Cutting peats
Summary – Peat time again – school water supply analysed – Death of Bailie Murray, also son of Mrs Murray the Poles killed in action – flint find on Aberscross – Sgt Bob MacPherson wounded (41 Blairmore) – RSM A Sutherland Pitfure recommended for bravery, gets D S M – north soldiers in fierce action, losses recorded.
Comment
5th Bremners were in 44 Blairmore, son Alex died in the war, see later in diary, was a shepherd in Gordonbush.
Tuesday 1 June
Note re exchange PIIT <IQP {Greek = “ring for-‘} cycle
records and C. for Bar. typewriter Post Card A Langwill acknowledging 3 books
A good day. Attendance good; usual school work.
At night along at Willie Mckenzie’s.
Note from Rev A Cameron re 30 June for his visit.
War:
Russians taking the offensive. Some steamers sunk by submarines. Nothing else of special interest. USA dissatisfied with the German reply to American note re sinking of “Lusitania”.
Wednesday 2 June 1915
Attendance good; usual school work. Wrote: A Mckenzie Set Pictorial to A Mckenzie Paper to Eric-Letter Rev A Cameron that June 30 would suit for examination. At night delving end rig. Got wet from East.
War:
Zeppelin raid on London – 90 bombs. 3 or 4 civilians killed and a few fires started, which were got under control easily. Progress by Italians and Russians, and at the Dardanelles; very heavy Turkish losses.
Mr J Grant Butcher sent me a present of ox-tongue and sausages.
Thursday 3/6/1915
Returned examination paper No 1 and asked No 4 to be sent instead. per Andrew Sutherland
Post Card to McDonald’s re this and for specimen books A good day. Attendance good; usual school work. At night delving end rig. Note saying Postal Order 3/11 not received.
War:
- Fresh French progress.
- Struggle for Prsemysl continues.
- Italian progress reported.
Friday 4 June 1915
A nice warm day. Attendance good; usual school work. G Gunn yesterday and today painting at this house. At night Maggie Mckay down.
War.
- Przemysl captured by the Germans and Austrians.
- German transport sunk by British submarine at the Bosphorus or
- Progress at Basra.
Note from Raney.
Wrote Carver (per J Magarry)
Saturday 5/6/1915
A good dry day. Myself and 3 boys up in the moss cutting peats.
Speaking to J Bremner and his son, who were also cutting peats.
Note to Raney: re exchange of cycle etc
Got examination paper and blotting paper – 4 quires
Got 1 gallon disinfectant
War:
British gain trenches, but had to leave them owing to enemy’s fire. Re Przemysl: the Russians evacuated it.
Sabbath 6/6/1915
A good day. Myself, Russell and Hamish at church, Rev Mr Mackenzie Thurso preached. Bella at evening service. Sabbath School as usual.
Monday 7 June 1915
A good day. Attendance good; usual school work.
Note to Manchester re: turning tools microscope
Note to Chairman of School Board: re painting East bedroom Wrote Clerk to School Board re: Registers Code
Tuesday 8/6/1915
A good dry day. Attendance good; usual school work. Painter here daily. H Ross down for a ceilidh. Over in Park seeing the calf, which I sold to W Mckenzie Morness for £7 about a week ago.
War.
- A British aviator bombed and destroyed a Zeppelin, which exploded
and fell. His machine was overturned by explosion; engine stopped.
Descended on enemy ground, started engine and safely returned. - French progress.
- Germans making a great effort in the West- at present.
Wednesday 9 June 1915
A fine day. Attendance good; usual school work- At night gardening. Dr Bremner and Mr Macaulay up at Skiag well, and I went up there. Dr Bremner took a sample of the water for analysis. Down in his motor to Riling, then at Mr Pirie’s. Sent Attendance Form to School Board per Post.
Thursday 10/6/1915
A good day; usual school work.
Sent Postal Order 10/- to George Goodman -per post
2 centres ” ” for nuts
Post Card Wallace Golspie
War:
British destroyer sank a German submarine and saved over 26 of crew.
Italian airship came to grief.
Friday 11/6/1915
A fine warm day; usual school work. Got slide rest screw returned from Goodman Bristol and I fitted it to rest. Mr Alex Murray, Chairman of School Board, Mr Grant and A Sutherland Plumber at the Skiag well, so I went up. Saw Dr Bremner’s analysis of the water, which was said to be good drinking water. Elsie Ross was married today at Culdrain.
