# Iolaire disaster recalled on isle (BBC News)



## SN NewsCaster (Mar 5, 2007)

New Year's Day marks the 90th anniversary of the wrecking of a ship carrying sailors home from WWI.

More from BBC News...


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

I had not heard of this disaster before. How sad that these men should perish on their way home after all the horrors of WW1. 

It is encouraging that they are still honoured in this way.


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## gordy (Apr 18, 2008)

It is amazing that a tragedy like this is so unknown to so many of the UK population. It highlights how news 'manipulation' can be so effective, or could be back then. It has been said that news of the tragedy was suppressed because the government thought that the population had had enough of WW1 negative news!
I knew of it but not all the details until a Stornoway born colleague on a North Sea installation told me the whole story, and that the people of the islands felt very strongly that recognition of the contribution their menfolk had made during both wars had never been given. It is a fact that more men per head of population gave their lives than any other part of the UK.
He also told me that the film critic on the BBC, Barry Norman, had made a stupid remark about the islanders probably not knowing that WW2 had ended. There was such an outcry that the BBC sent him to the islands to make a personal apology.


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## dennyson (Dec 19, 2005)

Because the tragedy occurred on New Year's Day 1919, some of the War Memorials on the islands refer to the 1914 - 1919 War.


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

gordy said:


> It is amazing that a tragedy like this is so unknown to so many of the UK population. It highlights how news 'manipulation' can be so effective, or could be back then. It has been said that news of the tragedy was suppressed because the government thought that the population had had enough of WW1 negative news!
> I knew of it but not all the details until a Stornoway born colleague on a North Sea installation told me the whole story, and that the people of the islands felt very strongly that recognition of the contribution their menfolk had made during both wars had never been given. It is a fact that more men per head of population gave their lives than any other part of the UK.
> He also told me that the film critic on the BBC, Barry Norman, had made a stupid remark about the islanders probably not knowing that WW2 had ended. There was such an outcry that the BBC sent him to the islands to make a personal apology.


I always thought that Barry Norman was a buffoon and this proves it beyond doubt. I hope he got a hot reception the bloody fool!


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## eriskay (Mar 26, 2006)

As Gordy has pointed out, it is a fact that per head of population nowhere in the United Kingdom was the human sacrifice of life greater than the Western Isles, but in particular the Island of Lewis. Whether merchantmen, naval vessels or AMCs, there was hardly a household in any of the dozens of small villages around the Island that did not have a father, uncle, brother, son serving at sea, and in many cases as many as four of five from the same household, many of who would never return to their native shores. With the great losses during the war, it was therefore particularly bitter blow to lose such a large number of her menfolk who had survived the war years and were looking forward to a long-awaited homecoming, only to perish on their own doorsteps and with the enemy nowhere around.

As any Master Mariner with the experience will know, the seamen of Lewis were of the highest calibre. As fishermen and sailors, the sea and its perils were familiar to them from a very young age, taught to them by their fathers. There is therefore no doubt some element of truth is the stories going round after the loss of Iolaire how many on deck, as she approached Stornoway Harbour, were concerned that the vessel was being navigated too close to the shore, these men knew that shore like the back of their hands. 

It was to be many decades after this tragic event before the population of Lewis, and quite a number on Harris too, were to start the recovery process.


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## gordy (Apr 18, 2008)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00g8jyp/An_Iolaire

Have just watched this immensely moving do***entary about the disaster.
No seafarer could watch this and not be affected. I've always been puzzled about how it could have happened, but now a possible explanation has been given by Angus Murray, my ex captain on another Eagle.


Friday, 9th January, sorry to see the BBC in their wisdom have not made this available on BBC iPlayer.
Gordon


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

*Home at Last - parts 1 and 2*

The tragedy of HMY IOLAIRE was Britiain's second worst peacetime sea disaster after TITANIC.
Unfortunately the BBC2 programme is now no longer available on BBC IPlayer but: 

There is a two part do***entary made about 20 years ago at these two links below (STV) and I challenge any of you not to be moved by it. The introduction is in Gaelic with subtitles but the rest of the video is in English. 

It will be available only until the end of January.

*Home at Last part one*
*Home at Last part two*

Regards


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

Thanks Hugh for drawing me attention to the videos. I was aware of the Iolaire tragedy, but not the whole story, due to living in Swainbost during the 1990s for four years. Both my wife and I found the Islanders to be very friendly and helpful people. We were both members of Stornoway golf club were we also found the people friendly without the snobbishness that prevails in a lot of golf clubs South of the border. We left to move South to be near family on doctors advice due to my wife's ill health, a move we both deeply regret.

Regards Robert


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## Willie Mac (Oct 28, 2005)

*Iolaire Disaster*

At 1.55am on the 1st January 1919 the Admiralty yacht “Iolaire”, a luxury steam yacht built in 1881, 
originally named the ‘Amalthaea’, ran aground on a partially submerged rock close by the approaches to 
Stornoway Harbour. 

The previous day over 500 people, soldiers, sailors and civilians had arrived in Kyle en route for Stornoway. 
It soon became obvious that the regular steamer ‘Sheila’ would be unable to cope with such numbers so the 
‘Iolaire’ was dispatched to Kyle to assist. Army personnel and civilians were assigned to the ‘Sheila’ and the 
naval ratings, some 260 in total boarded the ‘Iolaire’. 

As the men boarded the vessel, the Master voiced his concern to the officer in charge at Kyle that the 
‘Iolaire’ only carried two lifeboats and 80 lifejackets, but despite his misgivings he agreed to sail and the 
vessel left Kyle at 9.30 that evening. 

With the vessel still about 12 miles from Stornoway the New Year was welcomed in and all aboard were in 
high spirits. Later on as the light at Arnish Point drew close thoughts aboard turned towards reunion and the 
families awaiting them on the pier. 

Suddenly without any warning the ship ran aground. Within minutes the waves were crashing over her decks 
and she began listing heavily to starboard. 

The two lifeboats were launched but were immediately swamped drowning all on board. Scores of men tried 
to swim the few short yards to the shore but were either drowned in the heavy swell or dashed against the 
rocks. 

In the immediate aftermath of the vessel grounding, 205 men perished. 

It is impossible to put into words the pain and sorrow caused by this tragedy which left behind 58 grieving 
widows and 209 fatherless children. The Stornoway Gazette of the day summed it up most appropriately with 
these words. “The terrible tragedy at Holm has plunged every home and every heart in Lewis into grief 
unutterable” 

Willie Mac


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## gordy (Apr 18, 2008)

*BBC An Iolaire do***entary.*

This excellent do***entary is to be shown during the Glasgow Film Festival. 

It will be shown at the Mitchell Film Theatre, 6 Granville Street, Glasgow, G3 7EE, on Thursday 19th February at 19.00.


http://www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk/programme/show/322


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