View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Wednesday 18 July

A cold feeling day, with this cold northeasterly breeze keeping the mercury down at 13C / 55F. And it really was the wind that made it feel very cold. Not a very welcoming climate for the cruise passengers on the cruiseliner Deutschland, which anchored off the Arnish Lighthouse this morning.

I have been amazed at the sudden interest in the UK in the Tour de France cycling race. It is a competitive race by professional cyclists, all over France. The reason is that the man in the yellow jersey (in first place) is a Brit. Well done to him. There is only a couple of days left of the race, which will terminate on the Champs Elysee in Paris on Sunday.

I am now approaching the one-third mark in my quest to find out, using my limited means, further information on the nearly 1300 men from the Isle of Lewis who lost their lives in the 1914-1919 war. The information is compiled into a website, supplementary to my main tribute site, Faces from the Lewis War Memorial. I am pleased to note that I occasionally find further information on some of the casualties. Tomorrow, I shall look into the men from the village of Aird Tong, numbering 15, who were lost. Aird Tong is a tiny hamlet on the outskirts of the slightly larger township of Tong, due north of Stornoway, on the far side of the Cockle Ebb, as shown below.