An Introduction
Posted: Wednesday, 31 August 2005 |
Comments
Welcome to Island Blogging Michael. Are you the sole resident of Fladda?
Mike from Glasgow
The wikidpedia source refers to a beautiful colony of terns, is this true or have they been affected by this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4201880.stm
Mike from Glasgow
Michael, Welcome the Island Blogging. Jane..
Jane from at the desk
The Tern colony on Fladda was pretty much wiped out 5 years ago or so by the mink. You dont want to hear what I think about Mink!! However they are coming back and this year was pretty good with probably about 300 nesting pairs
Michael from Fladda
Welcome Michael, good to see you! Arran had it's first official hunting with hounds last week, there was a great deal of consternation until we discovered they were mink hounds!
Sunny from Arran
Michael - I'm writing a book called Argyll Curiosities for Birlinn. Is Fladda an island I should be researching as a 'cusiosity'? Marian, Mid Argyll
Marian from Mid Argyll
Interested in researching Fladda for my novel as some is set on an a small uninhabited Scottish Island, population having been wiped out. Would love to visit
sue from meon valley
Michael, Do you know the names of the lighthouse keepers? I believe my great-great-great aunts husband may have been the keeper of this lighthouse. Her name was Christine, but I do not know his. Thanks
Jodie from Chicago
Hi Michael, any chance of an amateur radio team coming to the isle next year ? http://www.garc.org.uk
Alan from Grantham. Lincs
Angus MacLennan eldest of five children, son of Norman MacLennan and Mary Graham., born 12th April 1889 on the island of Fladda, a smaller island off the island of Raasay. Married a Scottish girl (a Miss MacKenzie) in South Africa. Killed 16th May 1943. Age 54. During WWII when and if possible it was known for a U-boat Commander to take the Captain of the sunken ship PoW, or the most senior officer found. A number of these U-boats were then lost with all hands before returning home. Of the 9 recorded British crew and 1 passenger lost in such circumstances, all those named below have received War Grave status under the CWGC remit and recorded accordingly on Tower Hill Memorial & (civilian register for the passenger lost) with the exception of Captain Angus MacLennan from the SS ALOE. ALOE sunk by U-182: Master Angus MacLennan BARON DECHMONT sunk by U-507: Master Donald MacCallum (Panel 14) EMPIRE DAY sunk by U-198: Chief Officer Robert Courteney Selfe ( Panel 40) JOHN HOLT sunk by U-66: Master Cecil Gordon Hime and passenger Stanton Hanna Elliott (Panel 59) MANAAR sunk by Leonardo da Vinci: Second Officer Robert Gray (Panel 67) OAKBANK sunk by U-507: Master James Stewart and Apprentice Ian Hamish Innes-Sim (Panel 75) ST. USK sunk by U-161: Master George Henry Moss (Panel 91) YORKWOOD sunk by U-507: Master Frank Herbert Fenn (Panel 120) Records from The National Archives in BT373/7 state: "According to the ships registry Captain MacLennan was appointed Master of the ALOE 15th June 1942 at Durban. No report of him being superceded has been seen and it is therefore presumed that he was still the Master at the time the ship was lost." (dated 18/4/44) Cargo ship ALOE, 5,047grt, built 1925 (South African Railways & Harbour Admin.) had been sailing independently from Bunbury, Western Australia to Durban with a cargo of wheat, timber, lead and bags of mail. On the 5th April 1943, 420 miles South-East of Durban the ALOE was intercepted by U-182 on her first active patrol, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Asmus Nicolai Clausen , and sunk by torpedo in position 32' 37S 37' 50E. After safely abandoning ship without loss of life, U-182 surfaced and approached the lifeboats and took Captain MacLennan onboard as a prisoner. After providing food and other means in order to survive for the remaining crewmembers, U-182 left the scene. The 46 survivors were eventually picked up by the American liberty ship Alexander Ramsey and landed at Cape Town. I have obtained a copy of a German document taken by the British at the end of the war stating: On the 10th April, Kapitänleutnant Clausen sent a radio message to the U-boat command (Bdu) informing them of the sinking of the ALOE and that the ships Master was onboard his U-boat. The final radio signal sent from U-182 on the 1st May 1943 stated they had sunk a Greek merchant ship named Adelfotis and this is the last anything was heard from the U-boat, her 61 crew and Captain MacLennan. The Germans recorded the U-boat as officially missing 15th May 1943 and probable cause of loss by US aircraft. It turns out U-182 was actually sunk the 16th May 1943 North-West of Madeira in position 33' 55N, 20' 35W, by depth charges from the American destroyer USS Mackenzie, which had been part of the escort group for the Algiers bound Convoy UGS-8. (Medal file BT395/1. Ref. No. 119797) Captain MacLennan's relatives claimed his WWII medal entitlement which included: 1939-1945 War Medal 1939-1945 Star Atlantic Star Pacific Star This information has been sent to the CWGC along with the relevent documents and hopefully will be rectified and Captain MacLennan will receive official War Grave status and added to Tower Hill.
Billy McGee from Stockton-on-Tees
Hi Michael, I have been researching my family history and was delighted to find your blog. My g.g.grandfather was the John Stevenson who was the owner of the Oban distillery. So I have been trying to find all and any details of his life. I was not aware that he had at one time owned Fladda. Do you know if he ever lived there ? I know that the Stevenson family (the lighthouse builders) built the light house on the island. I am trying to tie the two families together, but so far it is only a guess on my part. I would love to hear from you on any information about the island. I have lived in Canada for the past 40 years. It is only in the past 2 years that I have learned about my connection with the Oban Stevenson's. So as I said I am looking for any information that I can find about them I hope you can contact me sometime Ann
Ann Le Messurier from ann@lemessurier.ca
Hi Micheal I have just found out my g.g.grandfather James Cadger was a church & light house Chaplas his address was Fladda Light House on the 1881 Scotland Census and had three Children at that stage His wife was Mary nee MCBeth, however on the census Spelt Margt (? often mistakes) Sorry thats all I know for now will keep researching. Would love any infor you may come across Sandra from New Zealand
Sandra Bailey from sbaileyhotsite@xtra.com.nz
My great grandmother was Lexy Maclennan (Lexy Tormod an t-Saighdear) who married the shoemaker John M. MacLeod on Raasay. She was the sister of Captain Angus Maclennan mentioned in a previous post.
Ceitidh Smith from Inverness
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