More about John Duncan Beaton

H.M.S. Amethyst took part in the covering operation for the minesweeping effort in the Dardanelles and during the action on 1 March and 4 March 1915 she exchanged fire with Turkish forts. On the evening of 4 March she took on board injured personnel of the landing party and discharged them the next day into Soudan and SS Braemar Castle. During the hours of darkness between 6 and 11 March she took part in operations in the Dardanelles against mines, and was frequently in action against field artillery, forts and searchlights. On 14 March at 04:10 she was hit by field artillery and lost 22 men killed. A further 38 men were wounded, of whom 4 later died.

This man is remembered on the Monifieth War Memorial.

John Duncan Beaton   1562EA   Royal Navy  

MONIFIETH MAN IS KILLED

ON AMETHYST AT THE DARDANELLES.

A Monifieth man has been killed on H.M.S. Amethyst, which has been doing daring deeds in the bombardment of the Dardanelles.  John Duncan Beaton (33), a son of the late Mr Andrew Beaton, tailor, Monifieth, came home from America on the outbreak of war and joined the navy, and he has now given his life for his country.

After serving his apprenticeship as an engineer in the Old Mill, Monifieth, Beaton went to America, where he was employed by the Empress Line.

He was posted to the Amethyst as an engine room artificer at Christmas, and has seen considerable service during the fighting in the Dardanelles.

On Saturday is sister, who resides in Monifieth, received a letter from her brother, in which he said he was getting quite accustomed to the noise of the big guns, and was liking his work all right.  He hoped to be in Monifieth in the summer.

Dundee Courier 19th March 1915

Information has reached Monifieth of the death in action on board H.M.S. Amethyst, in the bombardment of the Dardanelles, of Engine-Room Artificer John Duncan Beaton, a son of the late Mr Andrew Beaton, tailor and clothier, Monifieth.  The deceased artificer was mobilised with the Royal Naval Reserve, and was drafted on board the Amethyst, which was attached to the Grand Fleet before proceeding to the Dardanelles.  The Amethyst, it will be recollected, was the vessel which made the daring dash through the Narrows of the Straits recently, and escaped with only a few killed and wounded.  It is not known, however, whether or not Beaton met his death on that occasion.                          (Beaton was killed in action on 14th March 1915.)

Broughty Ferry Guide 26th March 1915

John Duncan was the son of Mr Andrew and Mrs Susan Mackenzie Beaton of Galloway Place, Monifieth and the brother of Miss Isabella Beaton, 19 Tay Street, Monifieth. Former employee of the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company serving on the “Empress of India.”. He joined the Royal Naval Reserve at the Customs House in Dundee on 30 November 1914, aged 36 and was drafted to HMS Amethyst, a light cruiser. On 14 March 1915 the Amethyst was providing cover for minesweeping trawlers attempting to clear mines from the Dardanelles so that battleships could close in and destroy the Turkish Forts and Batteries. John Beaton’s ship was hit by several Turkish shells which killed him and 21 other crewmen and injured many more. After the action the Amethyst anchored in Mudros Bay on the island of Lemnos and the dead were taken onboard the destroyer HMS Ribble. They were taken out to sea for burial North West of Ponente Point. His sister, as Mrs Isabella MacTavish, emigrated to Canada and was the recipient of her brother’s War Grant and his share of the Naval Prize Fund. John Beaton is named on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Southsea Common in Hampshire.

Iain Stewart