It was one of the worst maritime disasters in British waters - a tragedy that touched every family on a Scottish island.
More than 200 men lost their lives in the sinking of the Iolaire, a ship that was carrying sailors who had fought in the First World War back to the Isle of Lewis.
The vessel sank just a mile away from the safety of Stornoway harbour after crashing into rocks on New Year’s Day 1919.
The impact of the disaster on the close-knit community was massive and as the 100th anniversary of the sinking draws near, locals and others across the globe are keen to ensure those who lost their lives are remembered.
There has been huge demand for tickets for a commemoration event on the island, with all 500 free tickets being snapped up in just 20 minutes.
Western Isles Council has now agreed to broadcast the remembrance - which will take place on New Year’s Eve - online.
Norman MacDonald, Chairman of the Iolaire Working Group, said: “As we anticipated, the demand for tickets was very high indeed and we are very pleased by the level of interest shown by both the local community and those further afield.
“Demand for tickets far outstripped availability and we are exploring options to ensure as many people as possible can participate on the night.”
The Iolaire was struggling with high winds just a few yards offshore when it hit the infamous rocks, the Beasts of Holm, on that fateful day.
A total of 201 servicemen lost their lives. Only 82 survived.
Around a third of those known to have died were never recovered from the sea.
Malcolm Macdonald, chairman of the Stornoway Historical Society – and whose own grandfather perished on board the Iolaire – said:”A lot of survivors emigrated - they could not live here with the guilt of surviving.
“One man was so traumatised he ended up in an asylum, while another went in and out of his house through the windows instead of the doors.
“For days after the disaster the villages were under a dark cloud.
“The loss of so many young men in the war left a voluminous void in the population of Lewis and Harris. The majority of these young men were single and, therefore, did not leave a generation of young children to follow in their footsteps.
“Many of the young women left behind ended up living out their days as spinsters. Like those that had died in the war, a number of those drowned on the ‘Iolaire’ were engaged to be married or were going to get engaged when they arrived home.
“This island-wide phenomenon had been a wall of silence that descended on the entire community after the tragedy with people not wanting to talk about it at all.
“There was strong opposition initially towards erecting the Iolaire Memorial as it had stirred up painful memories for many.
“My grandfather perished on the Iolaire but both my sister and I were not told about the event until 1958. I was ten years-old at that time and my sister was 17. My father had been orphaned by the disaster and never spoke about it in any detail whatsoever.
“He spoke briefly about his tragic early life to my sister when aged over 80. My grandfather’s remains were not recovered and we assume that this traumatic occurrence badly affected him.”
The last survivor of the Iolaire - which means “eagle” in Gaelic - died in 1992.
The cause of the disaster was never conclusively determined. A public inquiry was unable to establish the reasons for the accident.
A recent diving expedition to the site of the wreck revealed there is now little left of the ship.
Chris Murray, a former Royal Navy diver who received the Queen’s Gallantry medal for the rescue of crewmen from the fishing vessel The Hansa, said: “The boiler and the prop shaft are all that largely remain of the Iolaire, which is about 30ft down.
“In 100 years there will be nothing left. Anything of any value - the guns, the engine etc - was taken away by the Admiralty after she sunk.”
In March, stones collected from the home village of each of the 201 sailors lost on the infamous naval tragedy were incorporated into a unique memorial on the island.
The memorial situated in Carn Gardens, close to Stornoway Town Hall, consists of a slate engraving on a wall and a stone cairn which will include stones to represent each man lost.
The centenary event, which will take place in Lewis Sports Centre, will feature military and school band performances, poetry readings and songs, in addition to different spiritual elements.
A spokesman for the council acknowledged there were “very many” people left disappointed they could not get tickets to the commemoration.
Officials are now planning to stream the event live at the neighbouring Nicolson Institute which would cater for several hundred more people.
The event will also be broadcast on the internet. More details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
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