More about Arthur McLeod

Arthur McLeod was the son of Mr John McLeod, a Blacksmith, 13 Glebe Street, Dundee, formerly Arbroath. In 1914 he was the Third Engineer of the Cardiff registered merchant ship Cardigan. Later that year he was the Third Engineer of the Cydonia, registered in North Shields. He commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve in September 1916 and was appointed to the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Otway. The Otway was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UC-49 off the Hebrides on 23 July 1917 with the loss of 10 lives but Arthur McLeod survived. His next ship was also an Armed Merchant Cruiser, HMS Champagne, formerly HMS Oropesa, which was transferred to service with the French Navy but retaining her Royal Navy crew. In October 1917 the Champagne was torpedoed by the German submarine U-96 a few miles from the Isle of Man. The ship lost power in the first torpedo strike and Arthur McLeod was probably killed in the explosion. Two further torpedoes hit and the ship broke in two. Over 50 crew were lost in the sinking but 305 survived. Arthur McLeod is commemorated on the Royal Navy Memorial on Plymouth Hoe in Devon and the Arbroath Roll of Honour. Article in Courier 18 October 1917, p3.