On Saturday 21 September members of the public gathered to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of the Lewis War Memorial.
The service at the Lewis War Memorial was led by Rev William Heenan from St Columba’s Church, Stornoway, and featured the laying of wreaths on behalf of the community of the Western Isles by HM Lord Lieutenant, Iain Macaulay, and Comhairle Convener, Cllr Kenny Macleod.
Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Cllr Kenny Macleod, said:
“It was great to see so many in attendance to mark this important event in our community’s history. The service gave us an opportunity to gather to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. I would like to thank all present for their attendance and participation.”
The Lewis War Memorial
Following the 1914 – 1918 war and the tragedy of the Iolaire disaster on New Year’s Day 1919, a public meeting was held in Stornoway in January 1920 in order to perpetuate the memory of the 1,151 Lewismen who had made the ultimate sacrifice. The Proprietor of the island at the time, Lord Leverhulme, was elected Chairman of an Appeals Committee, with joint secretaries George Macleod and Colin J. Maciver and Honorary Treasurers, Kenneth Mackenzie and John Macritchie Morrison.
From January to July 1920 the pages of the Stornoway Gazette carried advertisements appealing for subscriptions towards the building costs of a suitable memorial anticipated to cost at least £10,000 but probably closer to £20,000. The response was overwhelming and by May 1923 there had been a competition for the design of the memorial, won by Mr J.H Gall from Inverness. The work, which at that time did not include the mounting of 16 bronze plaques representing the four parishes of Lewis, was completed by August 1924. The total cost of £4,000 transpired to be much more modest than initially expected and on Friday 24th September 1924, in perfect weather conditions, over two thousand people witnessed the unveiling of the Memorial by Lord Leverhulme.
