Mr Mowat gathering sheep at Creich near Bonar Bridge 1917/1918
The images and letters are courtesy of Stacey York, Mechanic Falls, Maine, USA. The series of images from Stacey are in the sequence on Forestry Memories from No 6282 to No 6298 and forms part of the Forestry Memories Groups collection ‘American Sawmillers in Scotland 1917’.
In the Great War of 1914-18 the UK and its allies were facing severe shortage of timber products to keep the coal mines operating and providing power for manufacturing for the war effort. Timber railway sleepers for the railways to the war front in Europe were urgently required and also wood for manufacturing of boxes and containers for munitions and other products. German submarines were severely interrupting timber imports and there was a great shortage of men to work in the forests and timber industry in UK because they had been called up in their millions to serve in the war effort as soldiers and sailors. An original request for assistance with timber cutting and sawing in British forests from the British Government was directed to the New England States.
A rapid response to the British crisis was taken on board by six New England States and a specially convened committee organised the supply of one sawmill unit funded by each state. The states involved were Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. In addition several individual companies and many individuals provided the necessary funding for a further four sawmill units resulting in a total of ten units and all their equipment being sent to Liverpool and eventually to Ardgay in Ross-shire in the summer of 1917. The timber workers and saw millers were on a contract to the British Government for a period of one year.
The man in this image is believed to be Alex G Mowat who lived the Farm House Creich. He may have had sons also farming close at hand and a daughter at home. Lovell wrote on the back of the photograph ‘Mr Mowat and one of his flocks taken across the road from our camp’. This information assisted in roughly locating the site of Unit No 2 sawmill and camp. Lovell writes at times about the spring work on the farm. The sheep look very like the North Country Cheviots of today.
Armed with a copy of the photograph, Gregor Laing, nr Ardgay, set out to find the photographic point and amazingly did so by walking down below the road towards the shore. His photograph with a different sized lens is taken from fairly close to the 1918 photograph and the same dyke stones can be noted in both images particularly the ones with and left of the red dot.
Lovell Churchill from Maine USA, set up in Swordale Wood (Skibo Estate) in sawmill unit No 2, wrote a series of short letters to his parents and sister describing his experiences and adventures. These letters and companying photographs were kept by his parents and then the family. Forestry Memories is very privileged to have been offered the opportunity to place these on the website.
Note that the letters have been transcribed by this writer (Norman Davidson) into UK English and notes added where written words are not deciphered and American language terms not fully understood. Accuracy and interpretation results are far from guaranteed but readers can turn to the PDF link below the text to see the images of the actual letters and form their own opinions.
In the letters written by Lovell from 6 January 1918 to 9 February 1918 he writes about his searches for work on his return to USA, his boxing experience and also the fact that the local farmers are sowing their grain.
Lovell writes:
“Arday, Ross-shire, Scotland. March 13 - 1918
My Dear Par and Mar:
Just a line tonight although I wrote you only a short time ago. I received a note from you this noon written February 17 and was glad everything was fine and dandy home.
I have been looking up the ship builders game and I have learned that Walter Gray has been appointed enrolling agent for the town of Paris. I also heard that men employed in a ship yard were exempted from draft. I wrote Walter Gray to find out the particulars and if what I hear is true, I may be at work in a ship yard in Portland. It will depend on what I hear from him.
I also wrote J A Magner the business agent of my local for particulars and his advice. I can furnish the best of reference and it seems as though I should be able to get in. Of course that wouldn’t be exactly at home but a great deal nearer than here.
I don’t fear crossing the water at all for they have such wonderful protection while in the war game. If I cannot land anything that I want at home I shall remain here for a while. I learn that people in the States are looking for the war to finish this summer but we people here can’t see it that way.
No one knows what we will do when June comes, some say we can stay longer if we want to but no one is sure for it is up to the U.S. Government. We will finish this lot in five to six weeks and then we will either help the other units or go on another lot by ourselves. No knows which it will be yet.
The weather is fine and the days are lengthening, it’s light from 6.30am until about 7.30pm. The trees are beginning to leaf out and it is just like summer. Guess this is all for tonight so goodbye and write when you can.
Sincerely, L. I. C. No 2 Mill Unit.
Arday, Ross-shire, Scotland. March 24 - 1918
Dear Par and Mar:
Received a note from you Friday and was of course glad to learn that everything was fine and dandy. We had a big run last week sawing over 112 thousand feet. Not a bad run for a portable saw mill. Anyhow we hold the record of the ten units.
I went to Inverness the sixteenth and stayed until the nineteenth. I got my teeth fixed up and had a fine time besides. It really seemed nice to have a few days in the city and didn’t I hate to return to the jungle again.
I am boxing some and have been up against some good men. I boxed in Bonar Bridge Hall the other night with a Canadian. The hall was packed and I had great luck. I got him in the third round and won a decision.
That clipping doesn’t interfere with me and I have decided to stay here as long as things go the way they are now. You need not worry at all about me for I am all right and will be no matter how long I stay.
During the past week the farmers have been sowing their grain. I don’t imagine you have sowed yours yet. The weather is fine and the leaves are beginning to come out and the shrubbery is beginning to bud.
Well I don’t know of anything more this time so will ring off for a week or two. Give my love to the boys and their folks, keep a good share for yourselves. Yours Sincerely, L. I. C. No 2 Mill Unit.”
Please see the PDF link below to see images of the actual letters.
Download Large Version (1.7MB)
Groups: American sawmillers in Scotland 1917, Caithness and Sutherland