Remembering Today - 20 January

On this day in the First World War, these four men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Seaman EVANDER MACDONALD
Son of Angus and Catherine Ferguson McDonald, of Back, Stornoway; husband of Catherine McLennan McDonald, of 15, Coll, Back, Stornoway, Ross-shire.
Last address in Lewis: 15 Coll
Service, unit: Mercantile Marine, SS Bulgarian
Service number: 2797/C
Date of death: 20 January 1917 at the age of 40
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial / cemetery: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 26
Served in the South African War.

Seaman MURDO MACLEOD
Son of John Macleod, of 18, Lower Shader, Barvas, Stornoway.
Last address in Lewis: 18 Lower Shader
Service, unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Victory
Service number: 4444/A
Date of death: 20 January 1919 at the age of 28
Was invalided home and died there
Memorial / cemetery: Barvas Cemetery
Local memorial: North Lewis, Borve

Leading Seaman ALEX MORRISON
Son of Norman and Annie Morrison, of Stornoway, Ross-shire.
Last address in Lewis: 19 South Dell
Service, unit: Royal Naval Reserve, SS Bulgarian
Service number: 3763/A
Date of death: 20 January 1917 at the age of 29
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial / cemetery: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 26
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross
Survived sinking of HMS Fisguard

Seaman ANGUS MORRISON
Son of Norman and Annie Morrison, of Port of Ness, Stornoway; husband of Cathrine Morrison, of 32, Habost, Port of Ness, Stornoway.
Last address in Lewis: 19 South Dell
Service, unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Louvain
Service number: 2782/B
Date of death: 20 January 1918 at the age of 35
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial / cemetery: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 30
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

This is the posting for 20 January, although today is January 21st

The final Bushism

When Barack Obama entered the Oval Office at 8.35 am this morning, he observed a minute's silence. He then opened the note, left by his predecessor George W. Bush, marked: "For number 44, from number 34".

Source: NOS.nl,
translated by myself.

EDIT: BBC.co.uk reports that the note was actually marked "For number 44, from number 43". Sounds like the NOS tripped up badly here.

Out of date

Was browsing the web, when I came across a website, claiming to be for the ferry service between Rosyth (near Edinburgh) and Zeebrugge (Belgium). This link was discontinued last autumn, but could be resumed later this year. Visiting the superscotland.com site, I came across a competition. No, I did not make an entry.

All entries must be received no later than April 30th 2003

Think someone has abandoned their site and never looked at it again.

21 January

Reaasonable day, with brightness and some showers around. Temperature stands at a meagre 5C / 41F. I gather that the severe cold in the eastern USA has abated somewhat. Tropical cyclone Fanele has made landfall in Madagascar this morning; I am awaiting reports of its impact. The last bulletin from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center on this system (before it came ashore) suggested that maximum sustained winds around Fanele's centre would peak at 115 mph.

Any GPs out there interested in a job in Applecross? This tiny community, facing the Isle of Skye on the Scottish mainland, is short of a family doctor, and is pulling out the stops to attract applicants. Read more here.