To record the ‘Home Front’ memories of local men and women from WW2
Mackay Country
Home Front Oral History Project
Loch Eriboll
Two captured German subs- one was 20 miles off Cape Wrath and the other way past Stornoway. John Macleod, Coldbackie was on a ship trying to take a shortcut home late at night and they gave quite a chase.
Johnnie was on HMS York City at Aultbea. Subs went to Londonderry after the war and were then scuttled in the Atlantic. Prisoners were removed at Kyle of Lochalsh and taken to the train south.
Swastikas were removed at the mouth of Loch Eriboll and the Union Jack was hoisted, which can be seen in the photo.
TF12C
TF12C
John Christopher Macleod, Coldbackie in Naval uniform circa 1940.
Murdo Macleod, Kinlochbervie, in North Africa
Loch Eriboll
Wartime Memories
‘I mind us meeting the MacPhees up at Laide, on Loch Eriboll, at Eriboll Farm. It’s deep water in the loch. We went to sleep in our tents and when we woke up there were battleships there, cruisers, destroyers anchored in a great row down the loch. That was 2nd September 1939. They’d come in to hide, waiting for the war.
The Williamsons were camped not far along. … We were boys then and we cheered and waved our bonnets at the sailors. They must have wondered who the hell they were fighting for!’[1]
[1] Page 35 – Quoted by Timothy Neat in his book ‘The Summer Walkers’, published by Canongate, Edinburgh – 2002.
Eddie Davies
Picture courtesy of School of Scottish Studies