Orkney After the Armistice - January to June 1919

The 14th (and final) instalment of our "Orkney at War" Exhibition series is now available to see in the Archive Public Searchroom under the new title of "Orkney After the Armistice - January to June 1919.
The display shows how Orkney and Orcadians were affected during the aftermath of the war and includes information about the German High Seas Fleet interned in Scapa Flow from November 1918 to the dramatic scuttling on 21st June 1919.
Items used are newspaper reports, town council minutes, photographs, school log books, and sections of books most of which were created at the time or just after.

Here are a few items from the main exhibition:

JANUARY

Extract from Rev. Dr. T Crouther Gordon's book Early Flying in Orkney - Seaplanes in World War 1:
"In the New Year's Honour's List of 1st January 1919, the Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded by HM King George V to Captain Macro, Lieutenant Guild and myself, and Lieutenant Sanderson got the Air Force Cross."

Dr T Crouther Gordon, pilot at Houton Seaplane Station, WW1

The Orcadian 2nd January 1919 p4

ZETLAND COUNTY COUNCIL AND NAVAL PERMITS
Reminder to Naval Authorities that War is Over
At the monthly meeting of the Zetland County Council, Mr Mouat said he was very glad to see that the Orkney papers had taken up the question of permits at Orkney. He thought this Council should take the necessary steps to have these restrictions removed at once. We have borne hardships and restrictions uncomplainingly, and they were now no longer required. There was still apparently no shortage of red tape.

He had travelled in the south and he was sure that no other county in Great Britain would have put up with the restrictions which had been placed on our travelling public. Passengers who were allowed to go about on the mainland freely could not be trusted to land at Kirkwall to have a meal ashore. The same hardships were imposed on soldiers and sailors who had been fighting for their country.

Last week, a month after the signing of the Armistice, he stepped onto the pier at Kirkwall in order to despatch some telegrams when a detective whistled on him. He replied that he would land and he did so and gave his telegrams to a gentleman to send off. He asked the detective if the naval authorities did not know that the war was over, but was told that the restrictions still applied. Mr Pottinger and he had just arranged to send a wire to the Admiralty requested them to inform the naval authorities at Kirkwall that the war was over and to allow passengers from Shetland to land, when a Customs official came on board and said a telegram had just been received stating that passengers coming and going to Shetland could land at Kirkwall.

FEBRUARY

The Orcadian 13th February 1919 page 5

THE MILITARY CROSS
A supplement of the London Gazette stated on February 1st, the award of the Military Cross is announced to Second Lieutenant T. W. Hepburn, Highland Light Infantry, attached 15th Battalion, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on September 5th 1918, at the crossing of the Somme. During the night he constructed a gangway on a broken bridge over the marshes under continuous machine-gun fire. He then crossed alone and reconnoitred the east bank of the river, the knowledge he gained resulting in the successful advance on to the ridge over the river by the company which he led. Lieutenant Hepburn is a son of Colonel Hepburn, Orkney Royal Garrison Artillery.

BAR TO MILITARY CROSS
Orcadians will be pleased to learn that Captain T N. F. Hourston, M.C. Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, son of Mr and Mrs Hourston, Beaquoy Farm, Dounby, has now been awarded a bar to his Military Cross and mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's New Year despatch. This honour was won during the fierce battle of September 29th - October 2nd crossing the St. Quentin canal near Joncourt.

The Orcadian 20 February 1919 page 4

REGENT STREET AT SCAPA FLOW - A Floating Shop for the Fleet
With the berthing of the steam ship Borodino in the Surrey Commercial Dock on Tuesday last week, it is now possible to make known a story which is without precedent in the history of the British Navy.
In December 1914, Commodore [Cecil] Lambert, the Fourth Sea Lord, conceived the idea that the monotony of life in the Grand Fleet, stationed at Scapa Flow, might be greatly relieved by giving the officers and men opportunities for obtaining the simple luxuries of everyday life, which, naturally, could not be obtained in the remote hamlets of the Orkney Islands. An arrangement was made with the Junior Army and Navy Stores, Lower Regent Street, [London] to take out a floating store, replete with every commodity that was likely to be required.
Officers and men of the Fleet were permitted to come aboard daily between 9 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. These visits were usually productive of interesting incidents, and they were taken advantage of to an extent that the store was often overcrowded. On one occasion no fewer than 2,700 officers and men came to make purchases, and on another, when the American sailors boarded the SS Borodino in force the day's receipts amounted to £978. This turnover in the four years was at the rate of £10,000 per year.

