David Craig McCormick was born in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, on the 7th December 1894, the son of Peter and Mary McCormick (née Craig). His father was a coachman, and David was the eldest of five known children in the family.
On completing his education, he trained as a telegraphist with the Marconi Telegraph Company, and once qualified, he served on land and sea, depending on his assignments. He lived at 23, Lyndhurst Gardens, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
He engaged as Assistant Telegraphist in the Deck Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool, on the morning of the 17th April 1915 just before the liner left Liverpool landing stage for the last time, to replace Telegraphist W.C. Ryan, who had failed to join. His previous ship had been the S.S. Warwickshire.
He survived the sinking three weeks later.
Second cabin passenger survivor Ernest S. Cowper, writing a year afterwards about the part played in the disaster by Bosun John Davies, in The New York Times Magazine, stated :-
He worked the forward falls on the lifeboats which got away from the starboard side, and smoked as he did it. He was assisted by two boyish-looking well groomed wireless operators, who, catching John Davies’ spirit perhaps, pulled out their cigarettes and smoked as they worked the after falls with him. They were drowned.
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McCormick, who was aged 20 years at the time and Robert Leith, who was hardly “boyish-looking” at 30 years of age. Cowper was also wrong about their respective fates, as both survived.
On his eventual return to Liverpool, David McCormick was officially discharged from his service on the Lusitania and paid the balance of wages owing to him.
Some time later, David McCormack moved to London where he lodged at 23. Clarendon Gardens, Paddington, London. On the 12th September 1922, he married his landlady, Miss Louisa Black, and their only child, a son named Peter, was born in 1923.
David McCormick continued to work as a telegraphist for many years before retiring to the little hamlet of Square and Compass, Pembrokeshire, Wales, where he died on the 21st April 1966, aged 71. His wife, Louisa, died there in 1968, aged 72 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, London England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1938, 1901 Census of Scotland, 1911 Census of Scotland, 1921 Census of England, 1939 Register, Liverpool England Crew Lists 1861 – 1919, Cunard Records, Dundee People’s Journal, New York Times Magazine, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 351/1/91516, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 30th November 2024.