A Personal Memoir of P/M Donald Maclean of Lewis (1908-1964), Seaforth Highlanders.
By Norman Macritchie
My grand-uncle, Pipe Major Donald Maclean (pictured above on the right) was born in 1908, sixth of the eight children of Angus and Christine Maclean, 5 Baile-an-truiseal (Balantrushal). Donald piped at my parents wedding in Glasgow on Boxing Day, 1958. I wish I had been there to hear! I met Donald once in Clydebank, and remember a stout, confident man wearing a kilt and grinning broadly. Before continuing with my story of Donald I want to digress for a moment.
My father played briefly with the Seaforth Highlanders but did not pursue this, so our family lost contact with piping circles. Interest in my grand uncle recently led me to buy a chanter and to try to play it, e.g. when stuck in traffic jams around Luton, my only spare time these days. In August a couple of years ago, my son Alasdair and I walked from Bru to Barabhas machair, taking the chanter to practice. Beyond the salmon pool, by the shore at Croic, we met a man, and introduced ourselves. Donald Morrison (Domnhuill a’ Bhodach, 26 Lower Barabhas), knew my father from National Service days. Seeing the chanter, he asked us to play it. Donald left several chanters with younger relatives in Bru and Barabhas, but none followed his lead into piping. At least one of these chanters went missing locally from 25 Brue. Perhaps someone might know where it is?
I did my best and Donald listened patiently. When it was over he explained that he had played in the pipe band with Donald Maclean at Redford Barracks around 1946-47, and would I like to hear him play? Of course I said “yes”. Needless to say Donald’s performance was in a different class from my amateurish attempt. He played all three of the tunes mentioned below, and gave us some advice on fingering. I was sorry when we parted. I later learned that Donald Morrison is reputedly one of the best pipers on the island. I wish to thank him for taking the time to talk with us. But consider the circumstances of our meeting. Why did we bring the chanter? What brought Donald there that evening? What was the likelihood of meeting a piper who knew grand uncle and all these tunes so well? I can almost hear the old pipers chuckling somewhere!
My father played briefly with the Seaforth Highlanders but did not pursue this, so our family lost contact with piping circles. Interest in my grand uncle recently led me to buy a chanter and to try to play it, e.g. when stuck in traffic jams around Luton, my only spare time these days. In August a couple of years ago, my son Alasdair and I walked from Bru to Barabhas machair, taking the chanter to practice. Beyond the salmon pool, by the shore at Croic, we met a man, and introduced ourselves. Donald Morrison (Domnhuill a’ Bhodach, 26 Lower Barabhas), knew my father from National Service days. Seeing the chanter, he asked us to play it. Donald left several chanters with younger relatives in Bru and Barabhas, but none followed his lead into piping. At least one of these chanters went missing locally from 25 Brue. Perhaps someone might know where it is?
I did my best and Donald listened patiently. When it was over he explained that he had played in the pipe band with Donald Maclean at Redford Barracks around 1946-47, and would I like to hear him play? Of course I said “yes”. Needless to say Donald’s performance was in a different class from my amateurish attempt. He played all three of the tunes mentioned below, and gave us some advice on fingering. I was sorry when we parted. I later learned that Donald Morrison is reputedly one of the best pipers on the island. I wish to thank him for taking the time to talk with us. But consider the circumstances of our meeting. Why did we bring the chanter? What brought Donald there that evening? What was the likelihood of meeting a piper who knew grand uncle and all these tunes so well? I can almost hear the old pipers chuckling somewhere!
Young Donald
Donald Maclean’s piping career started at an early age when his elder brother Murdo suffered a wound to the lung as a soldier of the Great War. Murdo took up playing the chanter at home to help his recovery. Donald was only about 8 years old but borrowed Murdo’s instrument. Their youngest brother Willie (Uilleam), now living in Heatherhill, Barabhas (Barvas), paints a vivid picture of the young Donald with fire-blackened kitchen tongs over his shoulder and the family cat under his arm, he made everyone laugh as he marched around the room pretending to play the pipes.
Peter Stewart, late of Barabhas, taught Murdo and Donald on the chanter as they passed homeward from school, and Donald soon displayed superior skills.
While his elder brothers Murdo and Alec became a doctor and teacher respectively, Donald joined the Seaforth Highlanders (1926), joking that someone had to keep the bodachs back home in tobacco. It is said that his grandfather gave up smoking when he overheard this. He played unusually with his right hand above his left, opposite from most pipers. Donald trained with the army and on 27th February 1931 attained his Pipe Major’s Standard Certificate while Corporal in the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. He is said to have become the youngest Pipe Major in the British Army.