PRINCE ALBERT'S VISITS
One of the frequent visitors was Prince Albert, and he invariably bought a shirt or collar. When he had made his purchase it was customary for him to say that the articles were for an other officer on board his ship. Prince Albert was a "snotty" with the Grand Fleet - a term which has been used in the Navy for young midshipmen since Nelson's day. Mr Allen, who was the first supervisor, stated that the prince was plain "Mr Johnson" to his companions. Occasionally when in the shopping centre the prince gave his orders in dumb show by putting his hands in his pockets and whistling. This was because the manager once laughingly said to him during a very busy time, "Now then, Johnson, no pilfering; whistle all the time till you're out of the shop, and keep your hands in your pockets till you are asked to pay. While you are whistling you can't eat anything, and you can't pinch anything with your hands in your pockets."

MARCH

The Orcadian 6th March 1919 page 4

LOCAL NEWS - SHIPPING MISHAPS
On Monday night an Admiralty Trawler when coming into Kirkwall collided with the steam fishing trawler R. H. Davidson. The latter vessel which was lying at anchor in the bay at the time, had her port quarter seriously damaged, and the cabin, which is aft, is full of water. The vessel was taken alongside Kirkwall Pier to have temporary repairs effected. A naval launch lying at the entrance to the Basin filled with water during the gale and sank. The launch was raised on Tuesday, but was found to be considerably damaged, owing to the "puffer" Borderglen, alongside which vessel it had been lying, canting over on to it taking the ground at low water.

The Orcadian 13 March 1919 page 4

DISTRICT NEWS - DEERNESS
Influenza is rife in the parish and very few households have escaped. One or other of the doctors from Kirkwall has been in the parish every day for a fortnight, and on one day the services of three medical men were required. From Sunday, 2nd to Saturday 8th inst.[of this month], eight deaths occurred. In several instances whole households have been suffering from the complaint at one time.

APRIL

At a meeting of the Stromness Town Council on the 12th April, the Town Clerk wrote:

Letters were submitted of 22nd March and 3rd inst. from the Naval Works Office, Stromness stating that Saw Mills had been vacated by the Air Force and on the subject of replacements required. The Town Clerk was instructed to write stating what was required in the way of reinstatement.

Extract from S1/5 Stromness Town Council Minutes 1910-1924

MAY

The Orcadian 8th May 1919 page 4

DISTRICT NEWS - SANDAY - DEMOBILISED SOLDIERS ENTERTAINMENT

All the demobilised soldiers were entertained by the ladies of the island on Friday night, in the Drill Hall. The entertainment, which was very enjoyable, took the form of a tea and dance. Mr Scott, in his address of welcome to the invited guests, spoke warmly of the services they had rendered during the great war, and in very touching words expressed the great debt the country owed to those who had made the supreme sacrifice. Mr Scott was then thanked for his address of welcome, and the soldiers were called on to give three cheers to the ladies of the island. This was responded to in real army fashion. Thereafter dancing was engaged in with great spirit for several hours, excellent refreshments being handed round at intervals.

Altogether it was a most enjoyable evening, and the invited guests take this opportunity of thanking their hostesses for the splendid arrangements they made, and also for their uniform kindness and generosity to the soldiers not only on this occasion, but throughout the long stress and strain. Special thanks are due to the ladies committee, consisting of:- Mrs MacPhail, Mrs Baillie, Misses Sinclair, Burgher, Wilson, Fotheringhame, Clouston, Muir, Moodie, Swanney and Skea. Splendid music was supplied by Messrs James and William Grieve, Melville, Fotheringhame and meil. The excellence of the tea was due to Miss Scott and Mrs Garrioch, and Messrs Fairbairn and Baillie did their upmost to make the entertainment an unqualified success. [Sadly the names of the demobilised soldiers were not listed in this article]



The Orcadian 15th May 1919 page 5

AMERICANS IN KIRKWALL

Most of the American minesweepers based at Kirkwall proceeded to sea last Saturday morning to commence the work of cleaning up the minefields. On Thursday night the opening concert was given in the YMCA Hut. The first portion of entertainment consisted of a performance by the band of USS Black Hawks, under bandmaster R. W. Wilson. The programme submitted highly delighted the large audience. The jazz band and a portion of the minstrel troupe enlivened the remainder of the evening with their witticisms, humorous songs and catchy music. On Sunday evening the Rev. G. W. Dalgleish, M. A. conducted a service in the YMCA Hut for the Presbyterian sailors of the American Fleet.

