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Stornoway, Lewis
Young Lewis seaman who died in Hong Kong is buried 6/11/11
Over 1,000 people attended the funeral of a young Lewis seaman who died suddenly in Hong Hong.
Andrew Macleod of Benside near Stornoway died unexpectedly, of natural causes, two weeks ago.
He was discovered dead in a chair in his cabin on the UK-
Mr Macleod was on his last sea trip as a trainee engineering cadet and was due to fly home on leave this month.
He was scheduled to start his final phase at Glasgow Nautical College after the New Year. There was little doubt the popular, diligent, youth would have qualified as a ship’s engineer in July.
His heartbroken parents Murdo and Dolina Macleod were flown to Hong Kong by the global shipping company Evergreen Line. They returned with the body of their only child to bury him at home.
It was the largest funeral on the island that many islanders could remember.
On Saturday, a long line of mourners, including a large number of young people, had to queue down the town centre street to cram into Stornoway Free Church where his funeral service was taking place.
There were tears amongst mourners when they were told his parents described him as a perfect dream child who caused them no problems growing up.
A traditional Hebridean funeral procession took place after the service. In silence, the cortege weaved its way through the residential streets of the town: along Kenneth Street, Scotland Street, Lewis Street and onto the top end of Francis Street to its junction with Matheson Road.
The procession was so long that nearly 100 male mourners did not have the opportunity to take a lift of the coffin even after a half mile walk. The burial took place at Sandwick Cemetery.
Mr Macleod grew up in Benside in Newmarket, some three miles outside Stornoway. He attended Laxdale Primary School and later, the Nicolson Institute secondary school on Lewis.
He was passionate about tinkering with cars and engines as well as sailing around the islands. The keen Runrig fan was also enthusiastic about Skoda cars and took pat in island drag races. Mr Macleod completed an HNC in Engineering at the Lews Castle College in Stornoway in 2009 and went on to join the Merchant Navy.