Tartan Terrorist’s life on the run
A Scottish activist who raided a military armory and stole weapons has documented his life on the run.
Gordon Mcshean, 82, fled Scotland following his involvement in the radical tactics of the Scottish Republican Army in 1953, during its failed struggle to bring independence from the United Kingdom.
Although Mcshean describes himself as a freedom fighter, the movement was proscribed by the UK Government and he’s spent 60 years in exile in Germany, the United States and New Zealand to avoid prosecution for terrorism.
In his book Retired Terrorist, the Manawatu¯ resident reveals a childhood of smashing windows and burning mailboxes, culminating in a raid on an armoury used by British army cadets.
His conservative parents were unaware of his late-night escapades, which earned him the label Tartan Terrorist and, ultimately, forced him out of the country.
Despite being ostracised, Mcshean still loves his homeland, as shown by the photograph of Scottish poet Robert Burns on the wall of his home, and the whisky in the cupboard. He regularly dons his kilt and army cap, and has said you could take the man out of Scotland but you couldn’t take Scotland out of the man.
Although he is happy Scotland is edging closer to its own identity, he admitted his feet were firmly implanted in Kiwi soil.
Mcshean joined the activist organisation’s crusade, opposing the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, when he was 15. For Scottish activist Gordon Mcshean has spent 60 years on the run in Germany, America and New Zealand to avoid prosecution for terrorism. members of the Scottish Republican Army, mailboxes with ERII symbols and shops with Coronation displays were fair game. The postboxes burned; the windows shattered.
It didn’t take long for senior officials within the activist organisation to ask if he was prepared to do more.
With four associates, Mcshean was asked to hire a Ford Cortina, raid the Johnstone
Following one of the robbers’ arrests, he fled the country.
Mcshean wanted to achieve Scottish independence without violence, but, looking back at his plight, saw how close it was to descending into a culture of violence, similar to the Irish Republican Army.
In an attempt to avoid arrest, a 17-yearold Mcshean hitch-hiked through England and crossed the Channel, where he was hired by the United States army to provide parts for army aircraft.
In 1958 he settled in California, where he studied and lived for 22 years.
He came to New Zealand in the early 1980s, when Massey University wanted a journalist to promote its agriculture and horticulture faculties.
He now lives at Himatangi Beach, in Manawatu¯ , and judging by the picture of Scottish poet Robert Burns on the wall of his home, and the whisky in the cupboard, it seems clear that you can take the man out of Scotland but you can’t take Scotland out of the man.