Clan MacDonald, as Promised!

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Clan MacDonald during the Very British Civil War:

With the declaration of the Scottish Republic came the announcement that Dame Flora MacLeod was siding with King Edward VIII and rejecting the breakup of the Union. Sir Godfrey Middleton Bosville Macdonald, Clan MacDonald’s 15th chieftan, previously undecided about the path to take, saw a chance to sieze the whole of Skye for himself. Clan MacDonald threw in their lot with the new government, and backed Edinburgh. It was Clan MacLeod who made the first move, however, taking Raasay and Rona by boat, and pushing militia past the Cuilin Hills.

Skirmishing drove the MacLeod forces into the Hills, and the conflict settled down into stalemate. Clan MacDonald, while one of the largest Scottish Clans, is not strongly represented on Skye. The clan’s expeditionary force is led by the chieftan’s son.

MacDonald’s force is officially the 34th (Territorial) Infantry Brigade of the Scottish Army, and, although largely well-equipped with uniforms and rifles, is woefully lacking in automatic weapons. They do, however, boast two mortars – which have proven their worth in the Cuilin Hills – and two Vickers HMGs. The Brigade is are supplied via ferry from the mainland. Numbering just over 600 men, the 34th Brigade is organised as follows

Brigade:
HQ – 12 men
Support – 10 men, two Stokes mortars

Sleat Battalion:
Headquarters:
HQ – 10 men
Support – 3 men,Vickers HMG

1st Company:
HQ: 10 men
A, B, C platoons, each of 30 men

2nd Company:
HQ: 10 men
D, E, F platoons, each of 30 men

3rd Company:
HQ: 10 men
G, H, I platoons, each of 30 men

Uist Battalion:

Headquarters:
HQ – 10 men
Support – 3 men,Vickers HMG

4th Company:
HQ: 10 men
J, K, L platoons, each of 30 men

5th Company:
HQ: 10 men
M, N, O platoons, each of 30 men

6rd Company:
HQ: 10 men
P, Q, R platoons, each of 30 men

The few light automatic weapons possessed by the 34th are evenly spread throughout the force, with two per company. The mortars are attached to each battalion, depending on need, with strict instructions not to let them or the HMGs fall into MacLeod hands. Each Platoon is organised as follows

Lt, Sgt, runner, 6 men (rifles)
Cpl, L/Cpl, 5 men (rifles)
Cpl, L/Cpl, 5 men (rifles)

Where a Lewis gun is present, it is usually kept with the Lt’s squad.

The 34th are equipped with surplus WWI uniforms, and wear kilts in MacDonald tartan, khaki tunics, and either glengarry caps or large tam-o-shanters. Helmets and battledress trousers are also worn, but rarely. Rifles are ubiquitous, while officers favour the Webley service pistol. They are much more regular in appearance than their opponents, thanks to the proximity of the mainland and the Scottish government’s decision to legalise the various militias.

Their organisation also denotes the semi-professional manner of the 34th, with the British - now Scottish - Army organisation being followed, unlike the more organic MacLeod battalion.

The MacDonald force suffers, however, from a lack of aggressiveness and a hesitancy belying their large size. Despite outnumbering the MacLeods almost 3:1, the MacLeods have used the Cuilin Hills to keep the 34th Brigade at bay for almost three months while new arms, equipment, and recruits arrive via South Wales and Ireland.