A further match in the baseball league has been arranged for Saturday afternoon in the Bignold Park. At the close of play, there will be four boxing bouts. Among those who will take part is Johnny Dougherty, a well-known London Professional boxer, now with the K. of C. [possibly the Knights of Columbus]

JUNE

THE GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET INTERNED IN SCAPA FLOW

German Fleet in Scapa Flow taken by Tom Kent Ref: TK4130

Extract from book Scapa and a Camera by C W Burrows:

"During the period of their internment, communication between the German ships and our own Fleet was restricted to a minimum, and no one from our own ships was allowed on board the interned vessels unless on duty of an urgent nature. The Germans were required to victual and store their own ships from Germany, coal and water only being supplied locally.

B98 Destroyer used on mail service between Scapa Flow and Germany
Ran aground in the Bay of Lopness, Sanday. Photo by Tom Kent Ref: TK4201

As German warships were not constructed for living aboard for long periods (the sailors being mostly accommodated in barracks when in harbour), the crews at Scapa must have had a rather unenviable time of it, though there was a certain element of poetic justice in interning them in the region where for so long our own Fleet had kept its lonely vigil. As one of their officers remarked in writing home and describing the bleakness and desolation of Scapa: "If the English have stood this for four years, they deserve to have won the war."

The German ships were patrolled by a number of drifters - a somewhat ignominious guard for the much-vaunted German Fleet.

The Germans' love of music was in evidence even at Scapa, and it was somewhat strange and at times rather pathetic to hear the unfamiliar strains of Die Wacht am Rhein and  Die Lorelei rising from the German ships, some which still retained their bands."

SCUTTLING - 21st June 1919

Stromness Public School Log Book (Infant School). Ref: CO5/93/5

"21st June: By kind permission of the Rear Admiral Commanding Orkney and Shetland, the pupils and teachers were conveyed by HMS Flying Kestrel to view the German Fleet in Scapa Flow.



Image of a tug which may be the Flying Kestrel Ref: L5128/4

They had the unique experience of seeing the Imperial German Ensigns flying at the mastheads, as their crews apparently by general agreement had made up their plans to sink them on this date. The crews were seen in small boats, pinnaces, rafts, etc.

By 4 p.m. only the Baden a light cruiser ashore on the West of Cava, and the turrets of the Hindenburg were to be seen from the School."

The turrets of the Hindenburg by C. W. Burrows Ref: L9522/3

The Orcadian 26th June 1919 page 4

STROMNESS SCHOOL CHILDREN'S THRILL

On Saturday afternoon, through the courtesy of the ACOS, the teachers and children of the Stromness School were taken through the lines of the German Fleet in the Flying Kestrel. Leaving Stromness about 10:30, they were able to see a good deal of what happened in the course of the day. The Flying Kestrel, after leaving Stromness, called at the battleships Baden, Kaiserin, Kaiser and Konig Albert, and then proceeded to visit the battle cruisers Derflinger, Hindenburg and Seidlitz. When the party reached the Seidlitz, my informant was surprised to notice that great preparations were being made to launch boats.

SIGNS OF EVACUATION

He observed that the crew were collecting large numbers of suit-cases and bags together. This was in the neighbourhood of 11 o'clock. The party went on to visit the destroyers, and there also seemed to be great preparations for a change or swapping of crews. The skipper asked the party of they would like to visit the hospital ships attached to the base. This was done... and the Flying Kestrel began to return to Stromness.

THE FIRST VESSEL SINKS

A drifter which was sailing towards the flagship shouted out that the German ships were sinking themselves. This was hailed with incredulity, but a vessel was suddenly seen to heel over beyond the north point of the island of Cava, turn bottom upwards and disappear. The journey towards home was continued, and the noticeable feature was the display of German Ensigns of the largest size on all the vessels.