Got a letter from Sergt Major Andrew Sutherland 1st Seaforths, from the Front.
Saturday 12/6/1915
School sprayed and dusted
Gave books to Ina Sutherland for Dalnessie and Cnocan. Wrote: Dora Frater
Angus Mekenzie
Goodman
Miss Black
Thomas Campbell
Bursary Competition today. Mr Wallace Golspie Higher Grammar School examined 14 (including 4 from Blarich).
Sabbath 13/6/1915
A fine day. Bella and Russell at church.
Monday 14 June 1915
Wrote: Jess Manchester 1/4 for turning tools and holder; per J Magarry
Bazaar re missing letter –
Note to: Islington re 23 yards green cloth Note to: Mr Watson re East bedroom
Dalness re Register for Form
Attendance good; usual work. Miss Lily Murray got unwell and went home 11.30 and so off duty. At night Maggie Mckay down with Form to fill up. Put in marble clock.
War-Russian victory reported.
Dunrobin Castle to a large extent burned down yesterday evening.
A piece of flint got by Hugh Murray Morvich at {drawing} Aberscross last week. Amber-coloured.
Tuesday 15 June 1915
Note Baker: if exchange Ornamental book for “Wild Flowers’.
A nice warm day; still no rain. Attendance good; usual work. Miss L
Murray unable to teach today, being unwell. Mr Gunn painting here.
War.
Rumours of Russian reverse. Progress by Belgians across the Yser. Some ships sunk by submarines.
Johnnie Murray down in the evening. Wednesday 16/6/1915
Wrote: Assistant Secretary re refund Income Tax
Mrs Mckay Pittentrail re death of Bailie Murray
Miss Murray Glasgow
Mrs Murray Poles, re death of her son in action in France
Hamilton, for 1 pound tobacco
Attendance good; usual school work. Miss Murray on duty. Got Post Card from W McLeod 1/5 Seaforths at Front, thanking me for box of cigarettes. He was just going away to the trenches when he wrote. Got Post Card Rev A Cameron. Bella and 2 boys up lifting peats.
War:
Progress reported in France. Galicia operations in doubt at present.
Thursday 17/6/1915
Wrote: Lieut Peter Mackenzie – Sergt Major A Sutherland
A fine day; very warm – still no rain. Usual school work. Mr Grant up
434 missing
Tuesday 22 June 1915
Note: Jasdon Leeds: waterproof
Eveson Hull: tools and microscope
A fine day; very dry. Mr Menzies HMI visited school. Sent a wire from Alness at midday. He walked from the Station and got here at 3 pm. Chiefly for the Junior Division in connection with Miss L Murray’s teaching. On my request looked at work of Qualifying pupils and Merit Certificate candidates. Came in and had a cup of tea, and I walked to the Station with him, and he walked so quickly that I had enough to do to keep up with him. Train 40 minutes late. Saw some soldiers at Pittentrail, of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders 13th Battalion. They are at Tain, and 15 of them with 2 officers came North as a route march as scouts, and are at Davoch tonight.
War:
Progress reported in the West for Allies. Fate of Lemberg in the balance. Funeral of Warneford VC, who destroyed the Zeppelin recently; killed by an accident while in the air, along with a passenger.
Wednesday 23/6/1915
Sent £5 to Bank of England and applied for £100 of the £4/10/- War Loan.
Still very dry; East wind. Usual school work- Paid 1/6 Central Fund to Miss C Mckay.
War: Progress reported by the French.
Saw the name of Sergt Major Andrew Sutherland 1st Seaforths (a Rogart man) among those recommended for gallantry in the field.
Thursday 24/6/1915
Still dry, with Easterly breeze. Attendance good; usual school work.
G Gunn the painter still working here.
Wrote: Goodman 2/- for 2 set screws
Post Card: Sergt Major A Sutherland, to congratulate him on getting the
Distinguished Service Medal.
Got a Post Card from Sergt Major A Sutherland At night turning grooves in brass wheels for overhead.
War
Lemberg taken by Germans and Austrians. Progress in the West. 2 or 3 vessels sunk by submarines. A British cruiser torpedoed-, but not seriously damaged, and no lives lost, on East coast.
Friday 25 June 1915
Wrote Goodman re Ind. chuck and sent him the chuck to replace a screw – Very slight showers of rain. Usual school work. Mr Gunn still working here; finished painting. At night working at overhead for lathe.
