Description
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal, EDVII, 186623 James Buchanan, Chief Sailmaker, Royal Navy.
Officially impressed: “186623 James Buchanan, Sailmaker, H.M.S. Pembroke”
Medal awarded to him on 3rd December 1910 whilst stationed at HMS Pembroke I as a Sail Maker.
Chief Sailmaker James Buchanan was born on 30th June 1873 in Goven, City of Glasgow, Scotland.
Son of Thomas (1848-1929) and Agnes Bennie (1851-1907), he grew up on Langlands Road in Glasgow, where his father worked as a Joiner.
Even though he was only 22 years old at the time he was already working as a “Sailmaker” and saw direct entry into the Royal Navy under this rating on 14th November 1895.
The rating of Sailmaker was a Petty Officer equivalent ranking, typically it would take many years of working up through the Sailmaker’s Crew and Mate ratings to achieve this, but young James somehow instantly took on this role.
He would flourish and his character ratings did not slip up one single time over a career spanning almost 24 years, consistently being rated as “VG” Very Good every year.
Having spent about 22 years as Sailmaker, he rose up to become Chief Sailmaker on 1st May 1917 whilst stationed in Bermuda.
James was by all accounts a stellar Sail maker with an unblemished record, his very last rating was once again the “Very Good” rating, but notes: “Invalided Insanity”
However a note from late 1919 reads that he was suddenly “Transferred from Chatham Hospital to the Asylum at Hawkhead on 18th August 1919 as a Dangerous Lunatic.”
It is unclear what became of him following this.
The Govan District Asylum at Hawkhead:
https://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSG00005
WW1 Services:
HMS Suffolk, 1st Jue 1914 – 4th April 1915, Sail Maker
HMS Leviathan, 5th April 1915 – 31st January 1918, stationed at Bermuda.
During this time “Bermuda Base” from 1st May 1917 – 31st January 1918 as Chief Sailmaker.
HMS Caesar, 1st Feb 1918 – 11th Feb 1918
HMS Highflyer, 12th Feb 1918 – 24th May 1918
HMS Caesar, 25th May 1918 – 30th June 1918
HMS
HMS Malabar, 9th Feb 1919 – 7th April 1919
HMS Pembroke I, 8th April 1919 – 11th August 1919
He was invalided out the service as Chief Sailmaker on 11th August 1919.
