The Scottish War Memorials Project

alexmaclennan · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject: Back War Memorial, Isle of Lewis

Back is a village about 5 miles north of Stornoway on the east side of Lewis.

The memorial has been recently built and opened. It is built in an old quarry by the roadside, close to the school and church. There is a main cairn surrounded by granite memorials/ gravestones. Each stone represents one village in the district.

Main Inscription Stone

Mar Chuimhneachan

In Memory of all those
From Tong to Gress
who fought and died for freedom
in the two World Wars
1914 – 1918 1939 – 1945
and those who perished in
the tragedy of HMY Iolaire
1 January 1919

At the going down of the sun and in
The morning we will remember them

“Bha iad nam balla dhuinn araon
a dh’oiche agas a la

1 Samuel 25 : 16

Memorial stones which are arranged by village. The names of those who died are arranged by address. Forename, surname, regiment or service and month and year of death are given. Rank and place of death are not given.

Tong and Aird Tong Memorial

1914 - 1918
SERVICEMEN KILLED OR DIED THROUGH WAR INJURIES
TONG
No 3 MALCOLM MACDONALD Seaforths April 1916
3 EVANDER MACIVER R.N.R. March 1915
6 NORMAN MACINNES Seaforths Oct. 1917
8 MALCOLM MACLEOD Black Watch May 1915
8 DONALD MACLEOD H.L.I. Sept. 1918
10 MALCOLM MURRAY Seaforths Dec. 1914
12 MURDO MACLEOD Seaforths Dec. 1916
12 ANGUS MACLEOD Seaforths May 1915
14 MALCOLM FINLAYSON Seaforths Died Bombay

AIRD TONG
No 6 JOHN MACDONALD Seaforths March 1915
8 SAMUEL MACDONALD Seaforths March 1915
8 DONALD MACDONALD Seaforths May 1915
9 NORMAN MACFARLANE Canadians Died Quebec
19 DONALD FINLAYSON R.N.R. Feb. 1915
19 JOHN SMITH R.N.R. Oct. 1915
20 DUNCAN SMITH Seaforths Aug. 1917
21 DONALD MACMILLAN Gordons Oct. 1915
21 JOHN MACMILLAN Camerons Oct. 1918
21 ANGUS MACLEOD Canadians Apr. 1917
22 JOHN MACIVER R.N.R. Dec. 1918
25 JOHN MACLEOD R.N.R. Feb. 1915
29 A. J. MACIVER Seaforths Dec. 1918
32 JOHN THOMSON R.N.R. Feb 1917

1939 - 1945
No 1 Tong RODERICK MACLENNAN R.N.R. April 1940
No 1 Aird Tong MURDO MACDONALD M.N. Feb. 1943
No 7 Aird Tong GEORGE MACKENZIE R.N.R. Aug. 1943
No 24 Aird Tong DONALD FINLAYSON M.N. May 1942
No 24 Aird Tong JOHN FINLAYSON R.N.R. April 1943

TONG and AIRD TONG

Upper Coll Memorial

1939 - 1945
SERVICEMEN KILLED OR DIED THROUGH WAR INJURIES

No 7 WILLIAM MURRAY M.N. May 1943
8 JOHN M. MACLEOD M.N. June 1942
30 NORMAN MORRISON R.N.R. May 1940
40 NEIL GRAHAM R.A.F. Sept. 1944

UPPER COLL

Coll Memorial

1914 – 1918
SERVICEMEN KILLED OR DIED THROUGH WAR INJURIES

No 6 ANGUS MACDONALD Seaforths May 1915
DONALD MACLEAN Seaforths Jan. 1916
WILLIAM MACLEOD R.N.R. Iolaire
JOHN MORRISON R.N.R. Iolaire
DONALD MURRAY R.N.R.
ANGUS GRAHAM Seaforths
KENNETH MACIVER R.N.R.
DONALD MACRAE Canadians
JOHN N MACRAE Seaforths
ALEX MUNRO R.N.R.
JOHN SMITH R.N.R.
JOHN MACDONALD R.N.R.
GEORGE MACDONALD Seaforths
MURDO MACLEOD R.N.R.
NORMAN MACIVER R.N.R.
ALEX MACIVER Scots Guards
ALEX BEATON R.N.R.
JAMES BEATON Canadians
MURDO MACIVER Gordons
NORMAN MACIVER Seaforths
ALEX MACKENZIE Seaforths
MURDO MACLEOD Seaforths
MURDO MACIVER Seaforths
Outend DONALD GRAHAM Canadians

Back Memorial

1914 – 1918
SERVICEMEN KILLED OR DIED THROUGH WAR INJURIES

No 3 DONALD MACKAY Gordon Highlanders Jan 1915
DONALD MACLEAN Seaforths May 1915
DONALD MACDONALDR.N.R. Iolaire
JOHN MACDONALD R.N.R. 1919
MURDO MACLEOD R.N.R. Nov 1918
ANGUS MACKENZIE Canadians May 1915
MURDO N. MACLEOD R.N.R. July 1918
DONALD MUNRO Canadians July 1918
50 DONALD MACKENZIE Seaforths May 1915
A. FERGUSON Canadians June 1916
DONALD MARTIN Australians July 1916
MURDO MACLEOD Seaforths May 1916
New St EVANDER MACDONALD R.N.R. June 1915

1939 – 1945
No 9 RODERICK MURRAY M.N. Jan 1942
9 ALEXANDER MURRAY R.N.R. Jan 1942
ALEXANDER MACLEOD R.N.R. Sept 1941
MALCOLM MACIVER R.N.R. July 1944
ANGUS BEATON R.N.R. May 1942
MURDO MACKAY R.N.R. Nov 1939
ALEXANDER MACKAY R.N.R. May 1940
60 ALEXANDER MACLEOD M.N. Sept 1941

BACK

Gress Memorial

1939 – 1945
SERVICEMEN KILLED OR DIED THROUGH WAR INJURIES

No 4 DONALD MACINNES M.N. Nov 1940
26 MURDO CAMPBELL R.N.R. March 1941
29 MURDO STEWART Army Sept 1945
32 MURDO MACDONALD M.N. May 1941
32 MURDO MACDONALD R.N.R. May 1943
43 DONALD MACKAY R.N.R. Feb 1940

GRESS

My transcription is incomplete but I will amend once it is complete.

alex
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alex maclennan

dhubthaigh · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:02 pm Post subject:

I like it. I'm not au fait with the area but seems like a lot of names for small places?

DerekR · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:22 pm Post subject:

Superb - I really do like the layout and memorials here.

(Pic courtesy of John Hendry)

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There must be a place under the sun where hearts of olden glory grow young .....

dhubthaigh · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:30 pm Post subject:

Are these meant to represent Callanish standing stones, or certainly the thought behind it?

alexmaclennan · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject:

alexmaclennan · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject:

alexmaclennan · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject: History of the Back WM

Most of this is from the local monthly magazine for the district - Loch a Tuath News.

The WM committee was formed, plans drawn up, funding obtained and the memorial constructed during mid 2000 to the end of 2001. Much of the sub contracted work was to local tradesmen.

The site was donated by Back Free Church

Plans drawn up by Roger Seddon, Architectural Building Consultancy, Gress.

Total cost estimated at £104,000

Funding from various charitable sources, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar and local donations.

Dedication ceremony Saturday 10th November 2001. The central memorial was unveiled by the oldest living ex servicemen in the district - 96 year old Mr George Graham.

Remembrance ceremony the following Sunday 11th November 2001.

alex
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alex maclennan