And so the third month of the war came to an end, and with it the year 1939. In Finland, in the only actual ground fighting taking place, Russian forces were still being held at bay by the Finns.

In Caithness, it must have been an uneasy time. Three months of constant air activity, with German and Allied planes flying overhead, had not yet resulted in any actual air raids (though, as Hetty Munro recorded in her diary, Orkney had endured many). This would of course tragically change over the coming months.

Daily life had already been severely affected by the war. The blackout and fuel rationing, not to mention the German U-boat attacks on merchant shipping, had affected every person; and next month food rationing would be introduced for the first time in the war. And, as we have seen, some Caithness families had already lost loved ones in naval tragedies.

As the John o’Groat Journal noted in its year-end review, “it is not to be wondered at that there is a subdued note in the music of this year’s festive season”; and during the course of the year, “the herring fishing succeeded in touching the nadir of its fortunes. At Wick this year’s summer fishing completely collapsed.”

On the other hand the Christmas postal service celebrated “record figures at Wick”, with a special mail train being run from Inverness to Wick and Thurso on Christmas Eve for delivery on Christmas Day; perhaps a reflection of the fact that so many people were away from home, evacuees and those on active service.

In Wick hardy souls were invited to welcome the New Year with the Trinkie Swimming Club’s “Opening Plunge” on the first of January (“take your pleasures seriously – pool guaranteed free of ice”); and a football match was arranged on the same afternoon between “Wick Select versus RAF Select” at Harmsworth Park in Wick.

Finally, the County Director of Education wrote to Master Donald Cormack in Canada: “Dear Don, Thank you for your letter which I have just received. It is very interesting and I have sent it to the Headmaster of one of our schools. I have asked him to find you a boy friend who will write and give you his views.” Interesting to think that, despite the U-boat blockade and all the hardships of war, a young Canadian boy and a Caithness schoolboy might have become pen-pals, and possibly even friends – a suitably optimistic note with which to start the New Year.

Coming soon! Week 18, 1-7 January 1940, will be published on Monday 31 December 2012. To view previous issues please use the menus on the right hand side of the page.

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