Willie MacRae
Encyclopedia
Willie MacRae was a Scottish
nationalist politician and lawyer, best remembered for the mystery surrounding his death.
MacRae was an active member of the Scottish National Party
(SNP) and an anti-nuclear
campaigner. A solicitor, MacRae had contested the SNP leadership in 1979, coming third in a three-way contest with 52 votes to Stephen Maxwell
's 117 votes and winner Gordon Wilson
's 530 votes.
He was active outside Scotland too, having served in the Royal Indian Navy
and becoming friendly to the campaign for independence for India
. He was also the author of the maritime law code of Israel
and emeritus professor at the University of Haifa
. After his death a forest of 3,000 trees was planted in Israel to mark his passing.
It was discovered that MacRae was in the car. His hands were "folded on his lap", his head was "slumped on his right shoulder", and there was a "considerable amount of blood on his temple". He was not wearing a seat belt.
Another passing car was sent to call the emergency services. Dr Messer examined MacRae and found that he was still alive and breathing. She noted that one of his pupils was dilated, indicating the possibility of brain damage, and estimated that he had been in that state for 10 hours.
MacRae was removed by ambulance to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, accompanied by Dr Messer. After arrival it was decided to transfer him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. At Aberdeen it was realised that the incident was more than a road accident; six hours after he had been found, a nurse washing his head discovered what appeared to be the entry wound of a gunshot. An X-ray confirmed that McRae had been shot above his right ear and a bullet was detected in his head. His brain was severely damaged and his vital functions very weak. The following day, on Sunday 7 April, after consultation with his next of kin, MacRae's life-support machine was switched off.
A weapon was found the next day, in the burn over which the car had been discovered, 60 ft (18.3 m) from the vehicle. It was a Smith and Wesson .45 revolver belonging to MacRae which had been fired twice. No fingerprints were found on the gun, despite MacRae not wearing gloves when he was found.
MSP
requested a meeting with Elish Angiolini, the Scottish Solicitor General
to discuss allegations that have persisted that MacRae was under surveillance at the time of his death. The request was rebuffed, with Angiolini claiming that he had not been under surveillance and that she was satisfied that a thorough investigation into the case had been carried out. However, in July, 2006 a retired police officer, Iain Fraser who was working as a private investigator at the time of MacRae's death claimed that he had been anonymously employed to keep MacRae under surveillance only weeks before he died.
The death of Willie MacRae received further attention when the events surrounding it formed the basis of a broadcast of the STV
show "Unsolved", originally broadcast in November 2006.
In November 2010 John Finnie, the SNP group leader on Highland Council and a former police officer, wrote to the Lord Advocate
urging her to reinvestigate MacRae's death and release any details so far withheld. Finnie's request was prompted by the release the previous month of further details concerning the death of David Kelly. In January 2011 the Crown Office requested the files on the case from Northern Constabulary.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
nationalist politician and lawyer, best remembered for the mystery surrounding his death.
MacRae was an active member of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) and an anti-nuclear
Anti-nuclear
The anti-nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes the use of nuclear technologies. Many direct action groups, environmental groups, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, national, and international level...
campaigner. A solicitor, MacRae had contested the SNP leadership in 1979, coming third in a three-way contest with 52 votes to Stephen Maxwell
Stephen Maxwell
Stephen Maxwell is a Scottish nationalist.He came to prominence in the 1970s when he was elected to the Lothian Regional Council at a by-election for Wester Hailes in Edinburgh as a Scottish National Party candidate. He became a leading figure in the socialist 79 Group within the SNP and stood...
's 117 votes and winner Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson (Scottish politician)
Gordon Wilson is a former leader of the Scottish National Party and current leading figure in the campaign to ban same-sex marriage in Scotland...
's 530 votes.
He was active outside Scotland too, having served in the Royal Indian Navy
Royal Indian Navy
The Royal Indian Navy was the naval force of British India. Along with the Presidency armies and the later British Indian Army it comprised the Armed Forces of British India....
and becoming friendly to the campaign for independence for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was also the author of the maritime law code of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and emeritus professor at the University of Haifa
University of Haifa
The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
. After his death a forest of 3,000 trees was planted in Israel to mark his passing.
