Aonghas MacMhaoilein: Gaisgeach Buzancy

Bha mo sheanair, Aonghas Mac a’ Mhaoilean, na shaighdear anns a’ Chiad Chogaidh: ‘The most decorated soldier in the whole of the Western Isles’ - sin na thuirt iad mu a dheidhinn. ‘S e gaisgeach a bh’ann agus thug iad dha am far-ainm ‘The Hero of Buzancy’. Bha e uabhasach dàna.

Timcheall air 1920, thill e dhachaigh bhon chogadh agus sheòl e gu Steornabhagh. Bha e a’ fuireach anns na Lochan, àite beag air ainm Leumrabhagh. Fhuair e lioft gu cladach Loch Eireasort agus chaidh e a choimhead airson fear le bàta. Ach, cha robh fear a bhàta ann, cha robh e ri fhaoidinn. Cha robh foighidinn sam bith aige, agus striop e gach stiall dheth, agus rinn e parsail beag is chuir e air a ghreim e. Thòisich e a’ snamh gu taobh eile an locha gus am faigheadh e dhachaigh. Bha e gu math faisg air a chladach air an taobh deas, agus choimhead e suas is bha fear na sheasamh air a chladach agus bha gunna na dhorn. Bha am fear a’ smaoinicheadh gur e ròn a bh’ann. Bha e direach air imfhios ga losgadh. Nuair a chuala an t-seisean mu dheidhinn, b’fheudair dha dol air fianais am ministeir is an seisean. Bha iad ga càineadh gu mòr. Thuirt iad, nam biodh bathadh sam bith anns an sgìre bhon a latha a bha siud, ‘s esan a bhiodh as coireach!

Ach, as deidh dha bhith deiseil san arm, rinn e cùrsa ministearach agus bha e na mhinistear airson 40 bliadhna no mar sin. Bha e an còmhnaidh ann an paraistean faisg air a’ mhuir, ach nuair a bha e bliadhnaichean ann an Dun Eideann nuair a bha an teaghlach anns an àrd-sgoil. Bha e ann an Cinn-tìre, Eilean Giogha, agus ann an Earra-Ghàidheal nuair a leig e seachad a dreuchd.

The storyteller's grandfather Angus Macmillan was the most decorated Lewisman of the First World War. On his return he wanted to get a boat over the loch to get home to Lemreway but the boatman wasn't there. He decided to swim across and narrowly escaped being shot after being mistaken for a seal.

As told by Kirsteen Graham, resident of Lower Breakish, Skye, and grandaughter of Angus Macmillan

The story of Angus Macmillan is told in this video by Pairc Historical Society (English language).

The Mayor of Buzancy in France commemorates the role of Angus Macmillan in this video by Pairc Historical Society (French language with English subtitles).

More information on visiting the area can be found here.