Malcolm Macleod, 5 Knock, Point

Gunner MALCOLM MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 5 Knock, Point,
Service unit: Merchant Marine, SS Mereddio
Service number: 4440A
Date of birth: 5 March 1894
Date of death: 10 January 1918 at the age of 20
Lost in sinking of ship
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 30
Mentioned on family gravestone in Eye Cemetery, Lewis
Local memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Malcolm is found in the 1901 census as a 6-year old, living at 5 Knock with his parents Alexander (34, fisherman) and Henrietta (33). He has four siblings; Donald (10), Alexander [John] (8), Alexander (4) and Mary (2). During the Great War, Donald was a skipper in the RNR; Alexander John was lost serving with the Canadians in November 1918 and the younger Alexander served in the Gordon Highlanders.

Stornoway Gazette, 5 April 1918
Gnr Macdonald, RNR, 20 Knock; Gnr Norman Martin RNR, 28 Knock and Gnr Malcolm Macleod, RNR, 5 Knock have been lost. The sad news has cast quite a gloom over the whole district, and sincerest sympathy goes out to the bereaved families and friends. The loss of these three young lads within a fortnight of each other is a great blow to the district. They were kindly, manly fellows of sterling qualities , and of more than ordinary intelligence and ability, and most dutiful towards their parents and families.

Macdonald had gone to Canada prior to 1914, and being a Royal Naval Reserve man, whenever the call of duty for the defence of King and Country came, he threw up a good situation and at his own expense came across and rejoined.

We, in common with the rest of our island, are deprived of the best of our young and brave manhood, but let us contemplate what we owe to our gallant defenders, and to those who make the supreme sacrifice on our behalf [remainder of article illegible]

Stornoway Gazette, 13 December 1918
[...]  Mr Macleod [5 Knock, Point] lost another son, Malcolm, who was a gunner on board the SS Mereddio, an amiable and gallant lad who, previous to the loss of the Mereddio, gave a good account of himself by sinking an enemy submarine in the Mediterranean, for which he received the £50 bonus. His third son, Alexander, was discharged from the Army last May on accounts of wounds. He went through the hardships of fighting at the beginning of the war and was several times wounded.