Camasunary, Isle of Skye and the commando connection

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 25/08/2015 03:52:20

Spotted an interesting snippet about commando training on the Isle of Skye in the Mountain Bothies Association 2014 Annual Review.

The article concerns the new replacement for the Camasunary Bothy in the Cuillins of the Isle of Skye, which has just been completed by the commando sappers, 59 Commando Field Squadron, Royal Engineers.

The landowner there, Alan Johnson, tells this quick story ...

"During the last war, the Commandos training at Lochaber did a live fire exercise at Camasunary, landing in the little rocky bay at the east end of Camasunary Bay, and attacking a boathouse at the top end of Loch Na Creithach. Remnants of that building can still be seen.

Ever since then, that little bay has been known by my family as Commando Bay. Perhaps there is some quirk of history here, given that 59 Squadron have built the bothy on virtually the same site about 60 years on."
Alan Johnson

Alan Johnson is taken the original Camasunary Bothy back into use by his family, but has commissioned the new replacement bothy built by the commando sappers just along the shore at Commando Bay. See the map attached.

Major Iain Lamont, OC 59 Commando Squadron, RE, gave a nice quote:
"We were absolutely delighted to be involved. Building the new bothy was exactly the arduous training opportunity that I was looking for. We have really been tested, working hard, isolated, and battered by the weather. I?m over the moon that the walking and mountaineering community will benefit from it in years to come."

I'm sure many Achnacarry 'graduates' from WW2 would know exactly what he means!

I have the full article available as a PDF, but it's too large to attach here. Send me a message if you'd like a copy.

There's an abridged version of the article here: http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/news-general-item.asp?item_id=659

And this webpage has some good photos: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/news/item.php?id=69290

Anyone know anything about this exercise?

Cheers,
Mark