On 1 November Allied forces in Italy attacked the Germans on the River Trigno, crossing the river early on 2 November. On 3 November the German commander decided to make a fighting retreat to the next line of defence at the river Sangro. In the Pacific, US troops landed on the island of Bougainville on 2 November. Also this week, Soviet forces finally liberated the city of Kiev; American scientists began to manufacture plutonium at a plant in Tennessee; Hitler transferred Rommel from the Italian front to start preparing Western Europe for an Allied invasion; and the Nazis purged the Majdanek death camp, killing some 17,000 Jews in a single day.
Back in Caithness the harvest was effectively over, and potato lifting was in full swing. As the John O’Groat Journal reported, on Stroma “Harvesting is now completed, but there is still a quantity of potatoes to be lifted. The latter part of the harvest has been the best for a number of years.”
The paper also noted that “Yesterday (Thursday) was observed as Thanksgiving Day [for the Harvest] throughout Caithness, and all business premises and schools were closed. Special services were held in the churches.”
In a further sign that the crisis period of the war had passed, the Council’s Education Committee noted that the county’s schools were now being released by the military, as they were no longer needed for the war: “It was reported that South School, Pulteneytown Academy and West Banks Public School had been surrendered as from 6th instant, and that the War Department Valuer was preparing a Schedule of Condition in respect of each school.” The wrangling over compensation and repairs would now begin.
Finally this week, the Education Committee also considered the quality of water at Ackergill School: “There was a complaint from the teacher at Ackergill School that the Ackergill School well had been smelling offensively.” The Clerk of the School Management Committee had reported that “I examined the above well, and spoke to some of the tenants, who are using the water. They say that four weeks previous, during the dry weather, there was a bad taste from the water, but, during the rainy season, it had been much better. I suggest the well should be cleaned during the dry season.” The matter had also been referred to the County Medical Officer, Dr Dick.
Coming soon! Week 219, 8th – 14th November 1943, will be published on Monday 7th November 2016. To view previous issues please use the menus on the right hand side of the page.
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