The Japanese advances in the Far East dominated the news in the early part of the year. This week they captured Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies, and landed in New Guinea. They were now close enough to Australia to launch an air raid on raid Broome in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. In the face of the Japanese advance in Burma, British troops evacuated Rangoon. Also this week, the Germans murdered some 5,000 Jews in Minsk and Britain extended conscription to men and women up to the age of 45.
Meanwhile in Caithness the stormy weather was still affecting parts of the county. The log book entry for Staxigoe School near Wick on 6 March records: “Attendance Officer called and the school was visited by Nurse Spence this week and some of the children examined by nurse. Owing to a blizzard no transport was available on Thursday 5th March and the school was not opened.”
The inhabitants of Ramscraigs had a narrow escape this week, as Constable Kennedy of Dunbeath reported to the Wick Police. “The following is the information regarding the 
plane crash near Berriedale. The plane No. P.2443, a Manchester two seater, was proceeding from Skeabrae, Orkney, to Peterhead, in charge of Flight Lieut Ritchie who was accompanied by P.O. Sunpter, and at 11.5 this morning it crashed 300 yards West by North of the Old Schoolhouse, Ramscraigs (map reading 669487). None of the occupants were injured but the plane was more or less a total wreck.”
The John O’Groat Journal reported a tragic accident when a nine year-old schoolboy was killed at Brawlbin, Halkirk, on the previous weekend, a sad reminder of just how lethal explosive devices could be. “While returning from school, Gordon Mackay, grandson of Mr and Mrs Alexander Mackay, Brawlbin, found a small object. He took it home with him, and was playing with it when it exploded, and he was instantly killed. The shop was rather badly damaged.”
Lt. Col. Ian McHardy, commander of the Caithness Home Guard, received a terse letter 
this week from C.W. Usher at Headquarters: “Dear McHardy, I wrote to you in January about the defences of Castletown Aerodrome telling you that I had had a disturbing report that all was not well there between the Air Force and the Home Guard. I am rather surprised that you have not answered the letter.” Usher then related “another rather disturbing report”, in the form of a letter which had been picked up via the Censor, alleging that “No H.G. Parade has been held here since November and we have been turned out of the gymnasium” – and instructing McHardy to investigate the matter.
Finally this week, the John O’Groat Journal rather cruelly poked fun at a Town Councillor: “Ex-Bailie Robertson’s many friends are astonished by his announcement that that he sleeps under the bed every night! As the ex-Bailie is a stone or two heavier than most of his fellow Councillors, this method of defeating the bombers must take some doing. At any rate, it is an inspiring example to those townsfolk who feel that they have not been adequately provided with protection against enemy raids.”
