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Episode 8

Episode 8 of 10

John Morrison interviews guests who witnessed major world events. This episode sees John in conversation with Donald John Gillies about the years he spent in the Middle East.

Tha Iain Moireasdan a' cluinntinn bho Dhòmhnall Iain Mac Illiosa mun ùine a chuir e seachad anns an Ear Mheadhanach ag obair dhan UN. Ann an 1973 rinn Dòmhnall Iain an leum bho a bhith ag obair mar mheacanaig ann an Inbhir Nis gu Ierusalem agus obair ann an roinn còmhdhail a' UN. Bha cogadh Yom Kippur a' dol nuair a thug an Èipheit agus Siria ionnsaigh air Israel ann an oidhirp na sgìrean a chaill iad ann an cogadh 1967 fhaighinn air ais. Bha Dòmhnall Iain a' coimhead às dèidh na carbadan aig feachd a' UN a bha an sin airson sìth a ghlèidheadh eadar gach taobh.

Bha Dòmhnall Iain ag ìnnse mu mar a chuir e ùine seachad comhla ri treubh Bedouin ann an Sinai anns an Èipheit agus fiù 's mar a dh'ionnsaich e beagan Arabais. Ann an 1978 chaidh Dòmhnall Iain a chuir gu crìoch Lebanon agus Israel, far an robh Israel a' strì an aghaidh buidhnean Palastaineach stèidhichte ann an Lebanon.

Donald John Gillies talks to John Morrison about the years he spent in the Middle East working for the UN. In 1973, Donald John made the unlikely leap from Inverness mechanic to the United Nations transport division at the time of the Yom Kippur War. In October, Egypt and Syria launched an attack on Israel in an attempt to regain territories lost in 1967. He went there to work on maintaining the UN's fleet of vehicles used in its peacekeeping and observer role in the region.

He talks about the time he spent with the Bedouin tribes in Sinai, Egypt and even learning Arabic. In 1978 he was sent to work along the Israel-Lebanon border when Israel invaded South Lebanon after attacks from Palestinian groups based in the country.

28 minutes

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Presenter John Morrison

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