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An Litir Bheag 1021

Litir Bheag na seachdain sa le Ruairidh MacIlleathain. Litir 脿ireamh 1021. This week's short letter for G脿idhlig learners.

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Sun 8 Dec 2024 13:30

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An Litir Bheag 1021

Tha mi a鈥� leantainn le eachdraidh-beatha Ph脿draig Fhriseil 脿 Taobh Sear Rois. Bhuineadh e do theaghlach bochd G脿idhealach, ach dh鈥櫭╥rich e gu bhith na phr矛omhaire ann an Sealann Nuadh.聽

Fhad 鈥檚 a bha e anns a鈥� phr矛osan, leugh e t貌rr mu phoilitigs. Bha fo thaghadh ann airson sg矛re Meadhan Wellington ann an naoi ceud deug is ochd-deug (1918). Sheas P脿draig airson a鈥� Ph脿rtaidh L脿baraich. Bhuannaich e.

Thachair e ri Se貌naid Kemp. 鈥橲 e ban-Albannach a bha innte, 脿 Glaschu. Bha i dealaichte bhon ch猫ile aice. Bha mac 貌g aice. Ph貌s i fh猫in is P脿draig. Cha robh clann a bharrachd aca, ach bha P脿draig agus an dalta aige 鈥� Harold 鈥� dl霉th ri ch猫ile.

Ann an naoi ceud deug, trithead 鈥檚 a c貌ig (1935), she貌l e fh猫in is Se貌naid a Lunnainn. Bha coinneamhan aige co-cheangailte ri obair. Chaidh iad gu Baile an Droma agus sheall 鈥楶at鈥� do a bhean an t-脿ite far an do thogadh e. Bha an teaghlach aige uile air falbh ach bha caraidean gu le貌r fhathast a鈥� fuireach ann.

Faisg air deireadh na bliadhna, bhuannaich am P脿rtaidh L脿barach an taghadh n脿iseanta ann an Sealann Nuadh. Ghabh P脿draig dreuchd an Leas-phr矛omhaire.

Bha c霉isean a鈥� dol bhuaithe gu h-eadar-n脿iseanta. Nuair a th貌isich cogadh san Roinn-E貌rpa, thug Sealann Nuadh a l脿n-thaic don R矛oghachd Aonaichte. M矛os an d猫idh toiseach a鈥� chogaidh, bha P脿draig ann an Lunnainn. Ghabh e cothrom tadhal air an t-seann dachaigh aige air a鈥� Gh脿idhealtachd.

Chaochail am Pr矛omhaire anns a鈥� Mh脿rt, naoi ceud deug is ceathrad (1940). Chaidh P脿draig a thaghadh na 脿ite. Bha m矛ltean de shaighdearan 脿 Sealann Nuadh anns an Ear-Mheadhanach. Chaidh P脿draig a thadhal orra. Bha e cuideachd ann am Breatainn. Bha coinneamhan aige le Winston Churchill. Thill e a-rithist don Gh脿idhealtachd aig an 脿m sin. Chaidh saorsa c貌ig bailtean a bhuileachadh air 鈥� Obar Dheathain, Glaschu, Inbhir Nis, Inbhir Pheofharain agus Baile Dhubhthaich.

Ann an naoi ceud deug, ceathrad 鈥檚 a dh脿 (1942), bha P脿draig anns an Taigh Gheal ann am Washington DC. Ach bha aige ri tilleadh dhachaigh. Bha m矛-thoileachas ann mu na m矛ltean de shaighdearan anns an leth-chruinne mu thuath, oir bha Iapan a鈥� bagairt air d霉thchannan a鈥� Chuain S猫imh.

The Little Letter 1021

I鈥檓 continuing with the life story of Peter Fraser from Easter Ross. He belonged to a poor Highland family, but he rose to become the Prime Minister in New Zealand.聽

While he was in prison, he read a lot about politics. There was a by-election for Wellington Central in 1918. Peter stood for the Labour Party. He won.

He met Janet Kemp. She was a Scotswoman, from Glasgow. She was divorced from her husband. She had a young son. She and Peter married. They had no further children, but Peter and his stepson 鈥� Harold 鈥� were close to each other.

In 1935, he and Janet sailed to London. He had meetings connected to his work. They went to Hill of Fearn and 鈥楶at鈥� showed to his wife the place where he was raised. His family had all left, but many friends still lived there.

Near the end of the year, the Labour Party won the national election in New Zealand. Peter took on the role of Deputy Prime Minister.

Matters were deteriorating internationally. When war began in Europe, New Zealand gave its full support to the United Kingdom. A month after the start of the war, Peter was in London. He took the opportunity to visit his old home in the Highlands.

The Prime Minister died in March 1940. Peter was chosen in his place. There were thousands of soldiers from New Zealand in the Middle East. Peter went to visit them. He was also in Britain. He had meetings with Winston Churchill. He returned to the Highlands at that time. The freedom of five towns/cities was bestowed on him 鈥� Aberdeen, Glasgow, Inverness, Dingwall and Tain.

In 1942, Peter was in the White House in Washington DC. But he had to return home. There was unhappiness about the thousands of soldiers in the northern hemisphere, because Japan was threatening the countries of the Pacific.

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  • Sun 8 Dec 2024 13:30

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