59176: Donald Macdonald
Donald, born 1903, was the youngest child of Malcolm and Mary nee Macaulay who lived at 25 Valasay before settling at 20 Hacklete. Although he was not recorded in the Roll of Honour family tradition says that he served in WW1 and escaped from Dunkirk by swimming the Channel. If this were true he would have been only 15 if he had served in 1918, and swimming the Channel would have been practically impossibile due to minefields and the tides/weather at the time of Dunkirk – let alone the incredible distance involved!
He did however serve in the Second World War as a Bombardier with the Ross Battery and was captured with the 51st Highland Division at St Valery-en-Caux on 12 June 1940. He spent the next five years in Stalags VIIIB and XXIB. His service number was 6187.
He relocated to Stornoway and worked for a while as a barman in the Royal Hotel (hence the soubriquet Dan the Royal). He married Christina nee Maclean from Leurbost and raised three daughters; Mary, Morag and Christina.
Details
- Record Type:
- Person
- Also Known As:
- Domhnall Shuardal; Domhnall Chaluim Aonghais Duinn; Dan the Royal
- Date Of Birth:
- 8 Oct 1903
- Gender:
- Male
- Occupation:
- Barperson
- Record Maintained by:
- CEBL
Related Media
Hacklete Road construction, 1921-1922