In 1936 Donald transferred to the 2nd Battalion as Pipe Major. He studied piping under D. R. MacLennan, Willie Ross and Angus MacPherson. A handsome figure, he enjoyed cutting a dash in full Highland regalia, and can be seen smiling broadly in a photograph I have, taken of him in uniform at Morecambe in about 1938. A fine article by William Evans and Alex Craig published in the Piping Times a few years ago includes a photograph of the Pipe Major with the 2nd Battalion band taken in Aldershot in September 1939. The Lance Corporal Piper seated immediately to his right is the famous Donald Macleod of Steornabhaigh (Stornoway). Piper Alex Craig is also present. Before the outbreak of WW2 my grand uncle served in Egypt and Palestine.
War Clouds
When Nazi Germany invaded France in 1940, Donald hurriedly left Britain to rejoin the 2nd Battalion of the Seaforths, by the part of the 51st Highland Division, on the Continent. Following action against German armoured and artillery units, including Rommel’s 25th Panzer Regiment 2&3, the Highland Division was surrounded and plans made for a dunlirk-style evacuation. These plans failed and two of the Division’s three Brigades were ordered to surrender at St-Valery-en-Caux, a fishing port west of Dieppe. Donald was captured there on or about 12th June 1940. He and his family were no stranger to such a situation, his father having been ordered into internment with the Royal Naval Division in neutral Holland for most of the 1914-18 War.
Donald survived a harrowing forced march from France with little food or shelter. He was later held in Stalag XXIB, and remained a POW in Poland and Germany for most of the war. As most readers will know, it was during the above march that the ever resourceful Donald Macleod escaped, becoming Pipe Major with the Seaforth Highlanders and later the Queen’s Own Highlanders.
Donald Maclean’s piping career started at an early age when his elder brother Murdo suffered a wound to the lung as a soldier of the Great War. Murdo took up playing the chanter at home to help his recovery. Donald was only about 8 years old but borrowed Murdo’s instrument. Their youngest brother Willie (Uilleam), now living in Heatherhill, Barabhas (Barvas), paints a vivid picture of the young Donald with fire-blackened kitchen tongs over his shoulder and the family cat under his arm, he made everyone laugh as he marched around the room pretending to play the pipes.
Peter Stewart, late of Barabhas, taught Murdo and Donald on the chanter as they passed homeward from school, and Donald soon displayed superior skills.
While his elder brothers Murdo and Alec became a doctor and teacher respectively, Donald joined the Seaforth Highlanders (1926), joking that someone had to keep the bodachs back home in tobacco. It is said that his grandfather gave up smoking when he overheard this. He played unusually with his right hand above his left, opposite from most pipers. Donald trained with the army and on 27th February 1931 attained his Pipe Major’s Standard Certificate while Corporal in the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. He is said to have become the youngest Pipe Major in the British Army.
In 1936 Donald transferred to the 2nd Battalion as Pipe Major. He studied piping under D. R. MacLennan, Willie Ross and Angus MacPherson. A handsome figure, he enjoyed cutting a dash in full Highland regalia, and can be seen smiling broadly in a photograph I have, taken of him in uniform at Morecambe in about 1938. A fine article by William Evans and Alex Craig published in the Piping Times a few years ago includes a photograph of the Pipe Major with the 2nd Battalion band taken in Aldershot in September 1939. The Lance Corporal Piper seated immediately to his right is the famous Donald Macleod of Steornabhaigh (Stornoway). Piper Alex Craig is also present. Before the outbreak of WW2 my grand uncle served in Egypt and Palestine.
War Clouds
When Nazi Germany invaded France in 1940, Donald hurriedly left Britain to rejoin the 2nd Battalion of the Seaforths, by the part of the 51st Highland Division, on the Continent. Following action against German armoured and artillery units, including Rommel’s 25th Panzer Regiment 2&3, the Highland Division was surrounded and plans made for a dunlirk-style evacuation. These plans failed and two of the Division’s three Brigades were ordered to surrender at St-Valery-en-Caux, a fishing port west of Dieppe. Donald was captured there on or about 12th June 1940. He and his family were no stranger to such a situation, his father having been ordered into internment with the Royal Naval Division in neutral Holland for most of the 1914-18 War.
Donald survived a harrowing forced march from France with little food or shelter. He was later held in Stalag XXIB, and remained a POW in Poland and Germany for most of the war. As most readers will know, it was during the above march that the ever resourceful Donald Macleod escaped, becoming Pipe Major with the Seaforth Highlanders and later the Queen’s Own Highlanders.
