More about William Keltie

Although William was not born in Dundee he moved to Dundee at some point and he has family still living here. He was a Rubber Worker before enlisting in the Royal Navy as a stoker at Portsmouth 02.07.1900, which was his 18th birthday. He served for 12 years in various surface vessels until 1st July 1912, when he was transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve.

At the outbreak of war he most likely would have been recalled to the Navy and his service record shows that he served from 12.08.1914 until he would have been demobbed on 1st July 1919. During his time serving during the Great War he again served on a variety of vessels, most notably H.M. Submarine E-11 which was an E- Class submarine, launched 23.04.1914. E-11 was one of the most successful Subs in action during the 1915 naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign, sinking over 80 vessels of all sizes in three tours of the Sea of Marmara.

At some point during his war service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal which until 1993, was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Navy and members of the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, up to and including the rank of Chief Petty Officer, for bravery and resourcefulness on active service at sea.