A small settlement strung out along the raised beach on the north shore of Loch Indaal in Islay, Blackrock comprises half-a-dozen whitewashed houses on the northern side of the main A847 road. Blackrock was the site of a tragedy on the evening of 24th January 1943. A Royal Air Force Sunderland flying boat of 246 Squadron Coastal Command was returning to Bowmore after an anti-submarine patrol over the North Atlantic. The weather was bad and the aircraft seemed not to have received a message to divert to Oban. It tried to land without the guiding lights which would usually be turned on in the bay, struck the ground to the north of Blackrock and came to a halt at on the raised beach. Eleven of the crew managed to escape, but eight returned to try to free the trapped rear gunner. Unfortunately the depth-charges onboard exploded destroying the aircraft, killing all nine and leaving a crater which can still be seen today to the west of Blackrock Joiner's House. Three of the dead lie in Bowmore Cemetery.
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