Company of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and despite its members having volunteered and trained for service at sea; the RNVR was mobilised and Dundee鈥檚 150 reservists along with 7 officers were sent to Belgium where they became embroiled in the defence of Antwerp. The Unicorn itself remained in the dock and was the headquarters for the Senior Naval Officer, Dundee.

The Royal Naval Division subsequently fought at Gallipoli before being transferred to the British Army as the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division in 1916 just before they were transferred to the Western Front. David Milne suffered a number of injuries during the war which included being shot in the head which he miraculously survived. However, it was an painful eye condition known as trachoma, caused by the filthy conditions in the trenches that resulted in him being repatriated back home to Dundee after almost 4 years without leave.

Mark Stephen was talking to David Milne about his grandfather and Naval Historian, Andrew Jeffrey

Image: Courtesy of H.M Frigate Unicorn

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