Donald MacDonald was born at Corunna near Claddach Baleshare in North Uist and was educated at village school in Carinish. During the war he served on the Western Front with 7th Highlanders and his poetry reflects his horror at the conditions faced by the men. Best known for his composition of the song An Eala Bhan (‘The White Swan’) during the Battle of the Somme, Donald also wrote about the Battle of Arras.
Òran Arras
‘Ihillean, march at ease!
Righ na sìth bhith mar rinn
A’ dol chun na strì
‘S chun na cill aig Arras
‘Ihillean, march at ease!
Tha nochd oidche Luain
Teannadh suas ri faire,
A’ dol chun na h-uaigh
Far nach fhuasg’ lear barrall.
‘Ihillean, march at ease!
Tillidh cuid dhinn slàn,
Cuid fo chràdh lann fala,
‘S mar a tha e ‘n dàn,
Roinn le bàs a dh’ fhanas.
‘Ihillean, march at ease!
Song of Arras
Lads, march at ease!
The King of Peace be with us
Going to the strife
And to the tomb at Arras;
Lads, march at ease!
Tonight, Monday night,
Moving up to guard,
Going to the grave,
Where no bootlace is untied;
Lads, march at ease!
Some of us will return unscathed,
Some in agony of bloody blade,
And, according to our fate,
Some in company of death will stay;
Lads, march at ease!
Alex Campbell
Fortrose Academy // Cromarty Community Rowing Club
He has a cat, he grew up on a farm on the Black Isle. He’s got insane strength for being such a young man, he can pull the boat in all by himself when he’s down the beach rowing.
He worked with the Studio for a month and represented the story he drew in his artwork.
