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12th January 2009, 03:37 PM
#1
Steam Yacht HMS. Iolaire
On New Years Day 1919 after the first world war the above yacht sank off Stornoway with in excess of 200 casualties. There is a monument at Stornoway to the disaster.
My grandfather Robert Greive Dunbar served as engineer officer on the yacht from 15/9/15 to 3/12/18. At the time of the accident he had already transferred to his last RN ship HMS Cowwhale.
He was an MN Engineer Officer and was called by proclamation to the RN as engineer officer on 21/11/1914 and served until 14/3/1919. The Iolaire was lost 4 weeks after the regular long term crew had left in early December 1918.
When he was called to the RN he was in MacGibbons Engineering College in Glasgow studying for a Class one certificate. He said the "press gang " emptied the college into the RN. They also emptied The Glasgow Royal Navigation College into the RN as well.
The disaster and its handling left a lot of bad feeling and anyone interested in reading about it should "google" the vessel name, a lot of info. Not a nice picture.
regards
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