In Russia, the Soviet offensive against the German Army Group Centre continued to push the Germans back from Moscow as temperatures fell to -42°C. Hitler refused to allow a withdrawal and sacked any generals who disagreed, including Walther von Brauchitsch, his commander in chief, on 19 December; Hitler now became commander in chief of the German army. Japanese troops invaded Hong Kong and Borneo. In North Africa, British forces pressed Rommel on the Gazala line of defences, causing the Germans to retreat all the way back to El Agheila, where he started from in March, to regroup and await supplies.
All across Caithness schools were closing for the Christmas holidays. Greenland School in Dunnet entered into the spirit of the occasion, as the Head teacher recorded in the log book on Friday 19 December: “School closed for Xmas vacation on 19th inst. A children’s party was held in [the] afternoon at which parents & friends were present. Toys were presented.”
Before they could break up for Christmas John O’Groats School had a minor crisis to overcome on 16 December, “The schoolroom mantelpiece today caught fire from the heat of the stove, and the flames were put out with water.” Unsurprisingly, “The forenoon’s work was interrupted”.
At the beginning of the war, local Agricultural Committees had gone round the country’s farms and designated additional land to be cultivated. Now the John O’Groat Journal reported that Donald Mackay, a livestock dealer from Brickigoe, Wick, was fined £8 for not ploughing up 16 acres of grazing land at West Lyth as instructed. In his defence, Mr Mackay stated that the land had been let for grazing as it “was very poor, and even if it had been ploughed nothing could have been economically procured from it.” But in fining him the Sheriff ruled that “it was the accused’s duty to do the best he could in the country’s interest. Whether or not it was profitable to work the land was a question which did not concern the Court.”
The John O’Groat Journal reported that an Egg Control Scheme was now being established in Caithness, Orkney and Shetland. Egg prices were now to be regulated and offered to the public at a subsidised price. “Under the provisions of the scheme it is not permissible for eggs in shell to be supplied to caterers, bakers or manufacturers, and arrangements will be made for such classes to be supplied with dried egg.”
Finally this week, the John O’Groat Journal recounted that the road at Lothbeg Bridge was being widened and to do this a wall had to come down. But when James Cormack, one of the roadmen, removed a stone from the wall, “two adders came out, and, despite the cold and the lateness of the year, they made an attempt to attack him.” One of the adders measured over two feet but Mr Cormack “soon destroyed both of them.”
