Sandaidh Dòmhnallach (Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh)

Bha Sandaidh Dòmhnallach na gheamair air oighreachd an Dail Mhòir anns a’ Mhonadh Ruadh tràth san fhicheadamh linn. Sin an oighreachd ris an canar Mar Lodge ann am Beurla. Bha far-ainm aig Sandaidh – am Brogach. Thàinig e gu ìre – cha robh e na bhrogach tuilleadh – agus bha e fhathast gun a’ mhuir fhaicinn. Latha a bha seo, choisich e tron Làirig Ghrù – astar mòr a th’ ann – gu ruige an Aghaidh Mhòr airson a dhol air an trèana. Bha e a’ falbh a dh’Inbhir Nis. Carson? Airson a’ mhuir fhaicinn! Thathar ag ràdh nach do shaoil e cus dhith!

Thathar ag aithris gun do lorg Sandaidh rudeigin anns a’ mhonadh goirid às dèidh don Chogadh Mhòr a thighinn gu ceann. Bha e dhen bheachd gur e a boma a bh’ ann – co-cheangailte ris a’ chogadh ann an dòigh air choreigin. Thug e an rud dhachaigh leis. Latha a bha seo uaireigin às dèidh sin, bha Sandaidh a’ sealg anns a’ mhonadh cuide ri Prionnsa na Cuimrigh agus sheall e am “boma” don phrionnsa. Thug am prionnsa leis e, agus chuir e e gu Ministreachd an Adhair. Dh’aithnich iadsan an rud sa bhad. Chan e boma a bh’ ann ach lasair-bhoillsg no flare.

Cha robh fios aig muinntir na Ministreachd an toiseach cò às a thàinig an lasair-bhoillsg. Bha e Gearmailteach, ceart gu leòr, ach cuimhnichibh gu bheil sinn a’ bruidhinn air a’ Chiad Chogadh an seo. Cha robh an Luftwaffe a’ toirt ionnsaigh air Alba mar a bha anns an Dàrna Cogadh. Ach bha cuimhne aig muinntir a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh air itealan Gearmailteach a bh’ air a bhith air sgèith os an cionn anns a’ Chèitean naoi ceud deug is sia-deug (1916). Chan e plèana a bh’ ann ach bàt’-adhair dhen t-seòrsa ris an canar Zeppelin.

Cha b’ e sin a’ chiad turas a bha Zeppelin L20 air a bhith os cionn Bhreatainn. Aig deireadh an Fhaoillich naoi ceud deug is sia-deug, bha i air seachd bomaichean fichead a leigeil air Burton-on-Trent ann an Sasainn.

Aig toiseach a’ Chèitein bha i air ais os cionn Bhreatainn. An turas seo bha i a’ dèanamh air Alba. Bha i ag amas air an drochaid-rèile thar Linne Foirthe a sgrios. Ach bha droch shìde ann. Chaill i Linne Foirthe agus lean i oirre gu tuath. Chuala daoine ann am baile beag Inbhir Eidh i ann am meadhan na h-oidhche. Bha solas air ann am fear de na taighean. Bha an t-eagal air muinntir an àite gun robh na Gearmailtich a’ dol a leigeil boma air a’ bhaile. Ach bha iad ag amas air targaid na bu mhotha na Inbhir Eidh! Lean am bàt’-adhair oirre thairis air Beinn MacDuibh, thairis air a’ Mhonadh Liath agus mu dheireadh thairis air Linne Mhoireibh.

Bha Zeppelin L20 a-nise gann de chonnadh. Bha an caiptean, Kapitänleutnant Stabbert, ag iarraidh a thilleadh don Ghearmailt no a laighe sa mhuir gu siar air an Danmhairg. Ach cha robh connadh gu leòr aige airson sin. Mar sin, rinn i air Nirribhidh. Ach bha tubaist aice ann an Nirribhidh agus chaidh an t-itealan a sgrios. Chuireadh an criutha don phrìosan mar phrìosanaich-chogaidh. Cha chuireadh Zeppelin L20 dragh air muinntir a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh – no duine sam bith eile – tuilleadh.

Faclan na Litreach: far-ainm: nickname; boma: bomb; Prionnsa na Cuimrigh: The Prince of Wales; lasair-bhoillsg: flare; Gearmailteach: German; Inbhir Eidh: Inverey; Nirribhidh: Norway.

Abairtean na Litreach: bha Sandaidh Dòmhnallach na gheamair: Sandy MacDonald was a gamekeeper; air oighreachd an Dail Mhòir anns a’ Mhonadh Ruadh: on Mar Lodge estate in the Cairngorms; bha e fhathast gun a’ mhuir fhaicinn: he still hadn’t seen the sea; gu ruige an Aghaidh Mhòr: to Aviemore; thathar ag ràdh nach do shaoil e cus dhith: it’s said he didn’t think too much of it [the sea]; co-cheangailte ris a’ chogadh ann an dòigh air choreigin: linked to the war in some way or other; latha a bha seo uaireigin às dèidh sin: a particular day after that; Ministreachd an Adhair: The Air Ministry; dh’aithnich iadsan an rud sa bhad: they recognised the thing immediately; a bh’ air a bhith air sgèith os an cionn: that had been flying [“on wing”] above them; bàt’-adhair dhen t-seòrsa ris an canar: an airship of the type called; bha i a’ dèanamh air Alba: she was making for Scotland; ag amas air an drochaid-rèile thar Linne Foirthe a sgrios: aiming to destroy the railway bridge across the Firth of Forth; bha an t-eagal air muinntir an àite: the people of the place were frightened; gun robh na Gearmailtich a’ dol a leigeil boma: that the Germans were going to drop a bomb; thairis air Linne Mhoireibh: over the Moray Firth; gann de chonnadh: short on [of] fuel; gu siar air an Danmhairg: west of Denmark; chaidh an t-itealan a sgrios: the aircraft was destroyed; chuireadh an criutha don phrìosan mar phrìosanaich-chogaidh: the crew were imprisoned as prisoners-of-war; cha chuireadh Zeppelin L20 dragh air X tuilleadh: Zeppelin L20 wouldn’t annoy X again.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: cha robh e na bhrogach tuilleadh: he was no longer a lad. You will know the words balach and gille for “boy, lad” – both of which are used throughout Gaelic Scotland. But there are several other words (including brogach) that mean the same thing or a particular type of boy with regard to body shape or nature; some are favoured more in particular dialects. Here’s a list – see how many of them you might have heard: balachan, cnapach, giullan, plocach, ponach, proitseach, boiceanach, stobanach, gatachan, geamhta, pràbanach, lodragan, ploicean, luran, robairneach, pleòisgean, goileach, cnàimheach, broganach, maothran. And how would you address a lad in Gaelic? You might say “’ille” (short for “a ghille”) or “a bhalaich” but here’s another nice one – “ a laochain”. Laochan is “little hero” but it’s often used by an adult in the vocative when speaking to a boy. Sin thu fhèin a laochain! (well done, lad!)

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: goirid às dèidh don Chogadh Mhòr a thighinn gu ceann: shortly after the Great War coming to an end.

Sandaidh Dòmhnallach

Bha Sandaidh Dòmhnallach na gheamair air oighreachd an Dail Mhòir