Captain Douglas Reid Kinnier D.S.C. R.N.R.

[Richard]

A quick search of the 3T's shows that this man's name has been briefly mentioned but his story untold.

Captain Douglas Reid Kinnier was born in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, on the 20th October 1858.
He was the son of Robert Snodgrass Kinnier (surgeon) and Agnes Corse Stirling, daughter of the Glasgow
manufacturer William Stirling and niece of Hugh Auchincloss, the New York merchant.
Kinnier grew up in Saltcoats before deciding to go to sea in 1874, against his fathers wishes.
On the 20th March 1889 Captain D.R.Kinnier married Minnie Agnes Martin.
They went on to have 5 children together, they were:
Major Douglas Reid Kinnier T.D.
Hugh Stirling Kinnier.
Anna Joseph Kinnier.
Gertrude Kinnier.
Captain Keith Robert Martin Kinnier O.B.E.
On the 18th September 1914, whilst travelling southward along the Chilean coast from Valparaiso to
Montevideo , The Ortega was carrying 300 French troops, confidential mail from the Admirality and a
cargo valued at well over £115,000.
She was approximately 50 miles from the entrance to the Straits of Magellan, which she needed to pass,
when she spotted the German battle cruiser, The Dresden, bearing down on her.
The Ortega was only capable of a top speed of 14 knots. The Dresden was able to top 20 knots.
Captain Kinnier immediately ordered a change of course towards Cape George.
The Dresden's crew soon had her up to top speed as she gave chase and in no time at all the Dresden
was breathing down the neck of the Ortega. The Dresden fired a warning shot as a signal for the Ortega to stop.
Captain Kinnier ignored the warning and continued his course as fast as they could. The Dresden opened fire on
the Ortega with each shot missing her.
Kinnier then successfully guided his ship through the shallow and uncharted channels of Nelson's Strait before
reaching water too shallow for the Dresden to follow. He then ordered 2 lifeboats into the water and sent them
ahead of the ship to take depth soundings as he slowly guided his ship closely behind them.
He eventually worked his way through 100 miles of narrow and dangerous channel to emerge into the
Straits of Magellan. He then navigated the Ortega into Smyth's Channel and then Rio de Janeiro without
as much as a scratch on her.
In honour of his achievements:
He received the Distinguished Service Cross & an honorary Lieutenancy in the Royal Naval Reserve.
The French government presented him with a gold chronometer.
The Admirality gave him a silver plate in commemoration of his WW1 services.
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool used the funds from a public subscription to present him with a silk Union flag.
A flag which the Kinnier family gave to Saltcoats Burgh Council in May 1931.
Captain Douglas Reid Kinnier died on Christmas eve 1916 due to a surgical procedure to repair an ulcer.
He was buried at Bebington Cemetery, Cheshire, England on the 30th December 1916.
Supplement To The London Gazette: 1st January 1915:
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/ ... 7/page.pdf
Distinguished Service Cross:
http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBri ... szzDSC.htm
The Ortega:
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1228251133
The SMS Dresden:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Dresden_(1907)

Captain D.R.Kinnier's youngest child, Keith, went on to become a very able mariner in his own right.
When, on the 31st December 1943, he helped save his ship, The Tornus, from the clutches of a Japanese
submarine attack, despite taking a direct hit.

Captain Douglas Reid Kinnier was also the uncle of the well known Saltcoats Medical Practitioner and
Aboriginal Rights Campaigner, Charles Duguid:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/duguid-charles-12440

[meekan]

Richard
I wonder if Kinnier Road in Saltcoats was named after him?

[Richard]

Meekan,
I think it is a very strong possibility.
The discussion on this thread (last comment by Harcourt) reveals that the council built 4 new roads in Saltcoats
in 1931, and one of them was Kinnier Road.
http://www.threetowners.net/forum/viewt ... oad#p97648
Add that to the fact that it was 1931 when the Kinnier family gave the council Douglas' flag and you have a very
strong possibility. I couldn't say for sure. PT also has a strong theory, but my gut tells me it's named after the
Captain. Even though there are 2 or 3 Kinnier's to choose from, my money is on the Captain.
Harcourt also seems to think it's named after the Captain, (Douglas).
There is another possibility, Kinnier Road could be named after the Kinnier family and not any one individual ?

[Harcourt]

Dear all

Kinnier Rd was definitely named after Douglas - I have the letter from Saltcoats Burgh Council to my great grandmother (Douglas' widow) asking for her consent to the proposed name. Hope this helps!

Andrew (Douglas' great grandson)

[morag]

sigh... I just love this website..thank you Hughie..

[Richard]

Thank you very much for that confirmation, Andrew.
Another piece of local/International history signed, sealed, delivered & verified on the 3T's.
You must be a very proud person, coming from such a distinguished local family.
Thank you once again.

[morag]

I'd suspect he's rather not..we 3tooners tend not to pride but rather humble.

[Richard]

Morag,
There's not a "3tooner" who is not proud of their own family, or at very least certain aspects of it.
There are different forms of pride and It is also very possible to be both proud & humble.

[westendcafe]

I knew the name, but nothing about the man behind it. What a wonderful account of what he did.

John

[Litchy]

Hi Guys.
I have just found a lovely large wooden box that looks very old & stencilled on it is Major D Reid-Kinner ?7 Leyburn Road Wallasey Cheshire. I have done some research which brings me here.
I think we have the same man & what a man he was, I will post some photos very soon but in the mean time if anybody can put me in contact with a descendent or relevant party which would be interested in this box please contact me.
Regards Ian

[Harcourt]

Dear Ian,

Major Douglas Reid Kinnier was my great uncle (whose box it must have been) and Captain Douglas Reid Kinnier DSC was my gt-grandfather. It would be great to see photos of the box.

I’ve attached a photo of Douglas junior.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Kinnier

[Penny Tray]

ARDROSSAN & SALTCOATS HERALD
5 MARCH 1915

PRESENTATION FROM FRENCH GOVERNMENT

Additional recognition of the gallant action of Captain Douglas R Kinnier, commander of the Ortega, was made last week, when Captain Kinnier was entertained in the Council Chambers of the Liverpool Town Hall, and presented with two handsome gifts.

The Lord Mayor presided over a distinguished company, and on behalf of the President of the French Republic presented Captain Kinnier with a handsome gold watch, and also a cheque for £100 from Sir Norman Hill, on behalf of the Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association.

Captain Kinnier, in replying, said a sailor could not be expected to be a public speaker. Their motto must be deeds, and not words. As for himself, it was sufficient satisfaction that a noble ship was saved, and that as a result 100 British and 300 French were now fighting for the Allies.

He could not let the opportunity pass of publicly testifying to the splendid services of his officers, engineers, and crew. Every man worked like a Britisher, and he was proud of them. He took the presentation as a compliment to them just as much as it was to himself.

He begged to say how deeply he appreciated the thanks of the French Government - which would be treasured in the records of his family - for their present of that gold watch, which he took as a kindly hint always to take time by the forelock.

He wished to thank the Lord Mayor for his kind and encouraging speech, and to say that, apart form those presentations, they had sufficient satisfaction in feeling that they had been of some service to their country. (Loud applause)

He also wished to thank Sir Norman Hill and the Committee of the Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association for their cheque"