First World War Dead on Islay Memorials

[update 4 August 2014 - this post lists Islay war casualties named on Islay war memorials - for a more detailed list of Islay First World War Dead, which includes this information and more, go to:

http://islayhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/the-first-world-war-dead-from-islay.html]

The War Memorial in Port Ellen

The  Scottish War Memorials Project has a list of memorials in Argyll & Bute, and from this people have transcribed the names of First World War dead from the following Islay memorials - Port Ellen (Kildalton & Oa parish), Bruichladdich (Kilchoman parish), Bowmore church (Kilarrow parish) and Port Wemyss (in Kilchoman parish but war memorial seemingly only listing Port Wemyss dead). I have collated this information into a single list of 167 entries as follows. A few things to note:

- the memorials record different information: only the Bowmore and Bruichaddich memorials have details of the place people came from on Islay; on the other hand the Bruichladdich and Port Wemyss memorials do not have details of regiments etc. That is why some names have more information than others.

- the highest number of those who died (50 out of 115) served with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (abbreviated to A&SH on the list)

- there may be some duplication, with a few people appearing on more than one more memorial - e.g. I guess that it is the same Corporal D. Bell of the Canadian Highlanders on Bowmore and Port Ellen memorials.

- there is the usual Scottish historians' curse of different spellings of same names - some using Mac and some Mc etc. - so if you're looking for MacTaggart also look for McTaggart and so on.

- this is a list of people from Islay who died in the war - it doesn't include those from elsewhere who died around Islay during the war as a result of the Tuscania sinking and other shipping disasters.

- I'm sure this isn't a full list of the Islay dead. For a start it doesn't include any for Kilmeny parish - is there a memorial there with names (maybe in the church)? If any one wants to help, please take a photo of it or better still transcribe the list and send it to me I will add details here. Likewise any other people who appear to be missing. My email is neilgordonorr at gmail.com (replace 'at' with @).