Death
MacRae left his Glasgow flat at 18:30 on 5 April 1985, to weekend at his cottage near Dornie. He was not seen again until the following morning around 10:00, when two Australian tourists saw his car lying on the moor a short distance from the junction of the A87 and A887 roads, about 30 yd (27.4 m) from the roadway, straddling a burn. The tourists flagged down the next car to pass by, which turned out to be driven by a doctor, Dorothy Messer, accompanied by her fiancé David Coutts, a Dundee SNP councillor who knew MacRae.It was discovered that MacRae was in the car. His hands were "folded on his lap", his head was "slumped on his right shoulder", and there was a "considerable amount of blood on his temple". He was not wearing a seat belt.
Another passing car was sent to call the emergency services. Dr Messer examined MacRae and found that he was still alive and breathing. She noted that one of his pupils was dilated, indicating the possibility of brain damage, and estimated that he had been in that state for 10 hours.
MacRae was removed by ambulance to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, accompanied by Dr Messer. After arrival it was decided to transfer him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. At Aberdeen it was realised that the incident was more than a road accident; six hours after he had been found, a nurse washing his head discovered what appeared to be the entry wound of a gunshot. An X-ray confirmed that McRae had been shot above his right ear and a bullet was detected in his head. His brain was severely damaged and his vital functions very weak. The following day, on Sunday 7 April, after consultation with his next of kin, MacRae's life-support machine was switched off.
Investigation
The investigation was headed by Chief Superintendent Andrew Lester of Northern CID. Despite no weapon having yet been found, MacRae's car was moved at 12:00 on 7 April. It later transpired that the police had kept no record of the precise location where the car had been found, and the position stated by them was later found to be 1 mi (1.6 km) in error, and was corrected by a witness who had been present at the scene.A weapon was found the next day, in the burn over which the car had been discovered, 60 ft (18.3 m) from the vehicle. It was a Smith and Wesson .45 revolver belonging to MacRae which had been fired twice. No fingerprints were found on the gun, despite MacRae not wearing gloves when he was found.
Controversy
- Although it was ruled at the time by authorities that Macrae's death was a suicide, the official account has been disputed, some claiming that the distance from Macrae's car at which the gun was found and the lack of fingerprints on it rendered a such a verdict not credible.
- Hamish WattHamish WattHamish Watt is a Scottish politician, farmer and writer. The son of William Watt and Caroline Allan, he was educated at Keith Grammar School and at the University of St Andrews, and was involved in dairy and sheep farming and other business interests.He contested Caithness and Sutherland as the...
, a ScottishScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
has been quoted as saying that MacRae was assassinated for his too-extensive study of NATO activities in Scotland.
- At the time of his death, McRae had been working to counter plans to dump nuclear waste from Dounreay into the sea. Due to his house being burgled on repeated occasions prior to his death, he had taken to carrying a copy of the documents relating to his Dounreay work with him at all times. However, they were not found following his death, and the sole other copy which was kept in his office was stolen when it was burgled, no other items being taken.
Subsequent events
In 2005, Fergus EwingFergus Ewing
Fergus Ewing is the Scottish Government's Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Inverness and Nairn.- Background :...
MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
requested a meeting with Elish Angiolini, the Scottish Solicitor General
Solicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
to discuss allegations that have persisted that MacRae was under surveillance at the time of his death. The request was rebuffed, with Angiolini claiming that he had not been under surveillance and that she was satisfied that a thorough investigation into the case had been carried out. However, in July, 2006 a retired police officer, Iain Fraser who was working as a private investigator at the time of MacRae's death claimed that he had been anonymously employed to keep MacRae under surveillance only weeks before he died.
The death of Willie MacRae received further attention when the events surrounding it formed the basis of a broadcast of the STV
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
show "Unsolved", originally broadcast in November 2006.
In November 2010 John Finnie, the SNP group leader on Highland Council and a former police officer, wrote to the Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
urging her to reinvestigate MacRae's death and release any details so far withheld. Finnie's request was prompted by the release the previous month of further details concerning the death of David Kelly. In January 2011 the Crown Office requested the files on the case from Northern Constabulary.
External links
- Death of William Macrae Official Northern Constabulary files and photographs
- The Death of William McRae
- Call for new probe of SNP activist Willie McRae's death
- Who Killed Willie MacRae?