It was now cold enough in central Russia for the ocean of mud to have frozen, allowing the Germans to resume their assault on Moscow. The plan was to encircle the city, but although the Soviets were pushed back the Germans were unable to achieve a breakthrough. Also this week, on 14 November the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal was sunk, two days after being torpedoed by a U-boat. And Leningrad, which was under siege by German forces, received its first airlift of supplies; 11,000 people would die of starvation there during November.
The east coast of Caithness was battered by gales and rain all week, affecting schools across the county. Wick North School recorded in its log book: “10th Nov. A very strong gale of wind had adversely affected attendance. 11th Nov. Still stronger gale accompanied by heavy rain… School closed for the day at 1.30pm.” On Wednesday 12 November things seem to have improved, but next day, “Another morning of strong gale and heavy rain. School closed for the day at 1.30pm.”
A second entry in the same log book for 13 November adds: “Owing to the presence of a marine mine in the sea in the vicinity of the Nautical Services Club the infants therein were evacuated at 10.30am.”
The police files record the sighting of this same mine by the coastguards at 10.35 on 13 
November: “One of our look-out men have reported just this minute that a mine is floating in Wick Bay and that more than likely it will land at the back of the new pier on the north shore.” The police at once warned the people living along the north shore of the danger, and an hour later the mine was “high and dry” on the beach, “approximately a hundred yards on the north shore above the new pier”. “Special Constables were detailed for duty at the “Camps” and at junction of Scalesburn and Willowbank to warn people of this mine.”
The John O’Groat Journal reported an outbreak of fire on the evening of Monday 10 November
at Pulteneytown Mill on Huddart Street. Fortunatley the fire brigade had been carrying out an exercise when the call came, and “they were able to answer it much more quickly than normal… If the flames had spread the mill and the distillery adjacent might have been destroyed.”
Despite the gales, Remembrance Day was commemorated across the county. Bower School noted in its log book on 11 November that, “Weather very stormy – wind and rain – only 16 pupils present. Two minutes silence held as usual. Gave a 15 minute talk to the children on its reason and its purpose.”
Finally this week, the John O’Groat Journal recounted the joke of a resident of Stroma being 
told that living “so far away from the metropolis on this lonely isle,” with no morning mail or newspapers, he didn’t even know what was going on in London. “Well, replied the islander, “foo much better af are they themsel’s not to know what’s goin’ on in Stroma?””
