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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
AITCHISON, David - The funeral took place at Northwich Cemetery on Monday, of Mr. David Aitchison, aged 74, of 27, David Street, Northwich. The Rev. W. L. Slater Officiatied at Castle Church and graveside.
Mr. Aitchison was a retired, self-employed sheet metal worker. He leaves a widow, one son and one daughter.
At the age of 16, Mr. Aitchison walked to Warrington to join the Royal Navy and the same year sailed for San Franciso aboard the 1,500 ton sloop, H.M.S. Sheerwater, as the youngest member of the crew of 105. At San Francisco he deserted his ship and wandered round California earning his living as a prize-fighter. Later, while working with the Canadian Pacific Railway, he met the acrtess Ellen Terry and Theodore Roosevelt.
In April, 1906, he say the famous San Francisco earthquake, and for several months helped in clearing the wreckage. Later he sailed to Australia and earned his living as a "A beer singer" and saw many famous fights. In 1909 he returned to San Francisco and five years later, at the outbreak of World War I, joined the 2nd Division Western Scots.
He saw action at Vimy Ridge and was discharged in England in 1919. He returned to Northwich where he founded the sheet metal firm of Smith and Aitchision.
Chief mourners were Mrs. J. Aitchison (widow), Mr. and Mrs. J. Aitchison (son and daughter-in-law), Mrs. B. Smith (sister-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. Maddock, and Mr. N. N. Aitchison (nephews and niece), Mr. F. Goodier (cousin), Mr. W. Kirkham, Mesdames J. Didsbury, Bell, Gerrard and J. Hitchen. (click here to view the obituary as published)
Ships served in: Enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman 2nd Class HMS NORTHAMPTON - Drafted to NORTHAMPTON 08 Jul 1902 HMS CLEOPATRA - Drafted to CLEOPATRA 26 Sep 1902 * Rated Boy Seaman 1st Class, Royal Navy HMS VICTORY - Drafted to VICTORY 21 Dec 1902 HMS AMPHION - Drafted to AMPHION 07 Mar 1903 HMS GRAFTON - Drafted to GRAFTON 15 Apr 1903 Enlisted in the Royal Navy 05 Jul 1903 for a period of 12 years as an Ordinary Seaman, while drafted to HMS GRIFFON * Run (deserted) 31 Dec 1903 * note: David's service file does not show him as drafted to HMS SHEARWATER
(left) David Aitchison onboard an unknown warship (right) David Aitchison in the uniform of the 2nd Division West Scots Courtesy of Elizabeth Kidd
(left) HMS NORTHAMPTON (right) HMS CLEOPATRA saluting the Brazilian fort at Rio de Janeiro
(left) HMS AMPHION, part of the British Pacific Squadron, at Esquimalt, BC - 1900 // Credit: City of Vancouver Archives (right) HMS GRAFTON, part of the British Pacific Squadron // Imperial War Museum photo
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