Iolaire Disaster

Dug out another story related to this tragedy to befall Lewis on New Year's Day 1919. A young lieutenant found himself in charge of the navy station at Stornoway, after news came through of the sinking of the ship Iolaire. He ordered the ammunition stores to be cleared, and requisitioned some brown paper bags. When the bodies of the drowned were brought in, they were laid out side by side. Personal belongings found on them were placed in the paper bags, and the bag marked with a number. The soles of the navy boots were marked in chalk with the same number. Relatives came to identify their loved ones, and the harrowing scenes once an identification was made were beyond description. For months afterwards, all the lieutenant could dream of was rows of navy boots, with numbers chalked on their soles.