Sir, 

I beg to report that on Thursday 10th September 1942 a Sea Mine was washed ashore at Ellenabeich, Easdale, and later same day exploded as a result of which a number of buildings in the vicinity were damaged. The circumstances are briefly these.

About 9:15 a.m a report was received by the police at Oban that a mine was observed to be adrift in the sea off the village of Cullipool, Island of Luing. The information was immediately passed on to the Naval Authorities, here, for the necessary action to be taken. While arrangements for the evacuation of the village were being made, further information was received that the mine had altered its course and was again drifting seawards.    

At or about 1:00 pm the mine was observed drifting up the channel between the Island of Easdale and Ellenabeich on the Island of Seil. It drifted past the pier at Ellenabeich and subsequently grounded on the beach. Although the mine came to rest on the beach it continued to roll from side to side due to the action of the waves.

The Naval Search Party sent from Oban arrived at Easdale. The officer examined the mine but could do nothing with it at this stage, as apparently the dismantling would have to be carried out by an officer or officers specially trained for the purpose.   

The mine exploded at approximately 5:45 pm the same day. Fortunately at the time the village streets in the near vicinity were practically deserted, most if not all of the inhabitants being inside their dwellings for tea. A number of buildings including dwelling houses, however, suffered damage as a result of the explosion. While the damage to some of these were slight or appears to be so, others suffered more extensively.

The mine has been definitely established as being a British mine. Several pieces of the casing have since been picked up in the vicinity of where it exploded and these are now in possession of the Coastguard Officer for the Easdale district.

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