
The Drowned and the Saved
When War Came to the Hebrides
Les Wilson(Author)
Origin (Publisher)
Published on 25. January 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-78027-543-7 (ISBN)
Description
Winner of the Saltire Society History Book of the Year
Next morning at about 6 o'clock my mother wakened us to say there had been a shipwreck and bodies were being washed ashore. My father had gone with others to look for survivors ... I don't think any survivors came in at Port Ellen but bodies did.
The loss of two British ships crammed with American soldiers bound for the trenches of the First World War brought the devastation of war directly to the shores of the Scottish island of Islay.
The sinking of the troopship Tuscania by a German U-Boat on 5 February 1918 was the first major loss of US troops in in the war. Eight months after the people of Islay had buried more than 200 Tuscania dead, the armed merchant cruiser Otranto collided with another troopship during a terrible storm. Despite a valiant rescue attempt by HMS Mounsay, the Otranto drifted towards Islay, hit a reef, throwing 600 men into the water. Just 19 survived; the rest were drowned or crushed by the wreckage.
Based on the harrowing personal recollection of survivors and rescuers, newspaper reports and original research, Les Wilson tells the story of these terrible events, painting a vivid picture which also pays tribute to the astonishing bravery of the islanders, who risked their lives pulling men from the sea, caring for survivors and burying the dead.
Next morning at about 6 o'clock my mother wakened us to say there had been a shipwreck and bodies were being washed ashore. My father had gone with others to look for survivors ... I don't think any survivors came in at Port Ellen but bodies did.
The loss of two British ships crammed with American soldiers bound for the trenches of the First World War brought the devastation of war directly to the shores of the Scottish island of Islay.
The sinking of the troopship Tuscania by a German U-Boat on 5 February 1918 was the first major loss of US troops in in the war. Eight months after the people of Islay had buried more than 200 Tuscania dead, the armed merchant cruiser Otranto collided with another troopship during a terrible storm. Despite a valiant rescue attempt by HMS Mounsay, the Otranto drifted towards Islay, hit a reef, throwing 600 men into the water. Just 19 survived; the rest were drowned or crushed by the wreckage.
Based on the harrowing personal recollection of survivors and rescuers, newspaper reports and original research, Les Wilson tells the story of these terrible events, painting a vivid picture which also pays tribute to the astonishing bravery of the islanders, who risked their lives pulling men from the sea, caring for survivors and burying the dead.
Reviews / Votes
'excellent from every point of view - the narrative is clear and gripping, the research is of a high, indeed exhaustive, standard, and the work is imbued with an intangible but deeply felt humanity for the plight of the men involved in these two catastrophe' -- Joe FarrellMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Birlinn General
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
8pp b/w plates
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
255 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78027-543-7 (9781780275437)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
01/2018
Origin
€7.19
Available for download
Persons
Les Wilson is a writer and award-winning documentary maker. Among his film credits is the 30-part series Scotland's War, an oral history of the Second World War, and the 13-part series The Real Tartan Army, a TV history of the Scottish regiments.
Lord Robertson of Islay (George Robertson) was born in Port Ellen, Islay. He was UK Defence Secretary from 1997 to 1999 and Secretary General of NATO from 1999 to 2004.
Lord Robertson of Islay (George Robertson) was born in Port Ellen, Islay. He was UK Defence Secretary from 1997 to 1999 and Secretary General of NATO from 1999 to 2004.