Watch on 123Movies. In the early hours of New Year's Day 1919, the HMY Iolaire, bringing hundreds of men back to Lewis and Harris after the Great War, struck rocks just metres from shore and in the treacherous, freezing conditions sank with the loss of over 200 lives. It was the worst maritime accident in British history and would cast a shadow over the Isle of Lewis for generations. On the 90th anniversary, this documentary examines the tragic events and their legacy, including interviews with witnesses and survivors.