World War Two resource pack

From 1939-1945 much of the world was involved in a devastating war and life changed for many people, including those in the Highlands. The Highland Archive Service looks after many documents relating to Highlanders in World War Two, both at home and overseas. On this page you can watch videos about the impact of the conflict on the Highlands, look at some examples of documents, and find some related activities!

Learn with Lorna videos about World War Two in the Highland Archive Service collections:

LWL 5: World War Two LWL 33: Further stories from World War Two LWL 37: The Hetty Munro collection LWL 79: James Mowat: A WWII escape story LWL 132: Sir Tommy Macpherson, 'The Kilted Killer' LWL 136: Caithness Home Guard LWL 149: Taylor of Munlochy LWL 187: Stories of bravery LWL 189: D Day+80 years

Examples of documents in the Highland Archive Service collections:

Home Front

Documents in our collections show the many ways life changed for people at home during the World War Two. Buildings (including castles and hotels) were taken over by troops, many women worked making weapons or driving ambulances, and people struggled with evacuating their children and missing their husbands/brothers/fathers in the forces. Some areas, including Bank Row in Wick, were bombed. The images below focus on the home front. If you can't read the letter, there's a typed copy here.

An extract from handwritten school log book which reads "The school was closed on the outbreak of war from 1st September until 11th September, and during that time the teachers were occupied with evacuation of children and billeting of same. When school resumed 27 evacuees were admitted to the inf. dept. under Miss Jamieson, one of their own teachers from Edinburgh. Roll is 239 + 27 evacuees."

Central School Log Book, 1939

An extract from a typed document (blank text on white paper) which details the arrangements for evacuees

County of Nairn papers relating to evacuation, 1939

A letter handwritten in black ink and addressed from Cleevemoor Cottage, Deepcut, Nr Aldershot, August 29th 1939

Sepia coloured photograph showing men and women in royal navy and nursing uniforms outside a large castle building

Duncraig Castle in use as naval hospital, c1940

War Front

Soldiers from many countries fought on the front lines of the war all over the world and many of the British troops trained in the Highlands. The letter below (typed copy here) was written by a woman in the French Resistance, who fought against the Nazi occupation of France. The map is also from France, from a place called Brest. It has markings on it which show the Nazi occupied areas. The statue is the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge, which remembers all those who trained in the area.

A sheet of aged notepaper covered with densely packed black ink writing

Letter by French Resistance member Huguette Verhague, 1945

A map of the town of Brest coloured and annotated in blue and red ink. A key indicates that markings include houses occupied by troops, ammunition depots, food supplies, barbed wire entanglements and machine guns

Annotated map of Brest, France, 1940s

Black and white photograph showing the silhouette of a statues of three soldiers against a wide hilly landscape

Commando Memorial, Spean Bridge, 1970s

World War Two related activities

Food was rationed during World War Two and people had to think up new recipes to use whatever food they had. Why not look up some recipes from the time and try making one?
During the war a lot of people in Britain (and other countries) sang and went to dances to keep their spirits up. Try and find some of these songs and dances (like the Charleston) online and have a go at singing/dancing yourself!
There were lots of famous WWII slogans to encourage people to do the right thing. They included ‘Dig for Victory’ and ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’. You could make a poster with one of these slogans.
Imagine you were an evacuee sent to live in a different part of the country. Write a letter home to your family describing what life is like and how you’re settling into a new family, new school and new life. Try and include things you think would be exciting and things you think would be frightening.