Special service marks centenary of Lewis War Memorial
22 September 2024
Around 140 people attended a special service to mark the centenary of the Lewis War Memorial.
The monument - atop Cnoc nan Uan hill on the edge of Stornoway - was dedicated in
September 1924 by a soldier and a sailor representing their fellow fallen comrades.
Sixteen bronze plaques bearing the names of the 1151 men from Lewis who lost their lives in WW1 were commissioned.
An additional seven plaques were installed in 1958 for the fallen of the Second World War.
► Photos: Ceremony commemorates 100 years of Lewis War Memorial
The memorial closed to the public in 1975 for safety reasons due to its deteriorating condition. By 20022 the plaques were mounted outside in a large circle.
Rev William Heenan from St Columba’s Church who led the service told the crowd the monument “continues to be a permanent reminder of the cost paid for our freedom.”
He added: “Friends, we gather today to commemorate the building and the dedication of the Lewis War Memorial 100 years ago, and to remember again the reason for its existence.
“It is a memorial set up by our forefathers to acknowledge the sacrifice made by 1151 men from Lewis who give their lives to secure the freedoms and the liberties that we enjoy today.
► Photos: Ceremony commemorates 100 years of Lewis War Memorial
“It was sited strategically here on this hill from where all four parishes on a clear day can be seen from which the men came who fell. Dedicated on the fifth of September 1924 along with the brass bronze plaques inscribed with the names of the fallen, the memorial has and remains a conspicuous landmark, indeed a navigational aid, dominating the Lewis skyline for every generation since.”
Wreaths were laid on behalf of the community by Lord Lieutenant, Iain Macaulay, and Comhairle convenor, Kenny Macleod.
