Remembering Today - 4 February

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

ANGUS MACDONALD

Last address in Lewis: Islivig,
Regiment or division: New Zealanders
Date of death: 4 February 1917
Died of wounds

Private MALCOLM MACDONALD
Last address in Lewis: 2, Stag Road, Stornoway
Son of John and Bella MacDonald, of Lower Bayble; husband of Isabella MacDonald, of 2, Stag Rd., Stornoway.
Regiment or division: "B" Coy. 4th Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: 3135
Date of death: 4 February 1919 at the age of 34
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: B. 45

Remembering Today - 3 February

On this day in 1915 (during the First World War), these eleven men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. They perished with the sinking of HMS Clan Macnaughton, which struck a mine northwest of Ireland. RIP.

DONALD FINLAYSON

Last address in Lewis: 19 Aird Tong,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS "Clan MacNaughton"
Service number: 2289A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 29
Drowned in sinking of ship Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Lewis Memorial: Back

Leading Seaman JOHN MACLEOD

Last address in Lewis: 25 Aird Tong,
Son of Mrs. P. MacLeod, of 25, Aird of Tong, Stornoway, and the late Peter MacLeod.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS "Clan MacNaughton"
Service number: 3092A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 23
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Lewis War Memorial: Stornoway, Back Division, plaque 7

Seaman DONALD CAMPBELL
Last address in Lewis: 7 Arnol,
Son of Norman Campbell; husband of Christina Campbell, of 26, North Bragar, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 4018B
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 40
Drowned in sinking of ship Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Local memorial: West Side, Bragar

Seaman DONALD MORRISON
Last address in Lewis: 41 Borve,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 2395D
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 46
Died in sinking of Clan MacNaughton
Left six orphans
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 14
Local memorial: North Lewis, Borve

Seaman KENNETH MACAULAY

Last address in Lewis: 3 Breasclete,
Son of George and Christina Macaulay, of 3, Breasclete, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 4971B
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 30
Drowned in sinking of ship Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Lewis Memorial: East Loch Roag, Callanish

Seaman DONALD FINLAYSON (jnr)
Last address in Lewis: 11 Brue,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 2289A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 22
Drowned in HMS Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 14

Seaman DUGALD KENNEDY
Last address in Lewis: 2 Calbost,
Son of Donald and Kate MacKay Kennedy, of 2, Calbost, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 5424A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 17
Drowned in sinking of the Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Local Memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Seaman NEIL MORRISON
Last address in Lewis: 9 Calbost,
Son of John and Marion Morrison
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 22
Drowned in sinking of the Clan MacNaughton
Was a survivor of the sinking of the Hermes
Local Memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Seaman DONALD CAMPBELL
Last address in Lewis: 26 North Bragar
Son of Norman Campbell; husband of Christina Campbell, of 26, North Bragar, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 4018B
Date of death: February, 3th, 1915 at the age of 40
Died in sinking of ship
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14

Seaman DONALD MARTIN

Last address in Lewis: Portvoller,
Son of William and Mrs. Martin, of Port Voller Point, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 6803/A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 21
Enlisted after outbreak of war and had just completed 3 months' service
Drowned in sinking of ship
Memorial: Chatham Naval, panel 14
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Seaman DONALD MURRAY
Last address in Lewis: 33 South Dell,
Son of Murdo and Catherine Murray, of South Dell, Ness; husband of Mary McDonald Murray, of 33, South Dell, Ness, Island of Lewis.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 3275C
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 37
Left widow and 5 children
Memorial: Chatham Naval
Memorial reference: 14
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

The epic journey - postscript

The Calmac website advises me that MV Clansman did not depart Ullapool as scheduled this afternoon at 5.35pm due to the weather conditions. Neither will it sail tomorrow, on any of its sailings. Seems I was very lucky in getting on the boat this morning, as it was the last sailing until Friday at the earliest.

The epic journey - part 3

Well, I made it. Forty-three hours late. At 1.45 pm this afternoon, MV Clansman docked at Stornoway, and I stepped ashore in Lewis. Originally, I was to have come back by plane at 6.50pm on Monday 2 February, but it did not quite work out that way. Instead of 12 hours, it took me 55 hours.

