WAR and SERVICES GRAVES COLONSAY GRAVEYARD
ROW 1 (East)
2 F. NORGATE / CHIEF PETTY OFFICER RN / P/239946 / HMS "TRANSYLVANIA" / 10th AUGUST 1940 AGE 50
3 A SAILOR / OF THE / 1939 - 1945 / WAR / ROYAL NAVY / FOUND 21st AUGUST 1940 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
4 A SAILOR / OF THE / 1939 - 1945 / WAR / MERCHANT NAVY / FOUND 20th AUGUST 1940 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
5 A SAILOR / OF THE 1939 - 1945 / WAR / A PETTY OFFICER / ROYAL NAVY / FOUND 19th AUGUST 1940 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
6 J KELLACHER / ABLE SEAMAN RNVR P/ESDX.91 / HMS "TRANSYLVANIA" / 10th AUGUST 1940 AGE 33 / ON HIS SOUL / SWEET JESUS, HAVE MERCY / R.I.P.
8 A SAILOR / OF THE / 1939 - 1945 WAR / MERCHANT NAVY / FOUND 11th AUGUST 1940 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
9 TWO SAILORS / OF THE / 1939 - 1945 WAR / MERCHANT NAVY / FOUND AUGUST 1940 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
10 WALFRIDO SAGRAMATI / DECEDUTO IL 16 AGOSTO 1940 / MORTO PER LA PATRIA
11 J McINTOSH / BARKEEPER, NAP(MN) / HMS "TRANSYLVANIA" / 10th AUGUST 1940 AGE 43
12 R STEWART / DONKEYMAN NAP(MN) / HMS "TRANSYLVANIA" / 10th AUGUST 1940 AGE 38
18 PO/10910 PRIVATE RMLI / E PALMER / HMS "VIKNOR" / 13th JANUARY 1915 AGE 31 / THE MISTS HAVE ROLLED AWAY
19 TO THE MEMORY OF / RICHARD PRIOR / MASTER GUNNER R.N. / H.M.S. KING EDWARD V11 / KILLED OFF COLONSAY / 18 th SEPTEMBER 1912 / ALSO HIS BROTHERS / CHARLES , KILLED IN BELGIUM / 23 rd DEC. 1914 / ARCHIBALD , KILLED AT ARRAS / 3 rd MAY 1917 / HERBERT , KILLED AT SEA / 30 th OCT. 1918 / AND THEIR COUSINS / JAMES , KILLED AT SEA / 22 nd SEPT. 1914 / HARRY , KILLED ON THE SOMME / 7 th OCT. 1916
32 IN / LOVING MEMORY OF / ... / DONALD [McNEILL] AND ARCHD ALEXR [McNEILL] / OF THE SCOTS GUARDS / AGED 30 AND 25 YEARS / KILLED IN FRANCE / DURING THE GREAT WAR 1917
ROW 2
1 BIRGER OEST-LARSEN / DANISH MERCHANT NAVY / FOUND 6th JANUARY 1942
2 J. LOVERIDGE / ABLE SEAMAN RN D/JX 189694 / SS "EMPIRE TIGER" / 27th FEBRUARY 1941 AGE 24 / IN MEMORY OF / OUR DEAR SON AND BROTHER JAMES / TIMES PASSES ON / BUT MEMORIES EVER CLING
3 F. NEVIN / TRIMMER NAP (MN) / HMS "TRANSYLVANIA" / 16th AUGUST 1940 AGE 32 / MAY HE REST IN PEACE
4 5619428 PRIVATE / J A EDMONDS / THE DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT / 2nd JULY 1940 AGE 30
11 H McMILLAN / ABLE SEAMAN RN J/54033 / HMS "BLAKE" / 21st AUGUST 1918 AGE 30
15 W. H. BOLAND / PETTY OFFICER, RN 170915 / HMS "VIKNOR" / 13th JANUARY 1915 AGE 39 / WHEN THE DAY BREAKS / AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY
16 1034/X SEAMAN / JOHN B MERCER / HMS "VIKNOR" / NEWFOUNDLAND RNR / 13th JANUARY 1915 AGE 22 / GRANT HIM, LORD, ETERNAL REST / WITH THE SPIRITS / OF THE BLEST. / ALSO AN / UNKNOWN BRITISH SEAMAN / OF THE GREAT WAR / 1st MARCH 1915 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
19 through 21 - uninscribed [ caretaker's record includes " Hector McMillan RN " and "Mrs Bell McMillan"
ROW 3
1 A SAILOR / OF THE / 1939 - 1945 / WAR / MERCHANT NAVY / FOUND 26th SEPTEMBER / 1944 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
2 A SAILOR / OF THE / 1939 - 1945 / WAR / MERCHANT NAVY / FOUND 28th SEPTEMBER / 1944 / KNOWN UNTO GOD
ROW 5 (a short row commencing at north end of path, where a large granite block is lying)
2 IN / LOVING MEMORY OF / FRANCIS HOTHAM / LIEUTENANT ROYAL NAVY / WHO DIED AT COLONSAY / 13th FEBRUARY 1900 AGED 49 / "UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS AND THE / SHADOWS FLEE AWAY"
ROW 7 The first row to the west of the gate
6 IN / AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE / OF / .../ THEIR SON ALEXANDER [McNEILL] / 1877 - 1929 / INTERRED IN PENANG /
7 IN / LOVING MEMORY OF /... / THEIR SON NICOL [McNEILL] / WHO DIED IN FRANCE / 13th APRIL 1915 AGED 24 YEARS /
