Hood Tribute restored by pupils for 75th anniversary

STONES on a north west Sutherland hillside, arranged to spell out the name of a mighty battleship, are again visible from afar after being cleaned and repainted by school pupils.

The project to restore the ‘Hood’ stones, 300ft above Laid, Loch Eriboll, was carried out on May 24, the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the battleship with the loss of 1100 lives.

Pupils from Durness Primary School and their teacher Meg MacRae joined forces with youngsters from George Watson’s College in Edinburgh and their teacher John Coull to carry out the work.

Highland Council countryside ranger Donald Mitchell was also involved.

In a poignant tribute one of the older pupils played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes to mark the anniversary.

The stones have been in place since the 1930s when Loch Eriboll was a popular anchorage for the Royal Navy. Sailors with time on their hands would climb the nearby hill and spell out the name of their ships in metre-high lettering.

They stretch across nearly half-a-mile of hillside and as well as Hood, include Valiant, Whirlwind and a submarine, H43.

Mr Coull said: "As a collection, they represent a very important piece of social history but are largely unknown to passers-by."

HMS Hood is one of Britain’s most famous warships, and was regarded as a symbol of Britain’s supremacy at sea.

Its sinking by German ship Bismarck in 1941 was a blow to the nation.

North west Sutherland community groups have in the past been keen to establish a permanent marker at the site but funds have never materialised despite appeals to the Ministry of Defence, War Graves Commission and the Queen.

Durness Primary School has taken the lead role in maintaining the stones with pupils cutting back vegetation and re-painting them for the first time in 1993 and on several occasions since.

George Watson’s became involved after forming a link with the primary through annual field trips to the area.

Mr Coull said: "GWC has been running a 12 day trip in May for S3 pupils in the same format since 1962. This is the eleventh annual trip I’ve taken to Durness.

"Typically groups of 14 or so S3 pupils will stay at Smoo Youth Hostel and take part in activities ranging from hill walking and kayaking to camping.

"An important part of the trips is to carry out a large variety of conservation tasks."

Mr Coull only recognised the significance of the May 24 date after he contacted the HMS Hood Association to inform its members of the restoration project.

He said: "It was a lovely day. We spent a number of hours in the sunshine and there was lots of laughter, hard work and home bakes.

"The primary pupils came fully dressed in their boiler suits ready for some hard work. They were fantastic.

"At the end, with the Hood stone much more visible from afar, we paid tribute and one of the George Watson pupils, Callum Robertson played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes."

He added: "With stunning views out to Ben Hope and Ben Loyal, there can be few places more peaceful and fitting."

Retired naval officer William Sutherland, who lives in Dornoch, is a committee member of the HMS Hood Association.

He said: "If I had not been at another ceremony in Portsmouth on May 24, I would certainly have attended this moving ceremony performed by staff and pupils. The Hood association is most grateful for the work pupils’ have undertaken and their fitting tribute."

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