Willie Bunting of Balemartine
Photograph of Willie Bunting during World War II.
The first Tiree man to enlist after the outbreak of World War II was Willie Bunting of Balemartine. He is pictured in this photograph (second right in the front row) after completing his training at Newcastle. Prior to this, he worked for Johnny Brown at the Scarinish Hotel as a motor mechanic and taxi driver.
In 1939 he asked Johnny for a couple of days off work and went to Stirling Castle where he joined the army. On his return in 1945, Johnny handed him a large brown envelope containing his wages for the time he was away.
After the war Willie worked on Tiree as a haulier, then left for Glasgow in the early 1950s to work as a mechanic. He returned to the island in 1969 to work as an engineer in the power house in Crossapol.
Black and white photograph of Willi Bunting at start of WWII.
Willie Bunting (2nd right front) after training at Newcastle in 1939-40.