Mounting tension between Russia and Finland escalated when the Russian village of Mainila on the border was shelled on 26 November and several people were killed; the Russians claimed it was an act of aggression by Finland, although it may have been orchestrated by Russia to provide an excuse for going to war. Meanwhile, German forces had been laying magnetic mines off British coasts (in November alone, 27 ships of 121,000 tons were sunk and for a time the Thames was virtually closed to shipping); now one was defused and recovered from the Thames Estuary, giving British scientists a chance to develop counter-measures. And on 24 November registration was completed for food rationing, expected to come into force on 8 January 1940.

Over on Orkney, Hetty Munro recorded in her diary on 23 November that a low-flying German plane came over and “everyone got into a flap about it as no guns could be fired owing to the fact that we did not have the right kind of guns.” The plane therefore “played around for quite a time. Then I went in to get dictation from one of the seniors and as he was speaking, in rushed a very junior Captain saying breathlessly, ‘Oh please Sir there’s a German plane above the hotel, What’ll we do about it?’ ‘Do? Do?’ says the senior boss. “Do the same as I’m doing. Come to the window and look at it!’”

She also noted wryly that a German plane that had been shot down had such a good map on board “that our people are using it as it is much better than any that they have!”

The schoolteachers of Caithness continued to record the aerial activity in their log books. For instance, on 21 November Barrock School states: “A German aeroplane passed high overhead this morning at 9.40”.

It was announced this week that Orkney and Shetland were to be made a “protected area” as of 1 December, after which date no one (“other than existing residents, Servicemen or police”) would be allowed to remain in or enter the area without a permit.

A couple of weeks ago (Week 10), the John o’Groat Journal reported the illegal fishing of inshore waters by trawlers. Now it ran an article on the practice: “The twinkling lights of these marauders can readily be seen within easy reach of land, and no spectacle is more annoying to those local fishermen whose livelihoods so largely depend on the preservation of the inshore grounds.” The piece pointed out that the practice risked damaging fishing stocks, and appealed to them to stick to “orthodox methods”.

Although food rationing had not yet come into force, the Foods Department announced that “no applications for permits for sugar to make preserves could now be entertained”. However, because “it was known that there would be a considerable demand for sugar for jam-making in the County”, the County Council instructed the Food Executive Officer to see if the regulations could be relaxed.

Across Britain, the number of pigs reared on farms declined, as the emphasis shifted to grain, potatoes and dairy herds. An example of the way the war encroached on farmers’ lives can be seen in an application to the Council from the owner of the Royal Hotel, Thurso, and JWM Mackay, butcher from Keiss, asking for permission to carry on raising and curing pigs.

Finally, the Council considered employees on war service this week. Apart from a number of teachers, the only other employee on war service was Mr JG Baikie, the Bower District Clerk; whose duties were being carried out by his sister! (The Council decided to make Miss Baikie “Assistant Public Assistance Officer, Collector of Rates, etc. pro tem”, and decided that “a supplementary allowance would not arise in this case”.)

Coming soon! Week 13, 27 November - 4 December 1939, will be published on Monday 26th November 2012. To view previous issues please use the menus on the right hand side of the page.