More about Alexander Wishart

For reasons unknown this man is not listed on the original Dundee Roll of Honour, but is remembered in the Arbroath Roll of Honour.

Alexander Wishart was son of Mr Stephen Wishart and was the husband of Mrs Elizabeth Wishart (nee Nairn) of 1 Dalhousie Terrace, Perth Road, Dundee and was born in Arbroath. In 1915 he served as the First Engineer of the Newcastle registered Talavera, a steam cargo ship. On 5 June 1917, the London registered steam cargo ship Taplow, built in 1904, left Huelva in Southern Spain for Port Talbot in Wales with a cargo of copper and went missing, presumed torpedoed. Alexander Wishart is named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and also is named in the Arbroath RoH. On June 5th, 1917, the British steel cargo ship TAPLOW, built in 1904 by Ropner & Sons Ltd. and owned at the time of her loss by Watts, Watts & Co. Ltd., left Huelva for Port Talbot with a cargo of copper and went missing, presumed torpedoed.

Alexander Wishart   Chief Engineer   S.S. Taplow

The sad information was received in Arbroath on 10th August from the Ministry of Shipping, Transport Department, that Mr Alexander Wishart had been lost at sea, and his death has now been officially announced.  Deceased was the eldest son of the late Mr Stephen Wishart ship carpenter, Arbroath, and served his apprenticeship with Messrs Corsar Bros., Applegate.  After a long experience of sea-faring life, he has shared the fate of many who have done their duty in the Merchant Marine.  Since the war began, he sailed as chief engineer of the S.S. Taplow R.N. Transport, of London.  The “Taplow” sailed from Huelva for Port Talbot with copper-bar last May, and since then there has been no trace of her.  They have now been posted missing since 5th June, and the Government certified last week that they had given up all hope.  Mr Wishart was highly esteemed by all who knew him.

Arbroath Herald 26th October 1917