The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

David McNay · Last edited by David McNay on Sat Feb 27, 2016 11:05 pm; edited 1 time in total

Originally posted on the Scottish War Graves Project by FortyTwa

These two sites are adjacent to each other on the stunning and remote north west coast of the Isle of Coll, and so are posted here together.

Cemetery: KILLUNAIG GRAVEYARD, ISLE OF COLL
Country: United Kingdom
Locality: Argyllshire
Historical Information: Killunaig Graveyard, Isle of Coll, adjoins Killunaig Cemetery on the north-western coastal road from Arinagour to Sorisdale. Here are buried two seamen of the British Merchant Navy, one of whom is unidentified, and a Greek Merchant Navy seaman, who all died during the 1939-1945 war.
No. of Identified Casualties: 2

Cemetery: KILLUNAIG CEMETERY, ISLE OF COLL
Country: United Kingdom
Locality: Argyllshire
Historical Information: This cemetery is an extension of Killunaig Graveyard. It contains the graves of four unidentified seamen of the Merchant Navy.

Names of those buried or commemorated here:

BOUKOUVALAS, DIMITRIOS NIKOLAOU
CARRE, EDWARD CAMBRIDGE
McGREGOR, WILLIAM LINDSAY
PONTUS, KARL
STEWART, HENRY WILLIAM MONCRIEFF

David McNay · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:55 pm Post subject:

MOD EDIT: I can only presume this is the correct photo for this grave, although the date of death is incorrect. We would welcome any further information which would clear this up.

BOUKOUVALAS, DIMITRIOS NIKOLAOU

Rank:Chief Officer
Date of Death:20/08/1940
Regiment/Service:Greek Merchant Navy
Grave Reference:
Cemetery:KILLUNAIG GRAVEYARD, ISLE OF COLL

The inscription looks like ΑΝΔΡΩΝ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΩΝ ΠΑΣΑ ΓΗ ΤΑΦΟΣ which can be translated to "The whole earth is the tomb of heroic men" and seems to be a common inscription on Greek war graves and memorials.

It is taken from a speech given in 431 BC by Pericles (according to Thucydides). This is another version giving more of the speech. I'm sure there are many ways to translate an ancient Greek text so you can find several variations of the words on the internet.

"The whole earth is the sepulchre of famous men; they are honoured not only by columns and inscriptions in their own land, but in foreign nations on memorials graven not on stone but in the hearts and minds of men."

David McNay · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:57 pm Post subject:

Name: PONTUS, KARL
Initials: K
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Scullion
Regiment/Service: Merchant Navy
Unit Text: S.S. Arandora Star (London)
Age: 22
Date of Death: 02/07/1940
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: N. W. Corner. Coll. grave 1.
Cemetery: KILLUNAIG GRAVEYARD, ISLE OF COLL

David McNay · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:58 pm Post subject:

The four unknown WW2 Merchant Navy seamen in the cemetery

David McNay · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:58 pm Post subject:

The unknown WW2 Merchant Navy seaman in the graveyard, between Karl Pontus and the Greek officer

David McNay · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:59 pm Post subject:

Not a war grave as such but that of a woman widowed in both WW1 and WW2 - her first husband lost at sea along with the rest of the crew of the Clyde-built submarine E47 and her second shot by his Japanese captors.

And, piling irony upon irony, note that she died on Remembrance Sunday, 1965

Name: CARRE, EDWARD CAMBRIDGE
Initials: E C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M. S/M. "E47."
Date of Death: 20/08/1917
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 24.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Name: STEWART, HENRY WILLIAM MONCRIEFF
Initials: H W M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Regiment/Service: Middlesex Regiment
Unit Text: Cdg. 1st Bn.
Date of Death: 21/10/1942
Service No: 9005
Awards: O B E, M C
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Brit. Sec. C. D. 4.
Cemetery: YOKOHAMA WAR CEMETERY

David McNay · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 11:03 pm Post subject:

Royal Flying Corps Pilot Officer William Lindsay McGregor Bsc (Hons) who died in Dundee on 17th May 1971.

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

The Carre/Stewart gravestone is WMR 76853