German Cruiser SMS Bremse turned turtle. Ref: L6848/1

Pinnaces, small boats and rafts were seen in the water alongside the ships, filled or being filled with men. The ships began to sink deeper in the water, generally settling more quickly by the stern than by the bows. When the water reached the level of the deck at the stern,... the ship generally heeled over and turned bottom upwards. For sometime the hull remained above the surface, with steam pouring through vents in the bottom, but soon the hulls themselves disappeared.

Photo by C. W. Burrows Ref: L951/2

Men guarding sunken boat by Tom Kent Ref: TK4165

The children on board, more especially the younger of them, were greatly excited at the sight of the sinking vessels and the sight of men in the water, and in many cases were reduced to tears.

More Witnesses

G.H. Wild: 



Extract from p133 of Scapa Flow: The Story of Britain's Greatest Naval Anchorage in Two World Wars. by Malcolm Brown and Patricia Meehan. Available to see in the Orkney Room under reference 941.09 Y.

Hugh "Ti" David: "Yesterday at 9.45 the squadron with all destroyers at Scapa, put to sea for torpedo exercises - at 12.45 we received a wireless informing us that a German battleship was sinking - we turned and at full speed dashed back to Scapa - we got back at 3.30 and the sight that met our gaze as we rounded the Island of Flotta is absolutely indescribable. A good half of/




D1/1485 - Letter from Hugh David to this mother from HMS Revenge, 1919

 /of the German Fleet had already disappeared, the water was one mass of wreckage of every description, boats, carley floats, chairs, tables and human beings, and the 'Bayern' the largest German battleship, her bow reared vertically out of the water was in the act of crashing finally bottomwards, which she did a few seconds later in a cloud of smoke bursting her boilers as she went."


D1/1485 - Letter from Hugh David to this mother from HMS Revenge, 1919

A series of events will take place this weekend to commemorate the centenary of the Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet. More information here https://www.facebook.com/scapa100/

Orkney at War (August - December 1916)

The 9th instalment of our Orkney at War Exhibition is now available to see in the Archive corridor upstairs in Orkney Library & Archive. The display attempts to show how Orkney and Orcadians were affected by the war, using items from the Archive collections which were created at the time. Items such as newspaper reports, scrapbooks, council minutes, photographs, letters and diaries.

Visit by Commander in Chief.
On 1st August 1916 Admiral Jellicoe, Commander in Chief, his wife Gwendoline and her sister Freda Cayzer all signed the visitor's book of the YMCA in Longhope


First page of entries of YMCA visitors book (Archive Reference: D1/1207)

"Long Hope Bay during the war was the headquarters of the auxiliaries of the Grand Fleet, and never in its history were so many vessels of such varied types assembled in the harbour. The village of Long Hope, where there is a good pier, naturally became much frequented by officers and men from the ships, and eventually a commodious Y.M.C.A. was erected, which did much useful work. Tea on the beach was always a pleasant change from ship life (and tinned milk!) and the Post Office at Long Hope became a favourite rendezvous for informal tea-parties."
Extract from Scapa and a Camera by C W Burrows, p51 (Orkney Room reference 941.09 Y)

Water Levels Running Low
"At a Meeting of the Provost, Magistrates and Councillors of the Burgh of Stromness held in the town Clerk's office on Tuesday 8th August 1916 at 10.30am, the Council instructed that a letter should be sent to the Competent Naval Authority here asking him to draw less water for Naval purposes as the supply is running low."

Stromness Town Council minute (Archive Reference S1/5)

"The Burgh Surveyor was asked to report to Mr Setchell, Superintending Engineer to the Admiralty, on Saturday of each week, the depth of water in the reservoir."

Margaret Tait's Diary

1st September 1916 "Jim has got married and Maggie is in Aberdeen too. Jennie is in the house and I have had a lovely time in the shop myself. Got a bit of wood carved out of the Hampshire boat from a fleet man. It is meant for a brooch and cut heart shape."

Why the Germans Loathe Kirkwall

In the August London, Percival A. Hislam contributes an article on the British blockade in which the following passage occurs:- "The general practice is this: if a ship smells clean - that is to say if her papers and a brief examination of her cargo reveal nothing suspicious, she is allowed to proceed, but at the merest scent of something wrong the examination party flutter a farewell signal to their parent ship and proceed to take the suspicious trader into Kirkwall.