Rank	First name	Surname	Memorial	Place	Regiment
L/Cpl.	James	Anderson	Bowmore	Carnain	A&SH
Pte.	John	Anderson	Bowmore	Carnain	A&SH
Pte.	D.	Anderson	Port Ellen		A&SH
	James	Baker	Bruichladdich	Kilchiaran
	Samuel	Baker	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Bomr.	Andrew	Barr	Bowmore	Gartbreck	Royal Garrison Artillery
Cpl.	Duncan	Bell	Bowmore	Bowmore	Canadian Highlanders
Corpl.	D.	Bell	Port Ellen		Canadian Highlanders
Pte.	R.	Black	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	P.	Brown	Port Ellen		A&SH
Seaman	J.	Burns	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Pte.	John	Cameron	Bowmore	Newhouses	Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
Pte.	Neil M.	Cameron	Bowmore	Newton	Royal Scots Fusilers
Pte.	N.	Cameron	Port Ellen		Scots Guards
	Archibald	Cameron	Bruichladdich	Gruineart
	Archie	Cameron	Port Wemyss
L/Cpl.	William	Campbell	Bowmore	Newhouses	A&SH
Pte.	J.	Campbell	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	Willm.	Campbell	Bowmore	Balitarsin	Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
Seaman	D.	Campbell	Port Ellen		Royal Marines
Pte.	Arch. J.	Campbell	Bowmore	Bowmore	Seaforth Highlanders
	Alexander	Campbell	Bruichladdich	Tayvullin
Lieut.	John	Cullen	Bowmore	Bridgend	A&SH
Pte.	A	Currie	Port Ellen		Gordon Highlanders
Gnr.	Robert D.	Currie	Bowmore	Bowmore	Royal Naval Vol. Reserve
	Alexander	Currie	Port Wemyss
	David	Dick	Bruichladdich	Foreland
	George Craig	Dickie	Bruichladdich	Greineal
Pte.	J.	Donald	Port Ellen		Gordon Highlanders
Pte.	James	Dunlop	Bowmore	Raw	A&SH
Pte.	J.G.	Ferguson	Port Ellen		A&SH
	Alexander	Ferguson	Bruichladdich	Machrie
	Donald	Ferguson	Port Wemyss
Lieut.	Bruce	Forbes	Bowmore	Eallabus	A&SH
Pte.	N.	Fraser	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	John	Gilchrist	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Ch.Officer	O.	Gilchrist	Port Ellen		Merchant Service
	Donald	Gillies	Port Wemyss
L.Cpl.	N.	Graham	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	John	Grant	Bowmore	Gartachossan	A&SH
Pte.	J.	Grant	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	James	Gray	Bowmore	Gartmain	American Army
Pte.	Donald	Gray	Bowmore	Knockanbiorch	Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
Pte.	James	Gray	Bowmore	Knockanbiorch	Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
Gnr.	Neil	Hamilton	Bowmore	Bowmore	Royal Field Artillery
	Douglas	Harvey	Bruichladdich	Bruichladdich
Pte.	A.	Heads	Port Ellen		A&SH
	John	Holmes	Port Wemyss
Cpl.	J.	Hunter	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	J.	Hutchinson	Port Ellen		Highland Light Infantry
Pte.	Dugald	Johnston	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Pte.	D.	Johnston	Port Ellen		Cameron Highlanders
Pte.	R.	Johnston	Port Ellen		Gordon Highlanders
Seaman	A.	Johnston	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
	Alexander	Justice	Bruichladdich	Bruichladdich
Pte.	N.	Kennedy	Port Ellen		A&SH
	Donald	Lamont	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Capt.	N.	Leitch	Port Ellen		Highland Light Infantry
Pte.	Donald	Logan	Bowmore	Bowmore	Seaforth Highlanders
Q.M.	H.	MacAllister	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
	Hector	MacAllister	Port Wemyss
Pte.	H.	MacArthur	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	D.	MacArthur	Port Ellen		Highland Light Infantry
Pte.	R.	MacArthur	Port Ellen		King's Own Scot. Borderers
Seaman	D.	MacArthur	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Pte.	John	MacArthur	Bowmore	Bowmore	Scottish Rifles
	Neil	MacArthur	Port Wemyss
	Peter	MacArthur	Port Wemyss
Pte.	J.	MacCallum	Port Ellen		A&SH
Gunner.	A.	MacCalman	Port Ellen		Royal Garrison Artillery
Pte.	N	MacDonald	Port Ellen		Highland Light Infantry
Pte.	D.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	J.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	M.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	H.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		Gordon Highlanders
Pte.	D.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		Gordon Highlanders
Gunner.	A.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		Royal Field Artillery
Pte.	Duncan	MacDougall	Bowmore	Bowmore.	Scottish Rifles
Pte.	J.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		Scottish Rifles
L.Col	D.	MacDougall	Port Ellen		Seaforth Highlanders
Pte.	C.	MacEachern	Port Ellen		A&SH
Seaman	A.	MacFarlane	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Seaman	D.	MacFarlane	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Q.M.	J.	MacGibbon	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Seaman	J.	MacGibbon	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Pte.	Gilbert	MacIndeor	Bowmore	Lyrabus	Machine Gun Corps
Pte.	J.	MacIntyre	Port Ellen		A&SH
Sdt.	J.	MacIntyre	Port Ellen		Royal Field Artillery
Sgt.	Walter	MacKay	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Sgt.	John	MacKay	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Pte.	D.	MacKay	Port Ellen		Machine Gun Corps
	Alexr	MacKellar	Port Wemyss
Pte.	D.	MacKerrell	Port Ellen		A&SH
Lieut.	A.	MacKinnon	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	A.	MacLachlan	Port Ellen		A&SH
	Duncan	MacLean	Port Wemyss
	Neil	MacLean	Port Wemyss
Pte.	J.	MacLellan	Port Ellen		A&SH
Corpl.	D.	MacMillan	Port Ellen		Canadian Infantry
Ch.Off.r	A.	MacMillan	Port Ellen		Merchant Service
Pte.	J.	MacMillan	Port Ellen		Royal Engineers
Seaman	D.	MacMillan	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
C.Q.M.S.	J.	MacNab	Port Ellen		A&SH
	John	MacNiven	Port Wemyss
Pte.	R.	MacPhail	Port Ellen		A&SH
R.S.M.	N.	MacPhail	Port Ellen		Gordon Highlanders
Capt.	Murdoch A.	MacTaggart	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Pte.	D.	MacTaggart	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	H.	MacTaggart	Port Ellen		Gordon Highlanders
	John	MacTaggart	Port Wemyss
	Gilbert	McArthur	Bruichladdich	Fornaseig
	John	McArthur	Bruichladdich	Fornaseig
Piper.	C.	McCalman	Port Ellen		Cameron Highlanders
	Alexander	McCalman	Bruichladdich	Gruineart
	Gilbert	McCalman	Bruichladdich	Gruineart
	Ronald	McCormick	Bruichladdich	Conisby
	Gilbert	Mccormick	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
	Archibald	McFadyen	Bruichladdich	Gruineart
	Donald	McFadyen	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
	James	McFadyen	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Lieut.	M.	McGilvray	Port Ellen		Royal Eng'eers West Africans
	Peter	McIndeor	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Seaman	A.	McInnes	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Lieut.	M.	McIntyre	Port Ellen		Cameron Highlanders
	Alexander	McIntyre	Bruichladdich	Tayvullin
	Charles	McJay	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Pte.	J.	McKerrell	Port Ellen		Australian Imperial Forces
Pte.	John	McKinnon	Bowmore	Bunanuilt	Highland Light Infantry
	Archie	McLean	Bruichladdich	Bruichladdich
	Malcolm	McLean	Bruichladdich	Carnduncan
Pte.	Angus	McLellan	Bowmore	Blue House	A&SH
Pte.	A.	McLellan	Port Ellen		Seaforth Highlanders
	Alasdair	McLellan	Bruichladdich	Bruichladdich
	John	McLellan	Bruichladdich	Foreland
	John	McLellan	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Pte.	Willm.	McMillan	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Pte.	D.	McMillan	Port Ellen		Machine Gun Corps
	John	McMillan	Bruichladdich	Octamore
	Alexander	McMillan	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
	Duncan	McMillan	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Sgt.	P.	McNeill	Port Ellen		Royal Engineers
Pte.	Arch.	McNiven	Bowmore	Knockanbiorch	A&SH
	Peter	Mcniven	Bruichladdich	Conisby
Pte.	Alex.	McPhail	Bowmore	Gartnatra	Australian Army
	John	McPhail	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
	Robert	McPhail	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
	Alexander	McPhee	Bruichladdich	Kilchoman
	Angus	McTaggart	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
	Malcolm	McTaggart	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Pte.	James	McVorran	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Pte.	J.	Morrison	Port Ellen		Seaforth Highlanders
	Peter	Morrison	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Seaman	R.	Paul	Port Ellen		Royal Naval Reserve
Pte.	D.	Quintin	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	G.	Quintin	Port Ellen		A&SH
Sgt.	Angus	Shaw	Bowmore	Carnain	A&SH
Pte.	Neil	Shaw	Bowmore	Monachorra	Highland Light Infantry
Pte.	Alex.	Shaw	Bowmore	Islay House Square	Royal Scots Fusilers
Pte.	D.	Sinclair	Port Ellen		Highland Light Infantry
Pte.	A.	Smith	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	A.	Torrie	Port Ellen		A&SH
	John	Turner	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
	Alexander	Watt	Bruichladdich	Port Charlotte
Pte.	George	Weir	Bowmore	Bowmore	A&SH
Pte.	J.	White	Port Ellen		A&SH
Pte.	D.	Whyte	Port Ellen		A&SH
L.Cpl.	W.	Whyte	Port Ellen		A&SH

