View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Friday 15 October 2010

Friday 15 October

Well, it would appear that summer is over and winter is rapidly approaching. Next week will see an icy blast approaching from the Arctic, and snow could fall over the mountains of mainland Scotland. The Cairngorms already had a dusting of snow last month; more to follow.

General Petreaus, in charge of NATO forces in Afghanistan, has updated the father of Linda Norgrove, killed in a failed rescue attempt a week ago, on the state of affairs regarding the investigation into her death. It would appear likely that someone made a bad mistake by tossing something into the compound where Linda had just run away from her captors - something that exploded, and killed Linda. Once the post-mortem on her body is complete, it will be taken to Lewis for interment at Ardroil Cemetery, a few miles from her home in the village of Mangersta.

View from Ardroil Cemetery

I am making efforts to clear up a very obscure riddle, related to the World War I casualties from Lewis. A transcription error, propagated through two versions of the local Roll of Honour, is leading me in the general direction of an illegitimate child - who, 20 years later, succumbed to tuberculosis whilst enrolled in the service of His Majesty's Armed Forces. I am awaiting confirmation, and will post when this is received.