Donald M'Kinven died aboard a fire float at Greenock on the7th May 1941.
MARINE CREW’S ORDEAL
AFS Man Killed on Fire Float
A dramatic story of how an AFS patrol leader met his death during a raid on a
Clydeside town was disclosed today.
The officer, Donald M’Kinven, aged 54, was attached to the marine section of the
Brigade. When the blitz started, the fire float crew, headed by their skipper,
made for their craft to tackle a waterside blaze from a dock.
“Bombs were falling and fires were blazing all round as we made our way to the
craft,” said the skipper. “Our progress was hampered by debris across our path.
We stopped on one occasion to pick up two children lying in the street. We
attended to them until ARP workers arrived to take them into a shelter. As the
crew ran down and boarded the float they were machine gunned. Just as we got on
board, we heard the whistle of a bomb which was coming straight towards us. We
all lay flat on deck. There was a tremendous explosion nearby, and debris thrown
into the air crashed onto the deck.
M’Kinven’s steel helmet had been knocked forward as he threw himself on his
face. He was apparently killed by a piece of debris which struck the back of his
head.
Many AFS men have been bombed out of their homes. Beds have been fitted up for
them in the central fire station and sub-stations, and they are eating and
sleeping there.
The AFS experienced many ordeals in carrying out their duties during the blitz.
It is interesting to note that soon after the raid applications for enrolment
began to flow into the Firemaster from part time volunteers.
(Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Tuesday, May 13, 1941. Page 3.)
Death
M’KINVEN – In May 1941, from enemy action, Donald M’Kinven, A.F.S., beloved
husband of Lillias Sharp Wilson, of 59 Regent Street, Greenock. Funeral private.
(Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Monday, May 12, 1941. Page ?.)