I’m working on an article on Lamlash and was reflecting on the last time I was in the village with my family, many years ago now. At the time my son had just entered his teens, and the visit to Arran with his grandfather had an impact. A year or so later, he submitted an essay to a Scottish-American magazine and won $100. I thought it might be worthwhile to post it on this Remembrance Day.
My heritage means a lot to me. I was born in Scotland, though I moved to the United States when I was less than a year old. I know a little about my heritage because of the stories that my father occasionally tells me about growing up in Scotland and about my family history. I have visited Scotland on four occasions and enjoy Scottish music and culture. I have also strengthened my heritage by learning to play the bagpipes.
My grandfather was in the 11th (Scottish) Commando during World War II. The Commando was raised in Galashiels, and then marched across Scotland to complete their training on the Island of Arran. They sailed from Arran to the Middle East in 1941. In action against the Vichy French in Syria, they landed from the sea at the mouth of the Litani River. Almost a quarter of the five hundred men were either killed or captured in battle. A shortage of trained men meant that they were then disbanded as a Commando. Some of the men who remained later landed from a submarine to attack Rommel’s headquarters in Libya.
During a recent trip to Scotland, I visited Arran, so many of the stories which my father and grandfather had told became much more tangible. On the shore is the pier where the troop was ordered to follow their lieutenant into the bay in full kit to show how well trained they were. On a hill is a pillbox guarding the entrance to the bay and the beaches where they practiced their landings time and time again. There are also the hills which they climbed in all weather, and the midges which must have bothered them as much as they bothered me. It’s amazing to think that these men, who were not much older than I am, were preparing for war.
I am grateful to these men who gave the strength of their youth in defense of freedom. By doing so, they have ensured that people like me have opportunities to use their strengths in more peaceful pursuits. These men, like my grandfather, are now nearing the ends of their lives. There are not many opportunities left to hear their stories. It is important to remember their contributions and to incorporate this part of history into our heritage.
I began playing bagpipes four years ago so that, one day, I might play for my grandfather. I got in touch with the piper who served with the Commando during their action in the Middle East. The Commando had just one special tune, “Colonel Pedder,” named after their first commanding officer. He was killed in the first action they saw. When I play the tune, I get a tremendous sense of pride knowing that I keep the spirit of the Commando alive. The last words of the song written for the march are: “They’ll ken the ‘Black Hackle,’ afore we cam hame.” The Commando made their mark. One day I hope I can make mine.
November 11, 2025
What a beautiful and thoughtful tribute. You must be proud of your son.
November 11, 2025
Thanks for sharing this with us on this important day.
November 14, 2025
A thoughtful essay – thanks.
That pillbox you mention is on my favourite Arran walk – from Brodick to Lamlash via the Clauchland hills, I always pause there to admire the view over to the Holy Isle.
On my infrequent visits back to my beloved hometown of Rothesay I always try to spy out my name on the war memorial – not me of course but who I’m named after, and who I never met. My Uncle James was 22 when he was lost with all his shipmates when their ship – S.S. Hamla – a typical steam tramp – was torpedoed in the South Atlantic in August 1942 by U-506 which went on to be involved in the famous “Laconia” incident and was herself sunk the next year with only six survivors.
November 28, 2025
Dear Valeman,
Firstly many congratulations on your wonderful website, which I discovered while researching the ‘Doon the Watter’ history for our local heritage society, Strathblane Heritage. What a huge amount of work you have devoted to telling the stories of these magnificent craft and the special times they brought to the working families (as politicians must now call ordinary folk) in the West of Scotland.
I was specially struck by your own family history and your grandfather’s story of that valient Scottish Commando of WW2. By a happy coincidence we know Colonel Pedder’s story well as he is one of seven WW2 heroes whose families lived at times in our village and whose names are recorded on the local War Memorial, yet nothing was known about them and their lives.
Strathblane Heritage researched their stories last year and presented them at a special meeting of our 110 members, which was accompanied by an exhibition in our local library. You’ll find the stories on our website at https://www.strathblaneheritage.org/strathblane-7/ which I hope is of interest to you.
Kind regards
November 28, 2025
Dear Alastair: Thank you very much for the strathblaneheritage link. I found the details of the Pedder family most touching. He was a well-liked and trusted commander, and sorely missed by his men. My father was with Capt. Moore’s group, north of where Pedder was killed. He was later in Palestine with the S.A.S. and took photographs of the original grave markers. Part of his head can be seen in the Arran Heritage Museum dedication photograph behind the chap with an eyepatch. The man with the eye-patch’s name was Simpson and he had lost his sight when he was wounded in the Litani action. I recall meeting him when I was a teenager when he visited my father for a few days. I got to know a few others over the years and attended one of the reunions. The men mentioned that their story was not well known so I gathered what material I could find and put it together so that the men and their families could have some sort of record. It was never meant to be published but the combined operations website has published it. https://www.combinedops.com/Black%20Hackle.htm At any rate, thank you for link. It is greatly appreciated. Graham
November 30, 2025
Thanks for this Graham. You’ve reminded me that we’re now in touch with Col. Pedder’s granddaughter, Caroline Hope, who came to the village for the Remembrance Day service and our WW2 heroes exhibition. I’ll send her that link to the 11th Commando’s survivors’ website.
Alastair