The Winter War entered its final stages when on Saturday 24 February the Russians launched an assault across the frozen Baltic close to Helsinki, outflanking the Finnish lines. The RAF embarked on a major 6-day operation this week, dropping leaflets over German towns and cities.
The John O’Groat Journal reported the burial of the bodies of three seamen from the tanker Gretafield, which had been torpedoed and sunk last week. The bodies were washed up at Dunbeath, but couldn’t be identified; one man from Wick and two from Sutherland who had served on the tanker were still missing, presumed lost.
Although the Battle of Britain was still some months in the future, contingency plans were already being put in place. In a Special Meeting of the County Council on Saturday 24 February the councillors considered a request from the Ministry of Transport to “arrange … for the reparation of landing grounds, runways, hangar aprons, roads, etc. at certain Royal Air Force Stations in the event of damage being caused by enemy action, and enquiring whether the County Council would be willing to undertake the service on behalf of the Ministry in respect of the Aerodrome at Wick”. The Council agreed to this, and noted that Wick Burgh and Wick Harbour Trust workmen would also be made available for any repair work.
The annual cabaret, supper and dance was held at the Breadalbane Hall, Wick, featuring “Miss 1940” (Kathleen Davies); the event was filmed, and the film was afterwards shown in the cinema at Wick.
The Director of Education wrote rather ruefully in a letter this week: “Things here are very busy and my responsibilities have been increased by having the duties of Welfare Officer for troops and Emergency Officer for Juvenile Welfare in Time of War piled on me but I think we shall manage to see them through. In any case it is some form of war service and as the War Office turned down my application on account of my very great age I felt dusted and laid on the shelf.”
