In 1940 Ballachulish man, Sandy MacDonald, escaped occupied France with two other Highlanders by speaking Gaelic and posing as Ukrainians. A year before the Soviets joined the war, the “Ukrainians” were free to go.
The other men were William Kemp and James Wilson. Asked in French what country he came from, Kemp replied, “Ardnamurchan”.
“Caledonian Buses. If we run you down, you were asking for it!”
Dumfries and Galloway Standard. (9/Jan/1943) pg.7
The Women’s Land Army was formed to up food production during WWII. By 1945, there were 8000 Scottish members.
In 1940, Betsy McKay was the oldest Scottish “Land Girl”. Her picture in English newspapers was great propaganda.
Birmingham Mail. Saturday 10th August 1940. pg. 3
UPDATE:
I was annoyed I couldn’t find more on Mrs. McKay so I had another look. Her name was Betsy McKay, not “Biddy” as the Birmingham Mail had it.
Betsy McKay (nee Coyne) was born in Perth in 1861 to parents who came from Galway in the 1850s. She did work the land for 60+ years and would have been 79 in the photo. She raised 5 kids. Her husband was a ploughman. In 1903, she got 10 days in the jail for stealing a man’s shirt. She died in 1942. I tried to make the newspaper clipping clearer–shame there isn’t a better photo.