Compositions Donald Maclean composed several tunes. His march ‘The Heroes of St Valery’ commemorates those who fought and fell there, including the piper and drummer who rest in the well cared for military cemetery above the town. St Valery-en-Caux retains strong links with the Highlands to this day, its sign showing it to be ‘jumellee avec’ (twinned with) Inverness. Shortly after capture, Donald composed arguably his best known tune, the 2/4 march ‘Major David Manson at Clachantrushal’. He is said to have lost his chanter and borrowed Piper Alex Craig’s to compose the tune – Alex had hidden it in socks inside his backpack. Major Manson, a retired officer of the Canadian Arly, worked as a silversmith in Glasgow, and was a great friend to Donald. The title probably commemorates Manson’s visit to Donald’s home in Ballantrushal, during which he presented Donald with an engraved, silver mounted set of bagpipes.
The Scots Guards Standard Settings of Pipe Music Volume II, (p46, tune 611, Paterson’s Publications 1992), lists this tune as ‘Major Manson’s Farewell to Clachantrushal’. I believe this title to be erroneous: there is strong local tradition that the title is ‘Major Manson at Clachantrushal’, and this is the title on the 1969 recording by the Gordon Highlanders. Perhaps the best evidence comes from Donald’s niece Fiona Johnston (nee Maclean) who possesses a sheet of music entitled ‘Major David Manson at Clachantrushal’, which she received from Donald himself. Clachantrushal, reputedly the largest freestanding monolith in Scotland, stands on the hill behind the house.
His brother Willie, who was then serving in the Royal Navy, remembers meeting Manson and Donald, just before the war broke out, in the lounge of the Grand Hotel, Charing Cross,Glasgow. Manson had produced a chanter from inside his walking stick, and a huge wad of five pound notes to treat them all to a dram while Donald played.
A copy of a postcard sent by Donald as POW, gefangnenuummer 5272, from Stalag XXIB/H, dated 21.11.40, is addressed to his sister, Mrs M Matheson, c/o Coinneach Challum Mhore, Upper Barvas. Illustrating his optimistic outlook and somewhat quirky sense of humour it reads :
My dear all,
Have already written – I think everybody. Have no news – expect the war is still on. Hope you are all well and that Callum is alright. Ask Kenny if he has a spare pair of trousers with braiden (patches) he can send me. If I had a feather in my cap I’d be now crowing – the tail being there. (Nevertheless there is a good day coming I hope).
Love to all, Donald
The Callum referred to in the postcard is Petty Officer Callum Matheson RN. Sadly Callum was lost at sea on 12th June 1942, when the Hunt Type 2 Class destroyer HMS Grove was sunk by U77 in the Mediterranean off Sollum, north western Egypt.
The good day came and Donald returned home. He took over the Scottish Command School of Piping in 1946 then went to Highland Brigade Training School 1947-48, retiring in 1948 with 22 years service.
The Scots Guards Standard Settings of Pipe Music Volume II, (p46, tune 611, Paterson’s Publications 1992), lists this tune as ‘Major Manson’s Farewell to Clachantrushal’. I believe this title to be erroneous: there is strong local tradition that the title is ‘Major Manson at Clachantrushal’, and this is the title on the 1969 recording by the Gordon Highlanders. Perhaps the best evidence comes from Donald’s niece Fiona Johnston (nee Maclean) who possesses a sheet of music entitled ‘Major David Manson at Clachantrushal’, which she received from Donald himself. Clachantrushal, reputedly the largest freestanding monolith in Scotland, stands on the hill behind the house.
His brother Willie, who was then serving in the Royal Navy, remembers meeting Manson and Donald, just before the war broke out, in the lounge of the Grand Hotel, Charing Cross,Glasgow. Manson had produced a chanter from inside his walking stick, and a huge wad of five pound notes to treat them all to a dram while Donald played.
A copy of a postcard sent by Donald as POW, gefangnenuummer 5272, from Stalag XXIB/H, dated 21.11.40, is addressed to his sister, Mrs M Matheson, c/o Coinneach Challum Mhore, Upper Barvas. Illustrating his optimistic outlook and somewhat quirky sense of humour it reads :
My dear all,
Have already written – I think everybody. Have no news – expect the war is still on. Hope you are all well and that Callum is alright. Ask Kenny if he has a spare pair of trousers with braiden (patches) he can send me. If I had a feather in my cap I’d be now crowing – the tail being there. (Nevertheless there is a good day coming I hope).
