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In May 1911 William Baird and Co Ltd, ironmasters of Coatbridge bought the Isle of Raasay Estate to mine for iron ore. In 1914 the First World War broke out, just as the mine was ready to go into full production. Iron ore mined in Raasay was sent by boat to Ravenscraig for smelting and use in the British war effort. Men from Raasay worked at the mine, alongside a large group – some 260 - German prisoners of war who were sent to help. Although the working relationship between the Raasay residents and the Germans was largely good there was at least one escape attempt by the prisoners of war. Sadly, just as the war was coming to an end, many of the Germans succumbed to the Spanish Flu pandemic, although the majority returned to their homeland. Image Copyright: British Geological Survey/NERC