Shetlanders on the Barham The following Shetland seaman served on the "Barham" at the Battle of Jutland: Gilbert Thomson (Unst); Gilbert Anderson, Peter J. Robertson, Albert E. Nisbet and Charles Williamson (yell); William Gilbertson, Peter H. Robertson and William Williamson (Northmavine); Arthur Williamson (Delting); Robert J. Walterson (West Burrafirth); John G. Smith (Whiteness); Franceis Anderson, James Irvine and David White (Bressay); Andrew Leask, George H. Ross, Simon Williamson and George Wiseman (Lerwick);James Duncan, Robert Scott and Andrew J. Smith (Sandwick); Thomas J. Stout (Fair Isle); and W. Williamson (Muckle Roe). Four of them were injured during the battle: Gilbert Thomson, John George Smith, Francis Anderson and Robert Scott. Mr. Thomson was badly burned on his 21st birthday when cordite exploded and he spent over a year in hospital getting extensive skin grafts. Andre Leask (Formerly of Linga) had one of the most uneviable of all duties during the battle. He spent 12 hours on the foretop lookout - the highest part of the ship - looking for submarines. ____________________ A group photo taken on HMS Barham at Scapa Flow some time after the Battle of Jutland. Most of them are Shetlanders. Back row (left to right): Peter Robertson, Northmavine; Andrew Leask, Lerwick; Arthur Williamson, Delting; George Ross, Lerwick; Robert Walterson, West Burrafirth; James Duncan, Sandwick. Middle row: non-Shetlander; Bertie Anderson, Yell; non-Shetlander; non-Shetland; Albert E. Nisbet, Yell. Front row: unknown; Andrew Smith, Sandwick.
