Scottish World War I Poets - Charles Sorley, D Mhnall Ruadh Chor Na, John Munro, Joseph Lee (Paperback)

Chapters: Charles Sorley, D mhnall Ruadh Chor na, John Munro, Joseph Lee. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 18. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Donald MacDonald known as D mhnall Ruadh Chor na (Red Donald of Coruna) (9 July 1887 North Uist - 13 August 1967) was a legendary war poet in the Scottish Gaelic language. He was born on North Uist in 1887. His mother, Fl raidh Fhionnghuala D mhnall, worked as a domestic servant. His father D mhnall worked as a merchant seaman. When the poet was young, he was often told stories about the experiences of his maternal great-grandparents during the Napoleonic Wars. His background, therefore, contained a certain glorification of war which was to expire forever in the mud of the Western Front (World War I). He briefly attended a district school at Carinish, but never learned to read or write in his native language. He began composing poetry at the age of 13. His mother was reportedly impressed with his abilities and made him promise never to use his poetry for personal attacks. This was a promise he always honored. This, and the introspection caused by his experiences in World War I, set him apart from other Gaelic poets. He enlisted in the King's Own Cameron Highlanders on the outbreak of war in August 1914. He experienced some of the first use of poison gas, which he described vividly in his poem ran a' Phuinnsuin ("Song of the Poison"). In 1916, he was wounded in action at the Battle of the Somme. Although he soon recovered, he was unfit for frontline duty and spent the remainder of the war in the West Riding Field Regiment. According to Ronald Black, "The years following the War were filled with emptiness, economically as well as personally. There was little living to be had in Uist other than from the poacher's gun. In 1922, however, he m...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=22107913