Pentland Road - 2

Donald Macsween very kindly gave me permission to use this image of medals, recently retrieved from a house in Habost. They commemorate the deaths of two of his great-granduncles, Malcolm and Angus Campbell, during the First World War. Private ANGUS CAMPBELL Last address in Lewis: 16 Habost, Ness, Son of Finlay and Marghed McLean Campbell, of 16, Habost, Port of Ness, Stornoway. Service unit: 1st Seaforth Highlanders Service number: C/7174 Date of death: 9 May 1915 at the age of 20 Killed in action at Neuve Chapelle Memorial: Le Touret Memorial, Panel 38 and 39 Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross Private MALCOLM CAMPBELL Last address in Lewis: 16 Habost, Ness, Service unit: 2nd Seaforth Highlanders Service number: 3/7204 Date of death: 24 May 1915 Killed in action Memorial: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, panel 38 Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

Gunner NORMAN MACLEAN Last address in Lewis: 5 Vatisker, Son of Donald Maclean, of 5, Vatisker Back, Stornoway. Service unit: 4th Highland Mountain Bde, Royal Garrison Artillery Service number: 4335 Enlisted at Stornoway Date of death: 18 May 1915 at the age of 22 Died in Egypt Interred: Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, grave L. 194 Mentioned on family gravestone in Gress Cemetery, Lewis Local memorial: Back; Nicolson Institute WW1, middle panel Norman was 19 years and 6 months old when he enlisted on 29 April 1912. He was sent to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 19 March 1915. He arrived at Alexandria, Egypt on 2 April, and proceeded to Gallipoli on April 8th. On 7 May 1915, he was admitted to hospital in Gallipoli for a nervous breakdown. His death, according to official records, was caused by acute religious mania. Norman is shown on the 1901 census aged 8, the son of Donald (56) and Ann (50) and brother to Catherine (25), Mary (...

I was recently shown a navigational chart for Stornoway Harbour, which dates back to 1919. Modifications were entered on the chart, to show (e.g.) the causeway to Goat Island. However, there were a few features on the chart that no longer exist today. The most prominent changes are on the Arnish Peninsula. The construction of the Fabrication Yard there in the 1970s changed the landscape beyond recognition. This first image is from the early 20th century, showing Arnish House (Kildun Farm), which was demolished in the mid 1970s. A most intrigueing feature is the smearing house at the neck of the peninsula, which I will describe a little later in this post. The hill immediately northwest of the neck of the peninsula, height 77 ft, was partly bulldozed out of existence. In fact, the hill on which Kildun Cottage once stood has been removed and is now occupied by the Fabrication Yard. The smearing house was the place where the sheep were smeared. Nowadays, to combat infestations by parasite...