Now there are few places on earth whose name is more offensive to German ears than Kirkwall, a little town of four thousand inhabitants buried away up in the Orkneys, nor is the reason far to seek.

Just as Folkstone is the principal customs barrier for people coming up to England from the continent, so is Kirkwall a sort of filter through which almost everything must pass that seeks to enter Northern Europe by sea. Because such vast quantities of stuff destined for Germany have been diverted at Kirkwall to other destinations the Germans loathe it. The call it our Police Bureau." published in the Orcadian newspaper on the 1st September 1916.

Orcadians with the Colours

Private William G Linklater, Seaforth Highlanders, son of Mr and Mrs Andrew Linklater, Millquoy, Firth.

Seaman George Petrie Duncan, now serving in one of H.M. Ships is the eldest son of Mr and Mrs John Duncan, Lynnside, St Ola.

Cuttings from John Fraser's Scrapbook ( Archive Reference D1/692)

Margaret Tait's Diary

Sunday 17th September 1916 "Rainy and cold. been in the house all day resting. Last night I was up the Willow Road to see Mrs Leask. Coming home at night everything looked so gloomy with every window covered with black blinds. Also all the shops have to be blinded with DR blinds so you can't see the least glimmer of light. It looks as though the town is deserted or as if everyone was dead with not even the street lamps lighted. We will have it proper dark this winter."

Kitchener Memorial Decision

"At a meeting of the Kirkwall Town Council held on the 20th September:

The Provost intimated the Public meeting held in the Town Hall on the 7th inst. had unanimously decided that the Orkney Memorial to Lord Kitchener should be a massive tower on Marwick Head, Birsay, any surplus funds going to the National Memorial Fund and that the original suggestion by the Council of a Memorial Window in St. Magnus Cathedral had been abandoned."

The Collection of Sphagnam Moss for Wound Dressings

"It will be remembered that Provost Baikie, in response to an appeal from Aberdeen for sphagnum moss, took up the matter in Orkney and succeeded in enlisting the sympathy of many ladies and gentlemen in the county in the work. Quite a number of sacks of moss were gathered by ladies in town and country, whilst the Kirkwall Boys Brigade, the Scouts, the Girl Guides and the scholars of Holm East and West schools, Tankerness, St Andrews, Orphir, Firth, Stenness, Dounby, Rendall, Sourin, Rousay and Skelwick, Westray, all contributed large quantities. Some ninety-seven sacks of dried moss have already been despatched to Aberdeen and there are sixty-seven sacks of moss still being dried in Kirkwall. It is expected the Boys' Brigade, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides of Kirkwall will still make a collection before the season closes so that the contribution from Orkney will be considerable." Published in the Orcadian 21st October 1916

Our Roll of Honour - Flotta's Wounded and Missing Soldiers

"Second-Lieutenant Robert Taylor (wounded in the shoulder), after being in hospital in England for a considerable time, is now home on sick leave, but expects to return to France shortly. Private Robert Mowat (Seaforths), wounded in leg, has also, after a lengthy hospital experience, been home a few days on sick leave. Sapper John Flett, Royal Engineers, seriously wounded in leg, is in hospital in England, his left leg having been amputated near the knee. Private William Sutherland (Seaforths) reported wounded over two months ago, but not heard of again, now appears to be missing. There is still a hope that Willie (who was a favourite with everybody) is a prisoner of war. Meantime his parents (Mr and Mrs Donald Sutherland, Windbrake) who have other two sons at the French front, have the community's sympathy in the state of suspense in which they are being kept." Date of publication in newspaper is unknown but roughly Aug-Dec 1916. Cutting from John Fraser's Scrapbook ( Archive Reference D1/692)

The Bluejacket Boy

It is now almost 100 years ago since "The Bluejacket Boy" wrote his letter in December 1916.  We now know him as David "Dai" Phillips, a seaman stationed in Orkney who wrote a letter and then left it on a fireplace in a house in Bridge Street, Kirkwall to post later. 

