WW100 Islay

I was very privileged to be invited , as the local MSP, to attend the WW100 event on Islay today.

Islay and Jura lost over 200 of their own men  on the battlefronts of the First World War.  But in the last year of that war the island found itself in the front line when first , in February  the troopship SS Tuscania was torpedoed just off the south west coast and then in October the HMS Otranto collided with another vessel from her convoy in a storm.  

Over 500 men, mostly American soldiers on their way to France  were killed but the population of the island rose to the occasion and showed huge solidarity and sympathy in coping with the tragedies.

Today's events included an open air service on the quayside at Port Ellen attended by, amongst others, the Princess Royal.   There were also commemorations at the American  Memorial  on the Oa  (which I have blipped before) as well as at the cemeteries. 

We walked out to the American Memorial  in the early evening  , in perfect sunshine  - so much so that  the coast of Northern Ireland was clearly visible.  There were some wreaths laid on its steps and the silence , except for a very voluable and beautiful skylark, was the perfect end to a very moving day. 

I have uploaded a few more photographs from the day onto my Flickr pages - they are at https://flickr.com/photos/17095316@N00/sets/72157696500727625