William Bruce, 28 Cromore

Lieutenant WILLIAM BRUCE
Last address in Lewis: 28 Cromore,
Son of Mr and Mrs Hector Bruce, of 31 Bridge Street, Inverness
Service unit: 104 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Date of death: 25 May 1918 at the age of 28
Went missing whilst flying from England to France
Interred: Commercy French National Cemetery, North West part
Local memorial: Park, Kershader
He joined the Saskatchewan Regimental Depot, but was seconded to the RAF in 1917. 

Hector Bruce was head master of Cromore School in the Pairc area of Lewis from 1902 until 1918. He had seven children with his wife Margaret (nee Anderson), whom he had married at Golspie on 12 October 1888.
One of their sons, William, was born at Dalarossie Schoolhouse, near Inverness, on 14 June 1888.

After growing up, William emigrated to Canada and worked as a banker at the Head Office of the Union Bank of Canada in Winnipeg from 1908 until 1915. His military service record quotes his Canadian address as Plenty, Saskatchewan; which is nearly 600 miles west of Winnipeg.

William had enrolled in the Saskatchewan Regimental Depot, but was seconded to the Royal Air Force on 12 October 1917, and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 17 February 1918.

On 19 May of the same year, he left the aerodrome at Andover, England, for France. After proceeding for 50 miles, he was forced to land due to engine problems. When it had been repaired, he again started off on 25 May, and since then no further information concerning him was received.

William is marked as buried at the Commercy French National Cemetery, as the sole Commonwealth casualty. I presume he was found later, and interred at Commercy.
 

Donald Macarthur, 20 Cromore

Private DONALD MACARTHUR
Last address in Lewis: 20 Cromore,
Son of John MacArthur
Service unit: 1st Scots Guards
Service number: 6191
Enlisted at Glasgow
Date of birth: 1883
Date of death: 12 November 1914 at the age of 31
Killed in action
Memorial: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 11
Local memorial: Park, Kershader

Donald was one of the children of John (1835) and Mary (1849),  the others being Angus (1872), Catherine, Catherine (1886), Christina (1891), Margaret (1870) and Mary (1877)

John Macarthur, 8 Cromore

Seaman JOHN MACARTHUR
Iain Rae
Last address in Lewis: 8 Cromore,
Son of Annie MacArthur, of 8, Cromore, Lochs, Stornoway, Ross-shire.
Service unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Invincible
Service number: 3975A
Date of birth: 17 August 1893
Date of death: 31 May 1916 at the age of 23
Lost at the Battle of Jutland.
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 18

John was one of the chidlren of Roderick (1856) and Ann  (1859), the others being Chirsty Ann (1899), John (1895), Malcolm, Mary (1892) and Murdo (1898).

His brother Malcolm also served in the RNR, but survived the war. 

Alexander Kennedy, 4 Cromore

Seaman ALEXANDER KENNEDY
Last address in Lewis: 4 Cromore,
Son of John and Isobel Kennedy of 4, Cromore
Service unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Pembroke
Service number: 5344/A
Date of birth: 15 June 1895
Date of death: 3 September 1917 at the age of 21
Died during airraid in Chatham
Interred: Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, grave Naval 4. 195
Local memorial: Park, Kershader
Previously wounded

Alexander (also quoted as Alastair) was one of the sons of John and Ishbel, the others being Angus, Ishbel, John, John and Murdo. Hebridean Connections erroneously quotes his details as being those of Angus.

His brother Murdo served in the Ross Mountain Battery, and Angus was in the RNR. These two survived the war.