This morning, I left the Royal Highland Hotel beside Inverness's railway station and went to the bus station. The station building was dark and deserted, so I could not buy a ticket. The driver had to sell me one. He left 5 minutes early, and we reached Ullapool without any problems whatsoever. Dire warnings were out about snow, but there was only a thin wreath of white on the higher summits, and some slushy stuff by Loch Glascarnoch, the highest point on the A835 between Garve and Ullapool. Reached the latter place at 9.30 am. MV Clansman turned up just after 10, and headed back out to sea 45 minutes later. We had a very rough crossing, and I think a lot of crockery got broken, judging by the sounds from the gallery and the desperate running around from a member of staff. Not everybody enjoyed the trip, there were a few green faces around. The weather is pretty dismal, snow, sleet, rain, and barely +2C. That's 7 degrees down on the previous weekend's performance.

So, the epic journey is finally at an end.

The epic journey - part 2

Awoke at 6 am, and packed my bag, checking on the television whether the weather was suitable for travelling. It didn't look to bad, all things considered. The taxi turned up to return me to bonny Gatwick for half the fare that last night's cab had charged. The latter was an airport taxi, which generally fleeces the punters who don't know any better. Gatwick was slightly better organised than yesterday, and things were moving.

Not for me. Although the plane for Glasgow was leaving at 8.25, I was not booked onto it. I'm livid about that, because I had gone out of my way to rebook my flights. And it had not been done. Grrr. A kind BA employee booked me on a flight out of Heathrow at 2.05pm, which would have me back in Stornoway by 6.50pm. It required me to take a coach to Heathrow, and once on the motorway, there were problems. An accident on the M23 north of Gatwick, and one on the M25 near Reigate caused a delay, but nothing too serious.

Arrived into Heathrow's Terminal 5 at 9.30 am, in plenty of time for my flight. Terminal 5 was a nightmare. People were dossing down on the floor, queueing left right and centre, and it was a miracle that there wasn't a riot. Large numbers of cancelled flights, and after I had queued for 90 minutes, my flight was also cancelled. Before I was told that, the couple in front of me found that they had missed their plane, and they threw a wobbler at the poor girl in the check-in desk. It took nearly half an hour before they accepted that they had missed the plane.

I rang BA at 12, and they rebooked me to a flight at 4.35pm. I had a long wait ahead of me. Terminal 5 was finally getting its act together, and an area was allocated to people going on shorthaul, European or domestic flights. I was allowed in there by 2.35pm. Well, things began to look up from there. I was actually checked in, taken through security and lo and behold, at 4.35 I was on the plane. Which was not going anywhere for another hour, because the luggage was late and the truck that was going to push the plane away from the stand decided to malfunction. Take-off by 5.45, and we witnessed a nice dusk.

Glasgow was reached an hour later, and by 7pm I found myself on the bus into the city. With some fastfood in hand, I managed to get on the 7.41 train to Perth, from where a different train took me to Inverness in two and a half hours. Pity it was dark; it is one of the most scenic railrides in the country. And here I am, in my second hotel, closing down the day.

More tomorrow!

The epic journey - part 1

All seemed well this morning, when I left at 7.45 to go to the railwaystation at Arnhem. Schoolkids rode the bus 1 stop (quarter of a mile) to school - no, five minutes' walk really is too far today. Left Arnhem on the train at 8.46, as per schedule, but things started to go awry when we stopped at Amsterdam's Bijlmer station. Normally, the service would branch off direct to Schiphol Airport, but due to a points failure, we had to go straight ahead to Amsterdam Central Station, thence back south to the airport. This took rather long, and we arrived 25 minutes late. No problem, I had planned to arrive 2 hours ahead of schedule. Not knowing I'd depart 2 hours behind of schedule.

