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adb41
Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 1546
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Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 12:21 pm Post subject: Heisker Island |
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CWGC mentions a casualty, buried at Heisker Island.
This is the island, located 9 miles west of the Isle of Rum in the Inner Hebrides, which is the location for a lighthouse. It is not accessible by public ferry, and the lighthouse keepers left in 1997.
As per the discussion below, it turns out that the Hyskeir in question is in fact the Monach Isles, off North Uist in the Western Isles.
Last edited by adb41 on Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ADP
Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 105 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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Is it definitely Heisker (9 miles west of the Isle of Rum)?, presumably the one that shows on the modern map as Oigh-sgier. Was that rock ever populated by more than the lighthouse keepers?
I am suggesting it was Heisker, or Monach Islands (Theisgeir No Na h-Eilanan Monach) about 10 miles offshore to the west of the Isle of North Uist. That Heisker was populated until 1948 (according to Wikipedia).
See also http://www.rbls-kirkwall.org.uk/wmo-index.html and select war at sea. That lists the grave of Lieut William A McNeill at Heisker Island Graves, Outer Hebrides.
ADP |
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adb41
Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 1546
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Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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Hyskeir, North Uist, is certainly in mind as another possible location. I plumped for this location having read the book "Stargazing" by Peter Hill. He served as a lighthouse keeper at Hyskeir, and I remember that he would walk out to graves on the islands. Only an actual visit will finally decide this one, I think. At any rate, the main thing is that Lt MacNeill's lonely grave is marked on this site. |
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adb41
Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 1546
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:05 pm Post subject: Hyskeir |
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Asked around locally, and got the following answer, which confirms ADP's suspicion that it should be Hyskeir, Monach Isles, off North Uist
A cairn on Ceann Iar [West Island] marks the grave of Lieut Wm A McNeill RN, who drowned off Northern Ireland when his ship, Laurentic, struck a mine in 1917. His body was washed up on Ceann Iar [...]
Reference: Haswell-Smith, H. (2008) 2nd Edition. The Scottish Islands: The Bestselling Guide to Every Scottish Island. Canongate Books, Edinburgh. (ISBN 978 1 84767 277 3)
Am entering this casualty under Western Isles |
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Adam Brown
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh
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