Pentland Road - 2

Crossposted from Atlantic Lines This evening, I found a comment, made on one of my local history sites by a Danish man who had visited the Outer Hebrides. Upon crossing North Uist, he visited the cemetery of Clachan Sands, about 6 miles west of Lochmaddy on the road to Berneray. I visited that graveyard in July 2009 and photographed the gravestone of Ewen Nicholson, who was lost during the First World War. An image of the actual gravestone in the Railway Dugouts Cemetery can be viewed on this link . My Danish correspondent researched the fate of Ewen, displaying some very graphic and gruesome images of conditions on the frontline. I have looked into Ewen Nicholson's information and came out with the following: Ewen Nicholson Born: Grimsay, North Uist Date of birth: 29 May 1892 Trade / calling: Labourer Married: No Volunteered at Valcartier on 23 September 1914 Age upon enlistment: 22 years 4 months Height: 5 ft 10¼ in Complexion: fresh Eyes: light brown Hair: brown...

Saddler PHILIP MACLEOD Last address in Lewis: Golf House Stenish, Son of Roderick McLeod, of Sandwick Hill, North St., Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Service unit: 123rd Bty. 28th Bde. Royal Field Artillery Service number: 54183 Enlisted at Richmond, Yorkshire Date of death: 26 August 1914 at the age of 27 Killed in action Interred: Troisville Communal Cemetery, Sp. Mem Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial Killed during retreat from Mons. First Lewisman to fall in the War Philip is shown in the 1891 census at 8 North Road, Skipsea, Yorkshire. He is aged 3, the son of Roderick (36) and Jean (35) and brother to Christina (12), Kenneth (9), Roderick (6) and Catherine (3 months). His brothers Roderick and Kenneth both served in the Royal Navy; his brother Angus was in the Ross Mountain Battery. These three survived the war.

This week, the bulldozers have started work to demolish number 3 Shell Street, the house behind the fuel depot at the roundabout on James Street, Shell Street and South Beach Street. It was the only inhabited house left on the street, but as it backs onto a live fuel depot, I am not surprised it is being demolished. We'll be left with an open view of the depot. A browse of the census of 1901 finds the Mair family in residence. James Mair (52): fishcurer, born at Portknockie, Banff; his wife Maggie (45) and children Elsie (15), Joseph James (14), Maggie (13), Williamena A (11), Hugh Murray (10), Victoria (7) and Eliza J G (5). Joseph James and Hugh Murray both lost their lives as a result of the First World War. In 1891, the house was occupied by Elizabeth Murray (63), a seamstress. In 1881, Shell Street was known as Imersligach, the name still used as the Gaelic streetname. Number 3 was occupied by a family of Mcleans: Kenneth (64, shoemaker), his wife Mary (55) and moth...

Twenty-one Lewismen were lost on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, today in 1916. Private MALCOLM CAMPBELL, Seaforth Highlanders, 26 Cross aged 22 Private KENNETH GRAHAM, Seaforth Highlanders, Aird Dell aged 19 Private MALCOLM GUNN, Seaforth Highlanders, 15 Eorodale Lance-Corporal DONALD MACARTHUR, Seaforth Highlanders, 29 Breasclete aged 19 Private ALLAN MACDONALD, Seaforth Highlanders, 18 Habost, Ness aged 19 Company Sergeant-Major MURDO MACGREGOR, Seaforth Highlanders, 12C Tolsta Chaolais aged 30 Private JOHN DUNCAN MACKAY, Seaforth Highlanders, 8 Kershader aged 19 Private WILLIAM J MACKAY, Seaforth Highlanders, 20 Adabrock aged 19 Private EVANDER MACKENZIE, Seaforth Highlanders, 5 Upper Garrabost aged 19 Private JOHN MACRAE MACKENZIE, Highland Light Infantry, 26 James Street, Stornoway aged 25 Private WILLIAM MACKENZIE, Seaforth Highlanders, 1A Mid Borve aged 19 Private ALEX MACLEOD, Seaforth Highlanders, 30 Lower Garrabost aged 23 Lance-Corporal ANGUS MACLEOD...