Iolaire Monument (PiPs)

Taken at the Iolaire Monument, Isle of Lewis.

At the end of the Great War sailors were being transported home. They landed at the Kyle of Lochalsh and set sail on HM Yacht 'The Iolaire' late on 31st December 1918 for the final stage of the journey home to the Isles of Lewis and Harris. In the early hours of New Year's Day 1919 just off Holm Point and within sight of the lights of Stornaway harbour the Iolaire struck the rocks known as the Beasts of Holm resulting in the deaths of 205 sailors.

There were a number of contributing factors to the event, including insufficient care being taken on the approach, the yacht going too fast, no lookout in place and insufficient lifeboats and rafts in place.
The inquiry did however give special recognition to a sailor named J F MacLeod who swam ashore with a rope thus enabling many others to be saved.

Iolaire means 'Eagle'

The PiPs show the detail and the memorial in the background, the names of those lost including one of the central section.

Best viewed large I think