Heavy snow had closed Heathrow, and Gatwick was the only airport open around London. So, boarded the plane and it set off at 2pm - to arrive into Gatwick at 2pm. Don't forget about the hour's time difference between the continent and the UK. It was murky and snowy out there, but the runway was clear. I hared through the airport towards the departures lounge - to be met by a scene of mayhem. All domestic flights were cancelled - including my onward connection to Edinburgh. That put a serious spanner in the works. It meant an extra overnight stay. But my baggage was put through to Stornoway, so I had to go and salvage that. Thanks, Gatwick luggage staff: it worked. Next step, a bed for the night. From there, I hoped to get some internet access (which I'm using to type this), and by 4.30pm, I was on my way to a rather expensive little hotel at the back of beyond. All as a result of a foot of snow in southern England. It did look very pretty by the way.

Meanwhile at the airport, dozens of people were sitting in a colossal queue at the enquiries desk, waiting to reschedule their flights. This queue meant a 5 hour wait. No thanks. I rang the travel agent who had booked this flight (on the web), and they rebooked me on the 8.25 to Glasgow, which (combined with a 5 hour wait at Glasgow) will put me into Stornoway at 4pm tomorrow. Well, seeing is believing.

Thanks to some sandwiches from my dad, I had not quite starved, but I was hungry by 6 o'clock. Food wasn't served till 7, and when I did order it took 45 minutes to arrive. Because the place was bombed out. Tomorrow, a taxi will pick me up at 7 am to return me to the paradise called Gatwick Airport.

Those on Facebook are already aware of this odyssee - I'm taking the opportunity to give further details.

Remembering Today - 2 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Private K MATHESON
Regiment or division: 6th Cameron Highlanders
Service number: 5362
Date of death: 2 February 1919
Interred: Barvas Cemetery

Able Seaman WILLIAM MURRAY
Last address in Lewis: 16 Knock, Point
Son of Malcolm and Christina Murray, of 16, Knock, Point, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, 2nd Reserve Battallion Royal Naval Division
Service number: R/2220
Date of death: 2 February 1920 at the age of 22
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: E. 4. 27

Gunner JOHN MACLEOD

Last address in Lewis: 19 Knock, Point,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS President III
Service number: 5415/A
Date of death: 2 February 1919 at the age of 28
Died of pneumonia in Glasgow
Interred: Aignish / Eye Cemetery, Lewis
Memorial reference: E. 3. 30
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Remembering Today - 1 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Lieutenant JOHN MACKENZIE
Last address in Lewis: Keith Street, Stornoway
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Implacable
Date of death: February, 1st, 1920 at the age of 58
Discharged due to ill health in 1918
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Remembering Today - 31 January

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Master Mariner JOHN MACKAY
Iain Uisdean

Last address in Lewis: 31 Valtos,
Son of Hugh and Ann Mackay
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine
Date of death: 31 January 1919 at the age of 47
Died at home
Invalided October 1916 with pulmonary trouble
Was sailing on the Australian Coast and received his Master's Certificate in 1911.
Lewis Memorial: Uig, Timsgarry

Voice comments

I have put on my sidebar the possibility to add a voice comment. It's only a phonecall away; you can even do it on-line through your PC's microphone. To do it by mike, you need to click on my name in the widget and you can add a voice comment from there. Look forward to hearing from y'all.

Blogger returns

I noticed that Mary [frankandmary] has rejoined us on Blogger. She is now writing a journal called Rejected Truth. If you haven't already found her, pay a visit.

Remembering Today - 29 January

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

Seaman COLIN CAMPBELL
Last address in Lewis: 47 North Tolsta
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Aquamarine
Date of death: 29 January 1916 at the age of 48
Was swept overboard and drowned
Leaves widow and 6 children
Local memorial: North Tolsta

Leading boatman MALCOLM MACIVER
Last address in Lewis: 7 Steinish
Son of Kenneth and Henrietta MacLeod MacIver, of 12, Branahuie, Stornoway; husband of Annie MacIver, of 7, Steinish, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Jupiter
Service number: 225994
Date of death: January, 29th, 1916 at the age of 48
Died at Port Said
Interred: Port Said War Memorial Cemetery
Memorial reference: J. 17