War.
15 drifters sunk by 2 submarines, out from Lerwick; crew all saved. Got Application Forms for Intermediate Bursaries. Saturday 26
A very warm day. Myself and 3 boys up cutting peats and lifting others into large heaps.
War:
Russians attacking with success. Progress at the Dardanelles. Severe fighting going on on Western Front.
War:
1/5 Seaforths (Caithness and Sutherland Territorials) in fierce action. 25 killed, 78 wounded, 9 missing on the 15th and 16th June. First C Company (Wick, Thurso and Lybster) led the attack on the 15th, but found the barbed wire intact, and here as they were cutting the wire with cutters, many casualties occurred. They charged at 6.15 pm, under terrific fire. Second, (on 16th) B Company (Dornoch, Rogart and Brora and Helmsdale) attacked under very heavy fire.
| Losses: | ||
| Killed | Wounded | Missing |
| 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 2 23 | 15 51 | 0 9 |
| 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | 73 | 9 |
A Company: Golspie and Bonar B ” Dornoch, Rogart,
Brora and Helmsdale
C ” Wick, Thurso, Lybster 23 D ” Halkirk, Castletown,
Bower and Wick Total
Sabbath 27/6/1915
A fine day; still dry. Myself and Eric at church. At night sermon at Cuidrain. Sabbath School as usual.
Sabbath 27/6/1915
A fine day; still dry. Myself and Eric at church. At night sermon at Cuidrain. Sabbath School as usual.
Friday 25 June 1915
Wrote Goodman re Ind. chuck and sent him the chuck to replace a screw – Very slight showers of rain. Usual school work. Mr Gunn still working here; finished painting. At night working at overhead for lathe.
War.
15 drifters sunk by 2 submarines, out from Lerwick; crew all saved. Got Application Forms for Intermediate Bursaries. Saturday 26
A very warm day. Myself and 3 boys up cutting peats and lifting others into large heaps.
War:
Russians attacking with success. Progress at the Dardanelles. Severe fighting going on on Western Front.
War:
1/5 Seaforths (Caithness and Sutherland Territorials) in fierce action. 25 killed, 78 wounded, 9 missing on the 15th and 16th June. First C Company (Wick, Thurso and Lybster) led the attack on the 15th, but found the barbed wire intact, and here as they were cutting the wire with cutters, many casualties occurred. They charged at 6.15 pm, under terrific fire. Second, (on 16th) B Company (Dornoch, Rogart and Brora and Helmsdale) attacked under very heavy fire.
| Losses: | ||
| Killed | Wounded | Missing |
| 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 2 23 | 15 51 | 0 9 |
| 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | 73 | 9 |
A Company: Golspie and Bonar B ” Dornoch, Rogart,
Brora and Helmsdale
C ” Wick, Thurso, Lybster 23 D ” Halkirk, Castletown,
Bower and Wick Total
Repeat of above graph
A Coy Golspie and Bonar, = 8 wounded
B Coy Brora, Helmsdale, Dornoch, Rogart = 2 killed 15 wounded
C Coy Wick, Thurso, Lybster = 23 killed 51 wounded 9 missing.
D Coy Bower and Wick = 4 wounded.
Sabbath 27/6/1915
A fine day; still dry. Myself and Eric at church. At night sermon at Cuidrain. Sabbath School as usual.
Monday 28 June 1915
Sent Intermediate Bursary Forms to Clerk to School Board; also books for Dalnessie.
A fine day. Attendance good; revising Bible Knowledge.
Got Post Card from Corporal George Murray and W Reid from the Front, thanking me for cigarettes I sent them.
Nothing striking about the War.
Got parcel 23 yards green cloth from London.
Tuesday 29/6/1915
Wrote: East Bucks re hats
Occupier, Catford, London, re cycle exchange
A fine warm day; revising Bible and doing Geometry.
W Mckenzie Morness called.
Got Post Card Sergt Major A Sutherland.
Wednesday 30 June 1915
A fine day. Attendance good. Rev A Cameron examined this school in Religious Knowledge. Mr and Mrs McMillan present. Gramaphone in afternoon, and gave the holidays for July. At Registers; Miss M Mckay called.
Got cheque with salary: No A/35566 £23/18 Golspie 28 June
No special War News. End June 1915 p 437