A Bowmore War Grave

A hundred years ago today, on 28 July 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia, starting the First World War. Over the next four and a bit years, the war touched people across large parts of the world, including of course Islay.  I spotted this First World War grave in Bowmore churchyard today:

'300216 Private J. McVorran, Arg. & Suth'd Highr's

22 August 1918 Age 22'

Elsewhere I've come across a Commonwealth War Graves Commission record with a bit more information. James McVorran, to give him his full name, served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 8th Batallion and was transferred to  '(288072) Labour Corps'. He was the son of Mrs. Christina McVorran, of Flora St., Bowmore, Islay. What he did in the war and where he died is unclear, but the Labour Corps was founded in 1917 to specialise in transport and infrastructure work (road building etc). At one time, 10% of the Army were in the Labour Corps, many of them soldiers transferred from the regiments in which they originally enlisted.

Is there any significance to this being so close to the grave of Mary Morrison, 'died 11 June 1966, aged 74 years'? Perhaps - frustrating as it is for family history researchers, surnames may have had different spellings before they were regularly written down and standardised. And McVorran and Morrison may have been different versions of the same surname - in which case these two born within six year of each other could have been related, perhaps even siblings.

Rescued from the Sea 1853

From The Welshman 30 December 1853 (reprinting item from Glasgow Herald):

'PRAISEWORTHY CONDUCT AT SEA.—On Friday last, while the Islay steamer was crossing from the island of Islay to the Mull of Kintyre, on her voyage from Stornoway to Glasgow, a young female lunatic, who was on her way from Skye to an asylum in Greenock, under the charge of her brother, suddenly cast herself into the sea... The willing sailors...finally succeeded in picking up the poor woman in an insensible state. When returned to the steamer, Captain Urie used the most judicious means to restore animation, and persevering almost against hope, he at length completely succeeded. It is needless to say that the conduct of the captain and crew is beyond all praise'

.