After grave 9 the row is staggered to west
10 IN / MEMORY / OF /... / AND OUR BELOVED BROTHER / HECTOR [McNEILL] KILLED IN ACTION / AT THE SOMME, FRANCE / OCTr 12th 1916 AGED 34 YEARS / PETER [McNEILL] KILLED IN ACTION / IN PALESTINE NOVr 6th 1917 AGED 37 YEARS
ROW 8
1 IN / LOVING MEMORY / OF / ... THEIR SON MURDOCH [McALLISTER] / WHO DIED IN EGYPT 29th MAY 1954 / AGED 23 YEARS
6 IN LOVING MEMORY / OF /... / THEIR SECOND ELDEST SON / Pte JOHN CLARK A & S Hrs / KILLED IN ACTION / 10th APRIL 1918 AGED 28 YEARS / THEIR SONS / GEORGE [CLARK] / DIED 9th JULY 1945 AGED 46 YEARS / DONALD CLARK , MASTER MARINER / DIED 1st MAY 1949 AGED 61 YEARS
ROW 11 Beside the west wall
5. 464634 A.C.W. 2nd CLASS / CATHERINE SMITH / PATTERSON / WOMEN'S AUXILIARY AIR FORCE / 17th DECEMBER 1942 / AGE 21 / EVER LOVING, EVER KIND / HAPPY MEMORIES LEFT BEHIND
10. 196250 GUNNER / JOHN BROWN / ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY / 13th APRIL 1917 / AGE 41 / IN LOVING MEMORY / GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
WAR and SERVICES GRAVES ORANSAY GRAVEYARD
Graveyard
3 DONALD McNEILL / Private HM 44th Regiment / died at Colonsay 8th July 1888 / aged 61 years / This stone was erected by / Major General Sir John McNeill / proprietor
14 1907 [presumably an unknown sailor ]
15 MN / A sailor of the / 1939 - 1945 / war / Merchant Navy / Found 10th July 1946 / Known unto God
16 A.FISHER / Eng Room Artfcr RNR 1523/LA / HMS "VIKNOR" / 13th January 1915
[below] In loving memory of / Alfred Fisher/ E.R.A. / Lost with HMS Viknor / 'Till / The Day Dawns
Eilean nan Ròn
On highest point of raised beach Elean nan Tigh
EDMONDO ARMANDO SOTTOCARNOLA 2/4/1897 – 2/7/1940
A transcription of all gravestones in Colonsay and Oransay was originally compiled by Kevin and Christa Byrne, Colonsay, to 29 June 1996 and it was later edited as above on 11 November 2021 to show the official War Graves and some others that may also be relevant – further information welcomed.
A copy of the complete original list was lodged with The Scottish Genealogy Society and also with the County Archivist, Argyll & Bute
WAR MEMORIAL
A granite Celtic cross overlooking the harbour, bearing the following inscription:
SACRED / TO THE MEMORY OF THE COLONSAY MEN / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR. / 1914 - 1918
LIEUT. COL. MALCOLM McNEILL (CALUM OG) A. & S. HIGHS.
CAPT. DUNCAN MACKINNON R.A.M.C.
LIEUT. ROBERT HENRY PALMER HOWARD E. SURREY REG.
SEAMAN ANGUS BROWN R.N.
PRIVATE JOHN BROWN R.F.A.
SERGT. HUGH BUIE CANADIANS
PRIVATE JOHN CLARK A. & S. HIGHS.
SEAMAN HECTOR McMILLAN R.N.
PRIVATE NEIL MCMILLAN CANADIANS
PRIVATE ARCHd. ALEX. McNEILL S. GUARDS
PRIVATE DONALD McNEILL S. GUARDS
PRIVATE HECTOR McNEILL A. & S. HIGHS.
PRIVATE PETER McNEILL R. SCOTS.
L. CORP. NICOL McNEILL CANADIANS
SEAMAN ANGUS McPHEE R.N.R.
PRIVATE JOHN McLELLAN A. & S. HIGHS
"CHA DO THUIT AN CLIU."
At its foot is a modern stone, inscribed:
1939 - 1945 / IN MEMORY OF /
A.C.W. CATHERINE PATTERSON W.A.A.F.
PTE. ANGUS BROWN 1 st A. & S. H.
A.B. JOHN GALBRAITH M.N.
A brass plate in the Parish Church records the same names, save for the spelling of the first named as
CATHERINE PATERSON
SS “ARANDORA STAR”
A granite memorial at Leum a' Bhriair is inscribed:
Sacred to the memory of / Giuseppe Delgrosso / and of more than 800 others / who perished with "Arandora Star" / July 2 nd 1940 / fo sgàil do sgiathan falaich mi / Psalm 17, v. 8
“COLONSAY'S FALLEN”
A book by Alan Davis gives brief biographical details of all who are listed on the War Memorials or whose remains came to rest in the island during the conflicts. Now out of print, but a copy is lodged with each Copyright Library. [Colonsay Books, 2004, ISBN 1 899863 34 6]