Duncan Dougie MacDonald
From Glengarryceltic
Duncan was born at MacCrimmon on May 8th, 1922, the oldest of four sons born to Dougald MacDonald and his wife Margaret F. MacLeod. His paternal grandparents were Duncan H. and Mary Ann (Kerr) MacDonald, and maternal grandparents were Donald D. and Mary Ann (MacSweyn) MacLeod.
His school years were spent at S.S#8 and #2 Caledonia and Kenyon (MacCrimmon West) where he also had one year of High School taught by the elementary teacher. He recalls three teachers of those years - Hattie MacLeod (Mrs. W.R MacLeod), Flora MacSweyn(Mrs. Clifford Campbell) and Inez MacIntosh (Mrs. Willie MacGillivray).
After the school years Duncan worked on the home farm and got extra employment at whatever jobs were available locally. These included working for neighbouring farmers, being a cheese maker's helper at MacCrimmon Cheese factory and also doing seasonal work (like putting up snow fences for the Department of Highways).
During those years Duncan and his brother Donald learned to play the violin from lessons given by their mother. Their first public appearances were at local schools, small halls and house parties.
Next came the "War Years". In 1942 Duncan volunteered for army service. He took basic training in Ottawa, advanced training in Nova Scotia and went overseas on the Queen Elizabeth. He saw anti-aircraft action in England during the Blitz and further action in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. His service was with two different regiments - 3rd Medium 87th Battery (East Coast) and the 67th Battery (Rosetown, Saskatchewan).
After the war ended and while waiting to come home, Duncan drove one of two thousand trucks (GMC of course) from Holland to Czechoslovakia. These trucks were sold by the Canadian government.
He finally got home to Canada between Christmas and New Year's 1945. Christmas was spent on board the Queen Elizabeth in mid Atlantic in one of the worst storms that the Captain and crew had ever experienced.
