The
Great War would come to an end when Germany surrendered November 11,
1918. Two years later in the summer of 1920 the American Red Cross
financed the construction of a Monument to be built on the Island of
Islay. The Monument stands in the shape of a Light House high above
the cliffs where so many were lost in the wrecks of the Troop
Transport Tuscania and the Otranto.
Also in 1920 a project began to exhume all the American Soldiers
from their graves on Islay and relocate them to either Brookwood War
Cemetery in England, or return them to the States. All the Tuscania
soldiers were exhumed with the exception of one man. The family of
Private Roy Muncaster requested that his body remain undisturbed.
The good folks of Islay ensured that his grave would be attended to
as if he was one of their own.
Wisconsin
Newspaper article (paper unknown)
June 30th, 1920
BODIES OF
TUSCANIA VICTIMS TO BE EXHUMED AND RETURNED TO U.S.
PARIS - Exhumation of the
bodies of 489 American soldiers which were washed upon the rocky shores
of the Island of Islay off the Scottish Coast after the sinking of the
transports Tuscania and Otranto in 1918, will be started July 1st 1920
it was announced here today.
The Scottish Clan which inhabits the lonely spot has taken tender care
of the graves and the chief has given a pledge that the Clan would look
after the graves as if they were its own, until the end of time. The
Chief pleaded that the bodies be left on the Island, but relatives in
many cases wished the return of the bodies and it was decided by the
Graves Registration Service to remove them all.
The coast of Islay is so steep and rocky that the coffins will have to
be carried down steep trails cut in the rocks or lowered by ropes and
tackle to a waiting barge, which will convey them to a Transport
standing off shore. |