Roll Of Honour, WWI, The Home Defence WW2

Roll of Honour

James B Smith, Bouster, lost from SS Greleen, torpedoed Sep 22, 1917 off Berry Head

John Johnson, North House, Bouster, died February, 1918

Peter JG Mann, Bouster, lost at sea from MV Empire Statesman, Dec 5, 1940

Several men served the country in the wars. Many also served in the Mercantile Navy.

WW1

W Anderson RNR HMS Hildabrand

C Davidson RNR Patrol Duty

G Davidson RNR HMMLs

G Inkster MMT Domquegentile

W Spence Private 14th Scottish Rifles

WJ Gordon [Windhouse] Lieutenant RNVR District Commander for Yell and Fetlar

The Home Defence WW2

W Mann

C Johnson

R Johnson

LD Robertson

M Mann

W Anderson

After the war sections of the watch hut were used for part of a building at Wilderness, Raga.

Locals enrolled in the Local Defence Volunteers later to be named The Home Guard. To begin with there were little supplies. Rifles belonging to the days of the old Volunteers were distributed to some and gradually supplies came but ammunition was very scarce for a time. Sea landing places were guarded and watch kept from the hills.

The Home Guard WW2

D Smith

J Barclay corporal

A Johnson sergeant

JW Robertson

L Coutts

G Inkster

G Davidson

C Spence

P Mann

L Robertson

Herra residents were able to hear the explosions and see the smoke caused by war time air raids on the established RAF base at Sullom.

Before aeroplanes were a common sight in the skies the Herra people were startled when, after the second World War, a group of aeroplanes were seen flying low westwards over the Hamar. Quickly families went indoors as they were uncertain of what might happen.

Later in the 1950s three aeroplanes were seen to fly at great speed from the south. They kept to the Bouster Burn valley and flew low out over Whalefirth. Apparently they were on training and were finding out how near they could get to RAF Saxavord, Unst without being spotted.

A Sunderland also flew over the Herra causing a great deal of interest at the time.