Peter Stewart, 3 Lower Bayble

Seaman PETER STEWART
Last address in Lewis: 3 Lower Bayble,
Son of Peter Stewart
Service unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Otway
Service number: 2275A
Date of birth: 1 February 1886
Date of death: 23 July 1917 at the age of 34
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 26
Local memorial: Point (Garrabost)

We find Peter on the 1891 census with his parents Peter (36, crofter & fishermen) and Ann (37), as well as his siblings Malcolm (11), Margaret (6), Joanna (4) and Jane (1).

Stornoway Gazette 
Last week brought sad news to Bayble, concerning the loss of two of the gallant lads who were helping to keep the British flag flying on the seas, namely, Evander Macleod, son of Mr Angus Macleod, merchant, Lower Bayble, and Peter Stewart, son of Mr Peter Stewart, 3 Lower Bayble, who were killed on board HMS Otway, when she was torpedoed by an enemy submarine. Sincere sympathy is felt for the bereaved families.

Stornoway Gazette (2)

Not since 2nd February 1915, when HMS Auxiliary Cruiser "Clan Macnaughton" was wrecked in a gale, has Lewis suffered so grievous a sea loss as she did last week when the Auxiliary Cruiser "Otway" was torpedoed and sunk. In the first-named disaster, the ship went down with all hands on board, no less than nine of the crew being Lewis Naval Reservists - two natives of Aird Tong, two of Calbost, one of Arnol, one of Borve, one of South Dell, one of Breasclet and one of Portvoller.

In the case of the Otway, thought the ship was lost, the bulk of the crew, fortunately, were saved. Among the crew of between 300 and 400 there were no fewer than 38 Lewismen. Altogether ten men were killed when the torpedo struck, and of these six were natives of Lewis, namely:

Evander Macleod, Lower Bayble
Peter Stewart, Lower Bayble
Donald Campbell, North Tolsta
Donald Macphail, Bragar
Murdo Mackay, Shawbost
Murdo Macdonald, Eorodale, Ness

To the relatives of the deceased the deepest sympathy of the whole community is extended.