Leading Seaman DONALD MACDONALD
Last address in Lewis: 20 Knock, Point
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine, SS Glenfruin
Date of death: January, 29th, 1918 at the age of 30
Ship sunk by U-boat
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Remembering Today - 28 January

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

Private DONALD MONTGOMERY
Last address in Lewis: 29 Lower Garrabost,
Regiment or division: 7th Cameron Highlanders
Service number: 3/5518
Date of death: 28 January 1917 at the age of 19
Killed in action
Memorial: Thiepval
Memorial reference: Pier and Face 15B
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Private WILLIAM MURRAY
Address not recorded
Regiment or division: 2nd Gordon Highlanders
Service number: 29012
Date of death: 28 January 1920
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: E. 3. 76

Private DONALD MACAULAY
Last address in Lewis: 12 Murray's Court, Stornoway
Regiment or division: Gordon Highlanders
Date of death: 28 January 1915
Killed in action
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Pictures

As I reported on the Shell Gallery, I have now scanned in a series of pictures taken over the past month in Lewis. Apart from the graveyard pics from North Tolsta, there are a few others as well, shown below. Enjoy!


Preparing for the powercut - that never was


Sunrise, 13 January


Sunset, 9 January


North Beach, Stornoway, the day after the big storm

Remembering Today - 27 January

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

Leading boatman JOHN MACAULAY
Last address in Lewis: 56 North Shawbost,
Husband of Elizabeth Macaulay, of Dunnet, Thurso, Caithness.
Regiment or division: HM Coastguard, Butt of Lewis Signal Station
Service number: 198280
Date of death: 27 January 1919 at the age of 37
Died in an accident at Butt of Lewis
Interred: Bragar Cemetery
Local memorial: West Side, Bragar

Seaman NORMAN MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: Stornoway
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Andania
Date of death: January, 27th, 1918
Ship sunk by U-boat
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Remembering Today - 26 January

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

Carpenter THOMAS MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: not recorded
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine
Date of death: 26 January 1917
Drowned in torpedoing of SS Ava

Seaman DONALD MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 22 Swordale,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Pembroke
Service number: 2223/D
Date of death: 26 January 1917 at the age of 38
Died of illness at home
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: E. 2. 52

Quartermaster MURDO SMITH
Last address in Lewis: 25 Leurbost
Son of Isabella Smith (nee McLeod), of 25, Lurebost, Lochs, Stornoway, and the late John Smith.
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine, SS Ava
Date of death: January, 26th, 1917 at the age of 30
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial: Tower Hill
Local memorial: North Lochs, Crossbost

Remembering Today - 25 January

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Seaman DUNCAN NICOLSON
Last address in Lewis: 22 Gravir,
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Nicolson, of 22, Gravis, Lochs, Stornoway, Ross-shire. Was present at Antwerp, 1914.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Laurentic
Service number: 5305/A
Date of death: 25 January 1917 at the age of 22
Drowned in sinking of HMS Laurentic
Memorial: Chatham Naval, panel 26
Local memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Burns Night 2009

Is there, for honest poverty
That hings his head, and a' that;
The coward-slave we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that, and a' that
Our toils obscure, and a' that
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The Man's the gowd for a' that -

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, and a' that,
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine,
A Man's a man for a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show and a' that;
The honest man, though e'er sae poor,
Is king o' men for a' that. -

Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a' that,
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree, and a' that.
For a' that and a' that.
It's comin yet for a' that
That Man to Man the warld o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that

Blogging

Please be advised that I am currently blogging on the Shell Gallery until 2 February.

Remembering Today - 24 January

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Private MALCOLM MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 35 Bayhead Street, Stornoway
Regiment or division: Scottish Rifles
Date of death: 24 January 1917 at the age of 19
Died of wounds sustained previously day at casualty clearing station
keen to serve in the war, he joined up in Glasgow and got himself drafted for foreign service after only 3 months' training. After a fortnight at the Base he was sent into the firing line, and on his second day in the trenches was mortally wounded
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial