Back in September Italian forces had invaded Egypt, which was being occupied by British troops: the attack had ground to a halt after a few days and the Italian forces had assumed defensive positions. Now the British prepared to counter-attack, and on the nights of 7-8 December advanced into position close to the Italian defences. Also this week, in Albania, Greek forces continued to drive the Italian army back; and General Franco ruled out Spanish entry into the war.
Far from the heat of the North African desert, the John O’Groat Journal noted that the arrival of December meant that “Winter has now got the North in its iron grip”. However, “In spite of the black-out Wick can be quite a gay place during the hours between the dusk and dawn … Picture-houses, dance halls, concert rooms, library facilities, and a host of other amenities make Wick quite an attractive place once the drab out-of-doors is forgotten.”
With winter already here, and Christmas coming, all over the county people were busy fundraising, knitting and gathering “comforts” for the troops. These were usually balaclavas, scarves, gloves, socks, jumpers and blankets, and were often sent with packs of sweets and cigarettes, or money. The Forss War Comforts Committee was typical: “As there are now quite a number of local lads with the Forces, at home and abroad, it was decided as funds are adequate, to send to each a parcel of comforts and a small sum of money for Christmas.”
Meanwhile, the Director of Education was outraged to discover that some children had been taken to work in the local Food Office when they should have been taking exams. On 5 December he wrote, “The pupils had not returned yesterday and the Chief Assistant Clerk … intimated to the Rector that he would require them ‘a little longer!’ Meantime the quarterlies are on, but whether the pupils will be assessed on handwriting or industry is a moot point … The whole situation is wicked.”
Finally this week, the John O’Groat Journal noted the restriction in the rules for burning heather, which could 
now be done in the winter during the hours of daylight, and had previously been against the law. The reporter pointed out that it “will not mean much one way or the other in Caithness”; but added “indeed, it is possible that the burning will be on a smaller scale than before, for the simple reason that the attractiveness of doing something that is forbidden is no longer there.”
