Â鶹ԼÅÄ

Bha mi ag èisteachd ri prògram o chionn ghoirid air Rèidio 4. Aig an toiseach bha guth aithnichte ann – am Morair Haw-Haw ag aithris ‘Germany Calling, Germany Calling’. B’ esan Uilleam Joyce, craoladair propaganda Natsach anns an Dàrna Cogadh.

            Dh’inns tè-lìbhrigidh a’ phrògraim gun robh barrachd na dìreach Joyce an sàs ann an craoladh dhen t-seòrsa sin. Bha eadhon fear Albannach ann. ʼS ann às a’ Ghàidhealtachd a bha e.

Bha an còrr dhen phrògram a-mach air Dòmhnall Grannd. Rugadh e ann an Alanais, ann an taobh an ear Rois, ann an naoi ceud deug ʼs a seachd (1907). Chruthaich e Radio Caledonia.

Eucoltach ri Joyce, chan eil gin de na clàraidhean a rinn an Granndach ann am bith an-diugh. Ach lorg an tè air Rèidio 4 tar-sgrìobhaidhean de chuid de na prògraman aige. Bha Dòmhnall a’ cumail a-mach gun robh e na ‘nàiseantach’ Albannach. Ach ʼs e Faisisteach a bha ann. Agus bha na seirbheisean-brathaidh Breatannach eòlach air.

            Bha athair Dhòmhnaill na ghròsair ann an Alanais. Bha Dòmhnall na sgoilear ann an Sgoil Phoblach Alanais agus Acadamaidh Inbhir Pheofharain. Dhearbh e aig aois òg gun robh beachdan claon aige air poilitigs. Bha na beachdan aige cho damainte ʼs gun do chuir athair a-mach às an taigh e.

            An dèidh na sgoile, bha e ag obair ann an Sasainn agus Èirinn. An uair sin bha e air ais ann an Alanais airson greis. Tron chuid as motha de na tritheadan bha e ann an Lunnainn. Aig an àm sin bha na Natsaich is Faisistich ag èirigh air feadh na Roinn Eòrpa.

Bha e fhèin is ceannard propaganda nan Natsach, Rolf Hoffmann, a’ sgrìobhadh gu càch a chèile. Bha Dòmhnall a’ gabhail ‘Derrick’ air fhèin aig amannan – agus cuideachd ‘British Fascist’. Bha beachdan nimheil aige air Iùdhaich.

I was listening to a program recently on Radio 4. At the beginning there was a familiar voice – Lord Haw-Haw saying ‘Germany Calling, Germany Calling’. He was William Joyce, a broadcaster of Nazi propaganda during the Second World War.

        The program’s presenter reported that there was more than just Joyce involved in broadcasting of that type. There was even a Scot involved. He was from the Highlands.

        The rest of the program was about Donald Grant. He was born in Alness, in Easter Ross, in 1907. He created Radio Caledonia.

        Unlike Joyce, none of the broadcasts that Grant made exist today. But the woman on Radio 4 found transcripts of some of his programs. Donald was maintaining that he was a Scottish ‘nationalist’. But he was a Fascist. And the British spying services were familiar with him.

        Donald’s father was a grocer in Alness. Donald was a pupil in the Alness Public School and Dingwall Academy. He demonstrated at a young age that he had perverse views on politics. His opinions were so damnable that his father expelled him from the house.

        After school, he was working in England and Ireland. Then he was back in Alness for a while. Through most of the thirties he was in London. At that time, the Nazis and Fascists were on the rise throughout Europe.

        He and the head of Nazi propaganda, Rolf Hoffmann, were writing to each other. Donald was calling himself ‘Derrick’ at times – and also ‘British Fascist’. He had poisonous views on Jews.