Biography

Angus Campbell, known as Am Puilean, was born in the Ness area of Lewis. He wrote about his life in the book A' Suathadh ri Iomadh Rubha:

"I was born on the 9th of October, 1903. I was the third child in a family of six children. My father was known as Alasdair Mhurchaidh Òig, from Habost. My mother was Cairistìona Aonghais MhicGillEathain, or Reuban, as the family were known."

His father was a catechist and the family moved to Berneray when he was 14. He was a herdsman for a while and also a ferryman on the Sound of Harris before he worked on a yacht for a man named Liddel from Edinburgh. He saw many amazing things during his travels from Corryvrecken to Loch Coruisk, "a sight as savage and terrifying as you can possibly see", yacht races on the Clyde and at Cowes, and "the coast of southern Europe, visiting especially the kind of places that were magnets for the wealthy man seeking entertainment and amusement".

Angus then joined the British Army, serving with the Seaforth Highlanders, and was deployed in Ireland, India, and as far as the border between India and Afghanistan. He heard a speech by Mahatma Gandhi, describing him as "a saintly man in old rags" who arrived in an old Ford Model T. Angus vividly recalled Amy Johnson and her small, light, and reliable airplane named Jason. After returning home to Ness, he opened a small shop in Swainbost and married Mary MacKay from Eoropie in 1933.

At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he rejoined the Seaforth Highlanders and was captured by the Germans at St Valery in 1940:

"The tanks were like dogs herding sheep, chasing us to the edges of the cliffs, cliffs that were as high as two hundred feet and bleak, steep, to boot. On their bare peaks there was no crevice or ledge to which you could crouch to protect yourself, but when we had no way of escaping, they closed in on us, they told us to lay down our weapons and surrender. Our war was over."

He was held as a prisoner of war in camps in Poland until his liberation on 11th April 1945.

Mise an teann ghlasan do chuing
braighdeanas tha claoidh mo threòir,
M' inntinn ga bhloigheadh le h-òrd,
còmhnadh m' an-shocair le smuain;
Togail cuibhrichean mo dhaorsa
dol ma sgaoil air thaod mo dheòin,
Rèiseadh steud-each air nach clòth
eadar Poland 's baile Chluaidh,
Cur mo bhàta bhàrr nan caol
m' eilean fraoich aice fo sròin
Dh'fhàilteachadh mo phàistean òg,
càirdean eòlach 's bean mo luaidh.

Angus was a poet, and a collection of his poetry titled Moll is Cruithneachd was published in 1972 by Gairm, followed by a biography A' Suathadh ri Iomadh Rubha in 1973 by the same publisher.

Angus Campbell died on the 28th of January 1982.

List of compositions

A' Ialliùgo is Bàta Tòthan
Tàladh (Caidil Sìos Mo Leanabh Gaoil)