Sorley MacLean began work on ‘An Cuilithionn’ (The Cuillin) in 1939. |
The Second World War 1939-1945. (Sorley MacLean produced a number of moving war poems following his service in the British Army in North Africa, the most famous of which is ‘Glac a’ Bhàis’). |
Sorley MacLean taught English at Boroughmuir School in Edinburgh from January 1939 to September 1940. |
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From October 1939 to at least June 1940, Sorley MacLean spent time teaching evacuees in Hawick. |
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17 Poems for 6d, containing some of the poems, which would later appear in ‘Dàin do Eimhir’, was published in 1940. |
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Seventeen Poems for Sixpence, a second issue of the poems with corrections, was published some weeks later in 1940. |
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The ‘An t-Aigeach’ section from Part V of ‘An Cuilithionn’ was published in The New Alliance in 1940. |
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Sorley MacLean entered the Signal Corps in September 1940 and from May to December 1941 he waited at Catterick Camp for embarkation orders. |
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The poet was sent to Egypt in December 1941, and remained on active service from then until March 1943 with the Royal Horse Artillery. |
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Sorley MacLean was seriously injured at the Battle of El Alamein on 2 November 1942, and was in hospital from November 1942 to July 1943. |
Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt from 23 October to 3 November 1942. |
Dàin do Eimhir agus Dàin Eile published in November 1943. |
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Sorley MacLean resumed teaching at Boroughmuir School in Edinburgh from 1943 to 1956. |
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The war poem ‘Glac a’ Bhàis’ (Death Valley) was published in Poetry Scotland in 1944. |
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‘Reothairt’ (Springtide) was published in Scottish Art and Letters in 1944. |
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