The first of the two trains arrived in Kyle at 6.15pm.  The 190 Lewismen who had travelled up from England on the train were soon ushered aboard the Iolaire.  The arriving Harrismen were ordered to await passage on Thursday (although 7 Harrismen would subsequently number amongst the dead), with the Skyemen awaiting imminent passage aboard HM Drifter, Jennie Campbell.  The second train finally arrived at 7pm, with an additional 130 Lewismen.  As they stood in two rows of 65 (130 men) to await orders to board the Iolaire, news arrived that the Sheila could take an additional 60 men.  The sixty men making up the 30 files arranged on the right were promptly despatched to the waiting SS Sheila - leaving the remaining 70 men to their fate aboard the Iolaire.

At 9.30pm on  31 December 1918 the Iolaire left Kyle for its homeward journey to Lewis.  The Sheila would cast-off 30 minutes later.  With the expectations of a new year and the armistice which followed four years of war, the young servicemen aboard HMS Iolaire would have undoubtedly been full of merriment and Gaelic song as they looked forward to being reunited with their families and loved ones back on Lewis.  Although dark, the night was initially clear with a ‘fresh’ southerly wind.  However, shortly after 12.30am (when the vessel would have been a few miles South East of Milaid Light, and about 12 miles from Stornoway harbour ) the wind began to rise, with an accompanying heavy drizzle.

At about 1am Commander Mason left the bridge, leaving the Iolaire  under the command of her First Officer, Lieutenant Cotter.  The crew of the fishing boat, Spider, would subsequently testify to a Public Inquiry that, on their return to Stornoway, they were overtaken by the Iolaire whilst still several miles from harbour.  As the fishing boat neared the Arnish Light, its crew became concerned as the vessel ahead of them failed to alter course at the appropriate time - and appeared to be on a collision course with the cliffs at Holm.  Many of the RNR passengers aboard the Iolaire were themselves experienced local fishermen and consequently, some would probably have been aware that the yacht was not following the prescribed course for Stornoway Harbour.  Shortly afterwards, the fears of the Spider’s crew would be realised as they began hearing cries of distress in the darkness on their starboard side. 

At 1.55am, less than two hours into the New Year, HMS Iolaire suddenly shuddered to a halt as it struck the rocks at Holm.  The boat listed heavily to starboard as a large wave crashed into her and lifted the stricken vessel further onto the rocks.  As she began to sink, waves swept over the deck as between 50 and 60 men immediately opted to jump overboard and swim the 20 or 30 yards to shore.  Unfortunately, this decision proved to be disastrous as none of them would succeed in this initial attempt at escape.  Apart from hostile sea conditions, the night was as black as the tragedy itself.  Some distress flares were fired into the night skies and a number of passengers suddenly realised that the vessel’s stem was within a few yards of a rocky ledge which extended to the shore.  Some of those on board attempted to use this potential escape route but, unfortunately, many were drowned or perished as they were dashed onto the rocks by the uncompromising waves.  Shortly after 2am, Lieut. Robert Ainsdale, the Officer of the Watch at Battery Point, reported to Admiral Boyle the initial sighting of a red distress flare from the direction of Holm.

As the disaster unfolded, the Spider and HM Drifter Budding Rose (the pilot boat which had been assigned to guide the Iolaire into port) were unable to render assistance.  The heavy seas and frenzied waters betrayed the presence of submerged rocks which prevented them from effecting a rescue from the sea. 

Many of those who survived would owe their lives to the courage and determination of John F. Macleod - a Ness boat-builder returning home from active service in the RNR.  Having tied a heaving-line around his body, MacLeod would eventually  manage to scramble and swim his way to the shore.  Four or five men managed to drag themselves ashore by means of this line.  Later, a hawser was attached to the line and hauled ashore.   This then enabled a further 35 men to escape the carnage.  In 1921, Seaman MacLeod would receive the Carnegie Hero Fund Medal and Certificate  “in recognition of heroic endeavour to save human life”. 

At 3.20am, F. Boxall, the Coastguard’s Divisional Chief Officer, was roused from his bed on receipt of an emergency message from Admiral Boyle.  He immediately proceeded to the Battery, and arrived there about twenty minutes later.  There, he was advised by Chief Officer Barnes that he had only been able to muster 3 of the company’s men and that the horse and equipment had not, as yet, arrived.  Barnes’ company, reinforced by 19 Naval men, then proceeded by road to Holm Point.  Unfortunately, the Coastguard men and equipment would not arrive at Holm before the Iolaire finally broke her back, between 3am and 3.30am.  One can only speculate now that if the horse and a full complement of local Coastguard personnel had been available sooner, more lives might have been saved.

At about 2.45am, Admiral Boyle sent Sub-Lieutenant C.W. Murray to scramble the Lifeboat crew.  He immediately made his way to the Lifeboat  Secretary’s home, where he discovered the man to be unwell.  However, he was given appropriate keys and directions to the Coxswain’s home.  Having roused the Coxswain, he then rushed back to the Lifeboat shed to light the lamps and prepare the lifeboat for launch.  Twenty minutes later he was joined there by the Lifeboat Secretary, Coxswain, and 3 soldiers - a full complement to man the Lifeboat could not be obtained.  At 4.30am Murray then left the lifeboat shed in order to waken the Surgeon.  Shortly afterwards, at about 4.45am, Murray went in search of transport to carry the First Aid crew to Holm.  Knocking desperately at the door of a local car hirer’s house, he failed to gain any response.  Finally, at 6.30am (four and a half hours after the Iolaire struck), he finally managed to obtain the use of a car belonging to the Post Office.

Some of those who had survived the ordeal managed to make their way to Stoneyfield Farm and nearby houses.  There, they were comforted as the full extent of the tragedy was rapidly being revealed.  Other survivors opted to walk the short distance to the town of Stornoway where relatives - still unaware of the catastrophe which had occurred - would have been waiting expectantly at the quay for the yacht to dock.  When news of events finally reached Stornoway, many of those in the town that morning made their way to where the stricken Iolaire lay.  As rescuers approached the scene, they encountered bodies and wreckage along the foreshore.  The vessel itself was found semi-submerged between the shore and the appropriately named Beasts of Holm.  One of her masts had been broken in the melee.  The other rose defiantly out of the sea at about a 45 degree angle.  Unbeknown to the shocked witnesses on the shore, one of the survivors (Donald “Patch” Morrison, from Knockaird, Ness) was, at that time, clinging for his life up on the mast.  He would remain there until 10am - when Lieutenant Wenlock, of the Budding Rose, would finally manage to manoeuvre a small naval boat within reach of the stranded sailor.