Week 54: 9-15 September 1940
This week saw the Blitz continue with heavy German raids on British cities: London, Portsmouth, Southampton and Merseyside were all attacked. On Sunday 15 September the Luftwaffe launched a massive raid on London which was repulsed by the RAF, with 60 German planes shot down for the loss of 26 British. The heavy losses the Luftwaffe were sustaining led Hitler to finally cancel the planned invasion of Britain, and 15 September is the date that has been chosen to mark Battle of Britain Day. Also this week, Italian forces invaded Egypt.
The John o’Groat Journal looked back on the disappointing summer tourist season (“With the exception of June, which was outstandingly good, we have had more rain than any of us would wish for”). As well as fewer tourists, the year had also seen a “lack of outdoor events”, noting that the agricultural shows had been dispensed with: “Summer outings have also been greatly reduced in number, thanks mainly to the petrol shortage”
In Caithness, the Council finally decided to reopen schools on 1 October, and so put an end to the long summer holiday. But churches would be used to teach primary school children in Wick and Thurso, and no children under seven would be allowed to attend school in Wick, Thurso, Castletown, Lybster or Halkirk.
A number of men who had volunteered for the Home Guard at the start of the war were having to resign now, usually because they ran small businesses whose workers were being called up. In this letter William Taylor, proprietor of E. Campbell & Co. of Wick, grocers, bakers and confectioners, wrote to Captain M’Hardy to resign, “owing to the fact that my foreman is reporting on Monday first 16th to join H.M. Forces”.
Thurso Burgh Council received a report on its water supply this week. The supply from Loch Calder was described as “sufficient” (“with the exception of Pennyland Farm where the supply was intermittent, no doubt owing to the operations at the Military Camp”). More worryingly, “there had been trouble in Castle Street caused by the presence of eels in the water pipe, but that this had now been rectified”.
Rescued merchant seamen continued to arrive in Caithness, though not all of their ships were sunk by enemy action. On 12 September the police recorded, “14 survivors were this morning landed at Scrabster, by Thurso, from the S.S. EMPORAR, which was sunk this morning at 02.20 hours after colliding with H.M.S. Trawler SAON, while in convoy off Duncansby Head”.
Finally, the Home Guard also received a helpful clarification about anti-tank mines this week: “Please notify all ranks that [Anti-Tank] mines are liable to detonate by a man treading on them. Military Training Pamphlet No. 40 is misleading on this point.”
Coming soon! Week 55, 16th - 22nd September 1940, will be published on Monday 16th September 2013. To view previous issues please use the menus on the right hand side of the page.
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Comments
We folks, who are now accustomed to wall to wall news, have no idea how we had very little inkling of what was happening to the war effort. We got what little news the Whitehall decided could safely be released. Most households, who could afford one, all got a wireless set. We got our first one in the first year of the war an "Invicta" fitted with a loud speaker which was a real boon after the old "cats Whisker" sets with ear phones. These early radios came with batteries, as we had no electricity in the country. There was a HT(DRY) Battery and a six volt (Wet) battery which had to be taken to be re charged, depending on usage, every fortnight. It was a chore having to cycle to the blacksmith at Bowermadden with these batteries slung from the handlebars to get recharged batteries but well worth it to get the news. We got six o clock news and the nine o clock news always starting with the pips and the phrase "This is London"
I can not be absolutely sure if I heard all or one of Winston Churchill's famous speeches but we were all most conscious of the slogans of the day such as "Dig for Victory" and "V for Victory" and "Careless Talk costs lives" "Is your Journey really necessary".
We all heard of Lord Haw-Haw whose broadcasts came over loud and clear and were always treated with great contempt by my folks.
Going to school one morning we saw the local blacksmith "Willie Henderson" at Gillock had painted a great big "V" on his big black sliding door.
Some houses and shops had strips of sticky paper cris crossing the panes to prevent glass shards flying
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We Bower folks used to visit Wick on a Thursday - it being Market day and I remember running to a shelter and being scared witless by the horrible wailing of the air raid siren. I can remember "the All Clear" sound too as we all happily emerged about an hour or so layer - I think it was either a test or a false alarm. The Highland buses werenow all being painted a drab grey - camouflage.
We were all getting used to new words "Ministry of Food" "Ministry of Labour" , Ministry of Agriculture and "Ministry of Information.
Black outs by now were all being placed in windows at night if your blinds or curtains were deficient - they were usually made from wood and tar paper but after a while no one bothered in the country as the lights from the oil lamps were so poor until the famous "Tilly" lamps arrived, Cars were all fitted with masks over their headlights which were severely limited driving in the dark.
We youngsters had a great time being caught up in the excitement of the times and seeing relations coming home in battle dress and others going regularly to the school for Home Guard drills.
JC
I think it is hard for us all to appreciate how difficult is was for people to find out what was happening in the war as we are so used to having all the information we want (and more)at our fingertips now, no need to wait for the 6 o'clock news!