Memories Of Wick - Connie Dunnet Sutherland - Part Six

3rd March 2014

Connie Dunnett Sutherland ( late of St Fergus Arms, Wick, now domiciled in Edinburgh).

Connie has sent us some of her memories of growing up in Wick.

Caithnessians.
Mr Bill Mowatt owner of the Portland Arms Hotel Lybster Caithness was Captured at Dunkiirk with 5th Seaforth Highlanders and with others of the 51st highland Division marched to Germany to POW camps. He managed to escape and spent the rest of the war working and fighting with the Maqui , the French Resistance.It was reported in the John O Groats Journal after the war ,that a street in Normandy had been named after him In recognition of his bravery -'Rue Mowatt". In the years before the war going about the everyday business of his hotel. I bet he never imagined how his life would change and what excitement and dangers lay before him.

Similarly Annette Robertson whose father owned a car showroom In Wick's main street joined the A.T.S. (AUXILIARY TERRITORIAL ARMY) and progressed through the ranks to work in the War Office. She was promoted and worked with General Eisenhower and was the only woman who knew the date of the DAY Landing, 6th June 1944. Truth is stranger than fiction. Two ordinary people, one from the village of Lybster and the other from my home town of Wick, quiet unassuming places in Caithness. Miss Robertson was awarded the Croix De Guerre from General Charles De Gaulle and several other medals from the Low Countries Holland and Belgium. When she retired she donated them to the British Legion. I feel a sense of pride when I remember the bravery and courage of these two people along with the men of the Merchant navy - The Jervis Bay for one and the 18 crew members from Caithness, 9 of whom were lost.

I must remember also a young Boy Scout in my Uncle’s troope who rose to be the commanding Officer R.A.F.Gibraltar - Grant Duncan who I used to watch in Church Parades.

IMAGE
Spitfire and Hurricane - Drawing by Connie Sutherland commemorating the 75th anniversary of the first Spitfire flight 5th March 1936 at Eastleigh aerodrome.

Memories of Wick - Part One
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Memories Of Wick - Part Two

Memories Of Wick - Part Three

Memories Of Wick - Part Four

Memories Of Wick - Part Five

Memories Of Wick - Part Seven