More about John Sydney Machan

John is beleived to be the brother of Lt George Machan, 52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

John S Machan was born in Broughty Ferry and was the son of Mr William Nicoll Machan and Mrs Jeannette Girdwood Machan of 34 Pine Avenue Apartments, 276 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada. He joined the Royal Navy as an Engineer Officer after studying in the RN Engineering College in Plymouth for five years. During his pre war service he served in HMS Ships Magnificent, Agamemnon and Glasgow. He was appointed to HMS Glasgow in 1910 and was mentioned for his report after visiting the main Argentine Naval Base in 1913. After the Falkland Island battle in 1914 he was mentioned in Admiral Sturdee report for his work in maintaining the speed of HMS Glasgow. In 1915, he was appointed to shore establishments including service with the Royal Naval Air Service. In September 1916 he was appointed additional to HMS Endymion, a depot ship in the Aegean. From here he was appointed to the destroyer HMS Warwick. In August 1917, he became ill with a Pulmonary Abscess and was admitted to the 4th Canadian hospital at Salonika. Later, he was transferred in a critical condition to the Hospital Ship Queen Margaret of Scotland for passage to Britain. During the passage John Machan died from Septic Pneumonia and was buried at sea on 27 October 1917. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe in Devon.