Memorial to the yacht Lolaire, which sank following it colliding with the Beasts of Holm rocks by Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.
1st January 1919 The loss of His Majesty’s Yacht Iolaire in the early hours of New Year’s Day 1919 is undoubtedly the most tragic single occurrence to befall the combined island of Lewis and Harris. In all 174 Lewismen and seven Harrismen were drowned at the Beasts of Holm in sight of the Stornoway harbour lights with many bodies not recovered. John F. Macleod from the Port of Ness secured a line to the rocks enabling most of the survivors got ashore. Despite the proximity of the shore a gale had blown up as the yacht approached Stornoway and the location of the wreck was an exposed one. Men were dashed on rocks and the lifeboats, which were launched, were quickly swamped in the darkness of the night. Although there was a radio aboard, the Telegraphist could not generate power to transmit due to water in the batteries and the rockets fired, although spotted by the Stornoway Royal Navy base named Iolaire, did not generate the speedy rescue that was necessary before all was lost. When the yacht’s lights failed those left aboard must have felt a shiver as they clung perilously to the railings, with the roar of the waves crashing on the rocks and the rending of the hull on the Beasts piercing their very souls. Out of the crew of 27 there were seven survivors who joined the rescued islanders on the road to Anderson Young’s farm for shelter once it was realised nothing could be done after the vessel heeled over leaving nothing but her masts exposed. As dawn rose, one sailor, Donald Morrison from 7 Knockaird, was rescued from a mast, shortly after another mast held onto by three others had been broken by the storm. The Iolaire home from the war 200 men to be drowned on their own doorsteps, a tragedy that breaks the mind. Bodies were washed up on Sandwick shore and as news of the tragedy spread from Stornoway to the various districts, the relatives of those lost came to the shore and to the mortuary at the RNR base to identify their loved ones. Many carts re
Size: 3657px × 5485px
Location: Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.
Photo credit: © john briscoe / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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