Over the past fortnight, I have monitored the progress of our former freight ferry, the MV Muirneag, as she sailed from Stornoway to Istanbul. She arrived there yesterday, October 15th. In the early hours, Muirneag passed Gallipoli, known in Turkish as Çanakkale, which lies at the entrance to the Dardanelles Strait, west of Istanbul. In 1915, this was the site of a nine-month battle between Allied and Turkish forces. The Allies, including a large contingent of Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) forces, were trying to capture the fortresses and thereby the Dardanelles Strait, opening up a way to Constantinople (as Istanbul was known then) and a way to take Turkey out of the First World War. Poor intelligence is quoted as one of the reasons for the catastrophic failure of the Allies to achieve their aims. Both sides lost a quarter of a million lives. The names Gallipoli and Dardanelles now live on with a shadow over them. Among the Allied casualties were (at least) twelve men from the Isle of Lewis. Although Muirneag is no longer registered as a British vessel (she is now flying the Panamanian flag), I regard her still to be an emissary of the island, bearing in mind her long record of service to the community. As such, her innocent passage through the Dardanelles was a salute to the Fallen of Gallipoli, particularly to the twelve men from Lewis, whom I list below.
Driver NORMAN CAMPBELL
Son of Donald and Jessie Campbell
Last address in Lewis: 12 Aird, Point
Service unit: Royal Garrison Artillery, 4th Highland Battery
Service number: 4288
Date of death: 9 August 1915 at the age of 20
Died of wounds sustained at Suvla Bay
Memorial: Helles Memorial, Panel 23 or 325
Local memorial: Point (Garrabost); Nicolson Institute WW1, left panel
Gunner MURDO MACAULAY
Last address in Lewis: 2 Keith Street, Stornoway
Service unit: Royal Garrison Artillery, 4th Highland Battery
Service number: 4401
Date of death: 15 July 1915 at the age of 22
Died in Malta, of wounds incurred on 11 June 1915
Interred: Pieta Military Cemetery grave B. II. 3
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial; Nicolson Institute WW1, left panel
Seaman JOHN MACDONALD
Son of Angus and Annie McDonald
Last address in Lewis: 2 Swordale
Service unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Hythe
Service number: 7320/A
Date of death: 28 October 1915 at the age of 19
Ship sank after a collision at the Dardanelles
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 14
Local memorial: Point (Garrabost)
Gunner JOHN MACDONALD
Husband of Catherine, father of Ian, Kenneth and John
Last address in Lewis: 4 Plantation Road, Stornoway
Service unit: Royal Garrison Artillery, 4th Highland Battery
Service number: 4403
Date of death: 15 May 1915 at the age of 39
Died of wounds on board hospital ship
Memorial: Helles Memorial, panel 23 or 325
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial; Nicolson Institute WW1, left panel
Seaman MALCOLM MACKAY
Last address in Lewis: 3 Achmore
Service unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Triumph
Service number: 4333/B
Date of death: 25 May 1915 at the age of 46
Ship sunk by U-21 at the Dardanelles
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 14
Local memorial: Crossbost
Bombardier ALEXANDER ANGUS MACKENZIE
Son of John and Christy Mackenzie
Last address in Lewis: 4 Crossbost
Service unit: Ross Mountain Battery
Service number: 4319
Date of death: 2 May 1915 at the age of 22
Killed in action in Dardanelles
Memorial: Helles Memorial, panel 23 or 325
Local memorial: North Lochs, Crossbost
Stoker 1st Class HUGH MACKENZIE
Last address in Lewis: 46 Laxdale
Service unit: Royal Navy, HMS Triumph
Service number: 282664
Date of death: 26 May 1915 at the age of 47
Ship sunk by U-21 at the Dardanelles
Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial, panel 8
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial
Gunner NORMAN MACLEAN
Son of Donald Maclean
Last address in Lewis: 5 Vatisker
Service unit: 4th Highland Mountain Bde, Royal Garrison Artillery
Service number: 4335
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
Local memorial: Back; Nicolson Institute WW1, middle panel
Gunner JOHN MACLEOD
Son of Murdo and Mary Macleod
Last address in Lewis: 18 Aignish
Service unit: Royal Garrison Artillery, 4th Highland Battery
Service number: 4316
Date of death: 9 August 1915 at the age of 22
Died at sea of wounds sustained at Gallipoli
Memorial: Helles Memorial, panel 23 or 325
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial
Seaman KENNETH NICOLSON
Son of Angus and Isabella Nicolson
Last address in Lewis: 24 Lemreway
Service unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Goliath
Service number:
Date of death: 13 May 1915 at the age of 19
Ship sunk by Turkish warship off Cape Helles
Local memorial: Pairc, Kershader
Seaman DONALD SMITH
Son of Donald and Annie Smith; husband of Marion Campbell Smith
Last address in Lewis: 43 North Bragar
Service unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Goliath
Service number: 2350D
Date of death: 13 May 1915 at the age of 40
Ship sunk by Turkish warship off Cape Helles
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 14
Local memorial: West Side, Bragar
Sergeant DONALD STEWART
Son of Elizabeth Stewart, of 32, Argyll Square, Oban.
Last address in Lewis: 85 Cromwell Street, Stornoway
Service unit: Royal Garrison Artillery, Argyll Mountain Bty. 4th (Highland) Mountain Bde.
Service number: 1003
Date of death: 7 November 1915 at the age of 25
Killed in action at Suvla Bay
Interred: Hill 10 Cemetery grave II. C. 15
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial; Nicolson Institute WW1, right panel