Otters and Otter Hunting on Islay

Otters are among Islay's many wildlife attractions (see Islay Natural History Trust for details of sightings), indeed last year Andy Cranwell won a Telegraph travel writing prize for a piece on 'Otter watching in Islay':

'We met a fellow visitor to Islay who was peering through binoculars. “Are you looking for otters?” we asked. He said he was, and that he could see nine or 10 of them on the estuary. He seemed very pleased. We wished him well, but couldn’t bring ourselves to tell him they were grey seals.. Suddenly, there it was, an otter, 50 yards ahead of us. We watched it pop up out of the water like a fishing float, and then dive back in, barely pausing for breath. It remained visible a little longer each time it caught something. We could see the fish scales glinting in the late afternoon sun as it chewed another snaggletoothed mouthful' (Telegraph, 10 August 2012).

2012 photo by Niall Colthart, taken on a kayaking trip to  MacArthur's Head, Islay - not sure of exact location

Otters seem to be mainly spotted near the coast, but was this always the way?  This letter by J.G. Cornish in The Spectator Magazine, 13 August 1898, suggests otherwise:

'I have recently received several instances of the ways in which British mammals contrive to maintain their existence in spite of persecution. In the island of Islay in the Hebrides some years ago otters were very common round the lochs and inland streams. Then otter-skin waistcoats became fashionable, and many were killed for their skins. The survivors took refuge along the coast-line, and now are quite numerous there, but have not ventured far inland'.

Otter hunting was banned in Scotland in 1982, and those tracking otters today are now generally armed only with cameras. But at one time otter hunting in Islay seems to have been relatively common.

Edward Chatfield's painting  'The Otter's Cairn—a Scene in the Island of Islay' was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1834, with the figures on an otter hunt in the painting including Walter Frederick Campbell (1798-1855), and his son John Francis Campbell (1822-1885). The painting was sold at Christie's in Edinburgh in 2008, but seems to have been misidentified then as by George Sanders (1774-1846), as discussed at All This Useless Beauty.

L.C.R. Cameron's 'Otters and Otter Hunting' (1908) mentions the rarity of an albino otter on Islay, stating that there was a stuffed white otter to be seen at Kildalton House.

By Islay's Shores: a Victorian ballad

'By Islay's Shores' is a ballad, with words by William Black (1841-1898) and music by Alfred 

Stella. A review  in The Lute magazine (November 1 1891) says: 'A pathetic story is here 

related in verses so appropriate in diction and good in construction as to be worthy of being 

placed in the category of poetry. The melody attached by the composer lends itself admirably to the task of arousing the sympathies of the listener'.

The song seems to have started out a poem by Black in his 1885 novel 'White Heather', which

features a number of 'Rhymes by a Deerstalker' including this one. It is also included in Modern Scottish Poets, edited by D.H.Edwards in 1887:

By Islay's shores she sate and sang : 

" winds come blowing o'er the sea, 

And bring me back my love again 

That went to fight in Germanie " 

And all the live-long day she sang, 

And nursed the bairn upon her knee ; 

"Balou, balou, my bonnie bairn, 

Thy father's far in Germanie, 

" But ere the summer days are gane, 

And winter blackens bush and tree, 

Thy father will we welcome hame 

Frae the red wars in Germanie." 

Dark the night fell, dark and mirk ; 

A wraith stood by her icily : 

"Dear wife, I'll never more win hame, 

For I am slain in Germanie. 

" On Minden's field I'm lying stark, 

And Heaven is now my far countrie ; 

Farewell, dear wife, farewell, farewell, 

I'll ne'er win hame frae Germanie." 

And all the year she came and went, 

And wandered wild frae sea to sea : 

" neighbours, is he ne'er come back, 

My love that went to Germanie ? " 

Port Ellen saw her many a time; 

Round by Port Askaig wandered she : 

"Where is the ship that's sailing in 

With my dear love frae Germanie ? ' 

But when the darkened winter fell : 

"It's cold for baith my bairn and me ; 

Let me lie down and rest awhile : 

My love's away frae Germanie. 

"far away and away he dwells ; 

High Heaven is now his fair countrie; 

And there he stands with arms outstretched- 

To welcome hame my bairn and me" 

See also these songs:

An Islay Song from 1850

Ceann Traigh Ghruinneart