Love to all, Donald
The Callum referred to in the postcard is Petty Officer Callum Matheson RN. Sadly Callum was lost at sea on 12th June 1942, when the Hunt Type 2 Class destroyer HMS Grove was sunk by U77 in the Mediterranean off Sollum, north western Egypt.
The good day came and Donald returned home. He took over the Scottish Command School of Piping in 1946 then went to Highland Brigade Training School 1947-48, retiring in 1948 with 22 years service.
Civilian Life
He quickly became involved in civilian piping taking over as Pipe Major of the Glasgow Corporation Transport band from 1953-55. At this time he was piper to Sir Edwin de Winton Wills, Glenlyon pre 1953. He became President of the Scottish Pipers’ Association for a while.
Donald became a well-known competitor and later judge in piping competitions on the games circuit. His name appears frequently on list of competition winners and was a double Gold Medallist winning the Gold Medal at Oban in 1951 (MacDonald’s Salute) and Inverness in 1953 (Black Donald’s March). He was also a fine Highland dancer, teaching dancing at various locations, including the Sligachan Hotel in Skye, and the old pipe band hall in Stornoway. Donald never married and post-war he worked as manager of the piping department at Lawrie’s shop in Glasgow for several years. They used his commanding presence in many of their promotional photographs.
When I met the late John Burgess he had fond memories of Donald. There is an old story that Donald and John were travelling together to the games in South Uist. When they got to the ferry they were surprised to read a newspaper headline stating “Maclean and Burgess reported to be in Russia”. One turned to the other and said “I thought the boat journey was longer than usual!” The poster referred, of course, to their infamous namesakes, the post was Communist spies Donald MacLean and Guy Burgess.
John was able to clear up some confusion on my part. The well-known tune ‘Donald Maclean’s Farewell to Oban’, refers not to Donald Maclean of Lewis but to another Gold Medallist Donald MacLean, Inverness (below).
He quickly became involved in civilian piping taking over as Pipe Major of the Glasgow Corporation Transport band from 1953-55. At this time he was piper to Sir Edwin de Winton Wills, Glenlyon pre 1953. He became President of the Scottish Pipers’ Association for a while.
Donald became a well-known competitor and later judge in piping competitions on the games circuit. His name appears frequently on list of competition winners and was a double Gold Medallist winning the Gold Medal at Oban in 1951 (MacDonald’s Salute) and Inverness in 1953 (Black Donald’s March). He was also a fine Highland dancer, teaching dancing at various locations, including the Sligachan Hotel in Skye, and the old pipe band hall in Stornoway. Donald never married and post-war he worked as manager of the piping department at Lawrie’s shop in Glasgow for several years. They used his commanding presence in many of their promotional photographs.
When I met the late John Burgess he had fond memories of Donald. There is an old story that Donald and John were travelling together to the games in South Uist. When they got to the ferry they were surprised to read a newspaper headline stating “Maclean and Burgess reported to be in Russia”. One turned to the other and said “I thought the boat journey was longer than usual!” The poster referred, of course, to their infamous namesakes, the post was Communist spies Donald MacLean and Guy Burgess.
John was able to clear up some confusion on my part. The well-known tune ‘Donald Maclean’s Farewell to Oban’, refers not to Donald Maclean of Lewis but to another Gold Medallist Donald MacLean, Inverness (below).
Donald’s last public appearance was at the Cowal Games, Argyll on 29th August 1964. He evidently enjoyed the day, participating fully in the celebrations, but sadly died in a taxi later. He was only 56. He lies buried at the cemetery in Barabhas. A 1969 gramophone record of all the pipe bands of the Scottish Regiments of the British Army includes both the above tunes composed by Donald Maclean. A third tune ‘Pipe Major Donald Maclean of Lewis’, is a 6/8 march by Pipe Major Donald Macleod. The composer could hardly have paid Donald a finer compliment than to name such a fine rousing tune after him.
This article is from the Piping Times Vol 61 No 6 (Mar 2009) and is reproduced by kind permission of Robert Wallace, Principal of the College of Piping, Otago Street, Glasgow and Editor of the Piping Times – www.college-of-piping.co.uk
Click here to view the sheet music of the 6/8 Pipe March
PM Donald MacLean of Lewis (PDF)
This article is from the Piping Times Vol 61 No 6 (Mar 2009) and is reproduced by kind permission of Robert Wallace, Principal of the College of Piping, Otago Street, Glasgow and Editor of the Piping Times – www.college-of-piping.co.uk
Click here to view the sheet music of the 6/8 Pipe March
PM Donald MacLean of Lewis (PDF)