The letter was never posted and was forgotten about for 64 years! During a refurbishment in 1980 it was found down the back of the fireplace. From 1980  it was kept as a piece of WW1 memorabilia until Oct 2013 when the letter was handed in to the Orkney Archive. Through this blog with the wonderful help of our followers from all over the world, we were able to solve the mystery of who he was. 

David "Dai" Phillips - the Bluejacket Boy

But it wasn't until February 2014 that one researcher spotted a marriage of Catherine Johnston to David Phillips on a Canadian genealogy website and from that connection we were able to contact the Bluejacket Boy's grand-daughter. She has now received a copy of the letter now written almost 100 years ago.

The letter talks about his time in Orkney, the fishing methods of locals possibly in Stromness this little place up here is exactly the same as...small fishing villages in the pictures and about all the parcels  of clothes, etc. he has exchanged with his family. (Archive Reference: D1/1124)

The 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th  and 12th instalments are displayed in various locations around the building and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th instalments, including a special feature of the sinking of HMS Hampshire, are available to see in a folder in the Archive Searchroom. Click on "Orkney At War" in the labels to see more blog posts on this subject.  

Orkney at War - Wartime Visitors

As part of our Orkney at War exhibition we have a few original items on show in the Archive Searchroom.

One gift we received a couple of years ago which we are quite excited about is a Visitor's Book from the Y.M.C.A. in Longhope.

"Long Hope Bay during the war was the headquarters of the auxiliaries of the Grand Fleet, and never in its history were so many vessels of such varied types assembled in the harbour. The village of Long Hope, where there is a good pier, naturally became much frequented by officers and men from the ships, and eventually a commodious Y.M.C.A. was erected, which did much useful work. Tea on the beach was always a pleasant change from ship life (and tinned milk!), and the Post Office at Long Hope became a favourite rendezvous for informal tea-parties."

Quote from Scapa and a Camera by C W Burrows, p51. Orkney Room reference 941.09 Y

The book records many visitors and volunteers to the Y M C A from August 1916 - 1939. The first page contains some well-known names:

 

It is signed on 1st August 1916 by Admiral John Jellicoe, Commander in Chief. It is also signed by his wife Gwendoline Jellicoe and her sister, Freda Cayzer from Tarbert House, Ross-shire. I do hope they enjoyed their cup of tea.

 

Archive reference: D1/1207

 

Other items on show are:

 

John Fraser's record of Orcadians service in the 1914-1918 war which is an indexed scrapbook of soldiers deaths and officer ranks of Orcadians in WW1 containing mostly press cuttings, which include photographs of soldiers and officers from all the parishes of Orkney who served and died.

Archive reference: D1/692

 

Lily Gunn's Souvenir and Autograph book which contains drawings, poems, photographs and messages from patients of the British Farmers Hospital and the Number 2 Anglo-Belgian Hospital, Calais, France from 1916-1918.

Archive reference: D1/983

 

An extract of Military Tribunal Register of Cases

 

A Technical Instruction Committee of the Secondary Education Committee was formed in 1910, which in the following year became the Advisory Committee concerned with extension work in Orkney of the Aberdeen and North of Scotland College of Agriculture. On account of its links with agriculture this Advisory Committee was in turn metamorphosed into the District Agricultural Committee on Food Production in 1916, and had thrust upon its various functions far removed from secondary education, including matters pertaining to military recruitment and the supply of labour for farms. By an extension of this aspect of its work the committee was used, according to the Agricultural Military Service Act , 1916, for the hearing of appeals for exemption from military service on grounds of agricultural necessity.

 

Two men mentioned in this particular extract are:

 

John Sabiston, aged 19 from Northbigging, Swona, a ploughman, fisherman and boatman was refused exemption from military service on 28th April 1916. He appealed on 19th May 1916, but his appeal was dismissed on 2nd June 1916.

 

Peter S Garrioch, aged 40, from Grindally, Orphir, a farmer, was granted conditional exemption on 11th April 1916.

 

This extract contains about 25 names and we have about 20 pages of names in the whole register. Our friends at the Orkney Family History Society have kindly volunteered to transcribe all the pages for us.

Archive reference: CO5/3/8

 

This small exhibition of original items will stay on display until the end of August 2016.  

Fascinating Friday - The Maltese Orkney Hut

While researching for our WW1 exhibition, I recently read this interesting letter from the Orcadian Newspaper from 29th Dec 1917.

