Sacrifice of servicemen honoured by South Harris community

Photo credit: Effie MacLeod

A service took place outside Hebrides People Visitor Centre on April 30, remembering the servicemen who lost their lives when a Shackleton aircraft crashed into Maodal, near Northton in 1990.

The service was led by Rev Mark MacLeod and well attended by members of the community, along with representatives of South Harris Community Council, local emergency services and six members of VIII Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth, the squadron to which the servicemen belonged.

Wreaths were laid at the site of a memorial stone and plaque in the car park, on behalf of the squadron, South Harris Community Council and the Harris community, and a minute’s silence was held.

After the formal proceedings and a reception lunch at Talla na Mara,

the visiting servicemen hiked to the top of Maodal to pay their respects at the hilltop memorial by the site of the crash, which contains the ESM receiver (a communications device) from the plane. One memorial is sited in the car park and one at the top of the hill.

With building developments due to commence at Hebrides People Centre soon, the memorial in the car park is expected to be relocated to an appropriate site nearby.