Biographical Notes
Alexander Donald Grant, Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist (P/JX 125371) was born in Tain, Ross-shire on September 18th 1909. He was the son of Robert and Elspeth (Elsie) Grant, and husband of Mary Grant, née Barrett, whom he married in 1939, and with whom he had a son, whom he saw only briefly twice.
His service in the Royal Navy dates from November 19th, 1925, and it is thought that he joined Dunedin in mid-1939. He held the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
CPO Grant was mentioned in the Watson Report: Captain R. S. Lovatt, who was on the bridge when the ship was hit, immediately descended to the flag deck to originate a distress message. Chief Yeoman Lavington, who survives had tried in vain to ring up the main W/T office from the S. D. O. About a couple of minutes later, C. P. O. Tel Grant arrived at the R. C. O, from, it is believed, the main W/T office, and was at once ordered to make a distress signal from the R. C. O. on the emergency set. C. P. O. Grant, who died later on a raft, said on the day after the sinking that he had sent the message 6 or 7 times. His manner, however, showed no confidence that the signals had got through.