"To the Editor of the Orcadian, November 23, 1917.
DEAR SIR,- For more than eighteen months I have had the privilege of being Y.M.C.A. Leader in the large convalescence camp on this island where the Orkney Hut is situated. Before I leave Malta, I should like to write a personal word of thanks to the people of Orkney for the work they have enabled the Y.M.C.A. to do in this corner of the war area.

When I came to the camp, the Orkney Hut was in course of erection by the convalescents. Hardly had it been opened, when the number of men in the camp began to increase by leaps and bounds. The camp is in an unusually isolated position, opportunities for getting into town are few and expensive, and centres of recreation were at that time few. Such as there were, were all packed out from early morning until late at night. It is difficult to imagine, as men themselves have often said to me, what they would have done in those crowded days without the Orkney Hut.

It was at this time that we had the pleasure of welcoming the Rev. Robert Steen as a worker in the Hut. He is still remembered by a few men in the camp and many who are now scattered on different fronts carry with the memory of this genial and kindly personality, and are glad to have been his friends.

All through the long evenings of last winter, the Hut was uncomfortably full. It was often difficult to push one's way through the crowds of men who, after all the chairs and forms had been occupied, were quite content with "standing room only" provided they could enjoy the warmth and light of the Hut. They greatly valued the opportunity for a smoke, which was denied them under canvas. Our refreshment queue would often stretch right down one side of the Hut and out the far door, and would continue without break from six to nine in the evening.

Last March it was decided to add twenty-four feet to the length of the Hut, and to build a tiled verandah along one side. For the funds to carry out this enlargement the Y M C A was again indebted to Orkney. The Hut is now the largest hall in the camp, and the camp authorities have asked to be allowed to use it for all camp concerts and entertainments. During the hot summer months the cool shade of the verandah has been a real boon to the men, and the enlargement of the Hut itself has made all the difference between uncomfortable stuffiness and roomy ventilation.

While a great deal of our time has naturally been taken up in providing tea, cakes, and cigarettes for the men - not forgetting the egg and sausage suppers for which the Hut gained quite a local reputation last winter! - we have tried to bear in mind also their intellectual and spiritual needs. Last winter a small but enthusiastic men formed the "Orkney Literary Society" which met once a week to discuss all kinds of subjects from Prehistoric Monuments to the Modern Newspaper. This society has been revived this winter. On New Year's night and on Burns Night, special celebrations were arranged for the Scottish Troops, organised by one of the chaplains, who was himself a Scotsman. Classes have also been held in French, shorthand, book-keeping and arithmetic. Every night at 9 o'clock a halt is called in the evening's business and pleasure, and in a brief service of hymn and prayer we seek to turn the men's minds to those things which are unseen but Eternal.

During the last eighteen months, men from all parts of the British Isles and from hundreds of units of the British Army have passed through this camp. Almost every mail brings letters from those who have left us, expressing gratitude for the work that has been done. I would pass on their gratitude to the people of Orkney, and thank them, in the name of the men and in my own name, for their continued interest in the Orkney Hut. - Yours sincerely,

H. C. Oakley, Y M C A Headquarters, Valletta."

I showed my colleague the letter, and he in turn showed me the following archive photograph of a group of workers calling themselves the "Convalescent Men". My colleague did not know where the men were or when the photo was taken.

Perhaps they were on Malta? Perhaps they built the Orkney Hut?

A quick search on the internet gave me this website about Malta Military Hospitals where I scrolled down to Voluntary Help and found that an Orkney Hut was built at Ghain Tuffieha in Malta.

Location of Ghajn Tuffieha on Malta



Another search gave me this website about Military Hospitals in Malta where I scrolled down to the section on Convalescent Camp Ghajn Tuffieha and found photographs of the camp and more information about its size and the people that ran it. It doesn't mention the Orkney Hut in particular, but it may have been one of the "recreation rooms erected by the Church Army".

So far these are all dots which I am not sure connect up. If anyone has any more information, please do get in touch either by commenting below or by email to archives@orkney.gov.uk

References: Orcadian newspaper 29th Dec 1917, page 2; Orkney Photographic Archive negative number L9986/1; Google maps of Malta. YMCA = Young Men's Christian Association