The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

David McNay

Reilig Odhrain Burial Ground, Island of Iona

The Reilig Odhrain Burial Ground lies adjacent to Iona Cathedral on the island which lies of the Island of Mull, Argyll.
The graveyard has 4 CWGC graves of unknown sailors of the Merhcant Navy.

Photos and information originally posted by Jim McGinlay on the Scottish War Graves Project.

David McNay · Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 12:30 am Post subject:

UNKNOWN SAILORS
'A SAILOR OF THE 1939 - 1945 WAR'
MERCHANT NAVY

There is a group of four graves bearing the above inscription of various dates:
6th September 1940
23rd September 1940
11th October 1940
14th October 1940
Considering the span of these dates over which the bodies were recovered I wonder if these were shipmates of Able Seaman Davies of S.S. Bibury, and four other unidentified Merchant Seamaen buried at Dervaig, Island of Mull (or crewmembers of S.S. Thornlea), all of whom were also recovered at around the same time. Both vessels were travelling in the same convoy OB205 which dispersed on 30th August 1940. The two vessels remained together and were torpedoed by U46 on 2nd September 1940 off the West coast of Ireland, 55.41N 14.30W. The S.S. Thornlea however only lost three crewmen, the rest being rescued by the Canadian Destroyer H.M.C.S. Skeena, and the Norwegian S.S. Hild. The Dervaig graves may be viewed here:
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?p=75090#75090
The gravestones are laid flat for some reason. There were also small stones from the beach laid on the stones, perhaps by children?