Call air Cladach Ile (The Loss on Islay’s Shore)

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Call air Cladach Ile/The Loss on Islay's Shore

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Call air Cladach Ile

29/04/2018

BBC ALBA - Call air Cladach Ile/The Loss on Islay's Shore

The unknown story of two sea tragedies that brought the First World War to the Hebrides.

Sgeul dà sgrios calldach air cladach eilein Ìle aig àm a'Chiad Chogaidh. Documentary telling the unknown story of two sea tragedies that brought the First World War to the Hebrides.

Sgeul cha mhòr caillte, air mar a chaochail faisg air 700 neach nuair a thug a'Chiad Chogadh slac air cladach Ìle. 'Sa Ghearran 1918 chuir bàt'-aigeann Gearmailteach torpedo ann an long làn shaighdeirean, an Tuscania. Chaill còrr is 200 am beatha, eadar saighdeirean Aimeireaganach agus criubha Breatannach. Ochd mìosan as dèidh sin, bhuail an HMS Otranto ann an long eile san aona chabhlach, ann an gaillionn eagallach, san do chaochail faisg air 500. Cha d'fhuair ach 19 beò air tìr an Ìle. Sgeul dorcha ach le leus na gaisgeachd air a feadh.

Mar a thug sgiobair calma long-chogaidh 600 neach air bòrd bhon Otranto mus deach i fodha, is mar a chuir eileanaich iad fhèin ann an gàbhadh gus daoine am impis am bàthadh a shlaodadh gu tìr. Tha am prògram stèidhichte air aithrisean a rinneadh aig an àm, leothasan a fhuair as beò, leothasan a chunnaic na thachair, agus le an càirdean.

The unknown story of how nearly 700 men died when the impact of World War I crashed onto to the coast of the inner Hebridean island of Islay. In February 1918, the troopship Tuscania was torpedoed by a German U-boat. More than 200 American soldiers and British crew died as lifeboats were dashed against Islay's cliffs. Eight months later, HMS Otranto collided with another ship in its convoy in a terrible storm, killing nearly 500 men. Just 19 reached Islay's shore alive.

The tragic tale is shot through with stories of heroism and self-sacrifice. A fearless destroyer captain snatched 600 men from the stricken Otranto before it sank, and islanders risked their lives to drag half-drowned survivors from the sea.

The programme is based on contemporary accounts of survivors and witnesses, and on interviews with family members of American soldiers, British crewmen and islanders who lived through the tragedies.

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