Stories - Fair Isle

There is no doubt that Fair Isle situated between Orkney and the Shetlands was a very unsafe place to be during the Second World War. Early air attacks on Fair Isle North destroyed a series of outbuildings on the station. Much worse was to follow.

The Lighthouse was attacked no less than three times in 1941. Tragically, there were casualties; in December 1941 the wife of Assistant Light keeper Sutherland on Fair Isle South was killed in an air raid. Six weeks after both the wife and daughter of the Principal Smith were killed in a similar raid. The station was attacked and German bombers scored a direct hit on the main residential area. In the same attack a soldier manning one of the defensive machine guns was also killed. Even today the deaths of those relatives of light keepers is commemorated by 84 George Street, the headquarters of the Northern Lighthouse Board. In November red poppies and white flowers are arranged at the entrance.

Despite these attacks light keepers were often involved in maintaining the lights even though there was insufficient equipment to do so. On Fair Isle Roderick Macauley received the British Empire Medal for his assistance during an air raid. He was stationed at Fair Isle North and following a raid walked the three miles to Fair Isle South to help repair the southern light that had been damaged by aircraft.