Iolaire - 97 years on




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Lewismen in Canadian service

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I have compiled a new website , entitled as per header of this post. It shows information on 134 men from the Isle of Lewis who entered military service during the First World War as part of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. They fought on the Western Front in Belgium and France. You may remember my main tribute site for WW1 casualties from Lewis, Faces from the Lewis War Memorial .  I have extracted those men who are marked as Canadians , and tracked down their details on the website of Library & Archives Canada . LAC have scanned the attestation (registration) forms of all 600,000 Canadian men who volunteered or were drafted into service during WW1. Apart from those that died, I am also tracing the 420 Lewismen who served as Canadians, but survived. It is startling to see the rate of volunteering dropping off during 1916, and compulsory military service being introduced in 1917. This leads to men absconding after being served their papers, being arrested a...
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A tale of two Donalds

On 9 June 1888, Annie Macleod, living in the village of Knock, Point (in Lewis), gave birth to another child, Donald. He was the sixth, and not the last child. Two more followed, and by the start of 1894, eight children, varying in ages from 1 to 15 years, crowded into the dwelling. It drove the father, Hector, to distraction, to such an extent that he ended his life in September that year. Three months later, Annie also passed away. The eight youngsters were taken into the care of the Quarrier Homes in Glasgow, and emigrated to Canada two years later. Donald signed up for the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Calgary in October 1914, and was injured during the Battle of the Somme. He was transferred to War Hospital at Napsbury, where he passed away on 4 August 1916, at 9.45pm. Due to an error in the paperwork, his remains were transferred to Benbecula, rather than Lewis, and the next-of-kin notified. The next of kin was thought to be Alex Macleod of Gramsdale, but when Alex came to the ...
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D-Day 75

Today is the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, which heralded the beginning of the end of the Second World War. Men from the Isle of Lewis were involved in those engagements, and two were lost in Normandy. They gave their today for our tomorrow. RIP. Chief Petty Officer ALEXANDER MORRISON Alec Mhurchie Last address in Lewis: 8 North Tolsta Husband of Mary Morrison, of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Service: Naval Auxiliary Personnel (Merchant Navy), HM Rescue Tug Sesame Service number: 1080031 Date of death: 11 June 1944 at the age of 41 Lost off Normandy on ship Memorial: Liverpool Naval, Panel 22, Column 1 Local memorial: North Tolsta View tribute here Fusilier ALEXANDER ROBB Last address in Lewis: 15 Cross Street, Coulregrein Son of Flora Robb, of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Service unit: 6th Royal Scots Fusiliers Service number: 2824896 Date of death: 29 June 1944 at the age of 30 Lost in German counter attack at Manvieu Interred: St Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux, grave III. D. 12 ...
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