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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Orkney => Topic started by: Dingross on Friday 22 November 13 11:31 GMT (UK)
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My father was sent to work in Orkney as a civilian during the war. He was badly injured in a fall from a pylon sometime in 1943-44. Can anyone help me find more information about this. He was admitted to hospital, where he was left overnight to see if he would survive or not. He did. He had his right arm amputated by the surgeon Mr McClure. He made a good recovery, but was always very reluctant to talk about the accident. I wondered if there might have been a report in a local newspaper?
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The only masts I know of in Orkney would be the ones at Netherbutton, Holm, a radar station, they were demolished in the eighties I think, the following link should give you an idea of where they were, and you can find info on the web, if you google Netherbutton. The newspapers of the day i think would be The Orkney Herald and The Orcadian
http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/imagelibrary/picture/number774.asp
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http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/n/netherbutton_chain_home/index.shtml
another site with info
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Thank you for this, it's another area to explore. I read somewhere - on an Orkney site - that electricity lines were brought across to a naval station during the war and I wondered if the pylon in question would have been an electricity pylon - or would the radar pylons have been dual purpose?
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doubt if it would be an electricity pylon, we dont have them in Orkney, only poles, there were so many naval stations here in the war, any idea which one ?
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Thanks again. That's helpful - I didn't know there were no electricity pylons - it was just a guess when I read about the naval bases having electricity brought in. It must have been a radar pylon he fell off. I'm afraid that's all I know about his accident - not much to go on, but thanks for the information about the pylons.
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Interesting, at the moment I'm reading a book 'Orkney's Italian Chapel' concerning the work carried out to fortify the Islands defenses during the war. Although it centres on the building of a chapel by Italian PoWs at the start it covers work in erecting 4 electric cableways between Lamb Holm and the main Island. It mentions an accident whereby a worker had his arm trapped when a cable snapped ninety foot up in the air. Two workmates manage to take the man's weight off the arm while others released him. His arm was amputated as a result. The two workers were Norman Rae and Patrick Devery, both got special mentions. The injured man is not named.
But work was being carried out erecting towers/pylons in other parts of the Island not just to naval bases.
Worth a look perhaps.
Davie
ps. just re-read the pages about the accident it reads like it was the summer of 1941?
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Wow! This sounds very much as though it could be referring to my dad's accident. Thank you so much. I've seen a book in the shops about the Italian Chapel, but haven't read it - I'll certainly get a hold of it now!
Thanks again
Fiona
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Make sure it's 'Orkney's Italian Chapel (The true story of an icon) by Philip Paris (2013). I've seen several books on the subject, and I believe he did an early version. Seems the civilians were employed by Balfour Beatty. I know it's available from Amazon.
Good luck with your hunting.
Davie
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http://www.scapaflow.org/b60.htm
the above link has some information you might find interesting
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Thank you Davie. I bought the book yesterday and have read the first chapter with interest. It has put a whole new perspective on my dad's work in Orkney - I had had only the vaguest notion of what he had been doing there. I'm pretty sure my dad was the injured man in question - it would have been an enormous coincidence if there had been more than one accident with this kind of outcome. I was very moved to read about it and feel proud now that my father was involved in the construction of the Churchill Barriers.
Also thank you "akc" for the pointer to more background information on the barriers at Scapa Flow. It all helps bring the period to life.
Many thanks to you both.
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I would be really keen now to try and find out more. Perhaps trying to contact the author, through the publishers! or Orkney Library Archives. Maybe even the Chapel Preservation Committee, who may have contact details for him. Might even try Balfour Beatty, they might have an archive covering accidents etc.
Glad you got the book.
Davie
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Yes, I'd thought of trying to contact the author. He lives about 45 mins away from me in Tain - or did when his last book came out. Thanks for the other suggestions for finding out more - I wouldn't have thought of those avenues.
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Have been in touch with Philip Paris, author of "Orkney's Italian Chapel". He was very helpful and provided me with a copy of the letter Balfour Beatty had about the "Special Command Mention" by Vice Admiral Sir Hugh Binnie for the men involved in rescuing the injured man described in the book. After further discussion within my family, we've reached the conclusion the man injured wasn't my father although the scenario and his injuries were so similar. the accident described in the book happened in 1941, but we have evidence that my father's accident had to have been after November 1943. We have a telegram sent by my father from Orkney to my mother on their 3rd wedding anniversary in November 1943 and also my brother, born in 1942, remembers being told that he was left in the care of a neighbour when my mother travelled to Orkney to be with my father after the accident. So, not quite there yet, but picking up a lot of useful background information.