Scapa Flow naval base and its impact on Orkney

dylanwinter

dylanwinter

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I am currently editing the section of the films about Scapa Flow. I had a look at the Churchill l barriers (very strong concrete mix I thought) , the chapel - amazing - and went into some of the gun emplacements

I have been looking for figures for the total number of military and POW personnel on the Islands. Native population of the main island - cunningly called Mainland - during ww2 might have been 10,000.

Does anyone have any good urls about the place - and anything about the impact on the local comminity

Orkney was invaded twice by the Royal Navy during both world wars

reflec125.gif
 
The Commodore Inn at Holm is a very good foody pub! I anchored there last summer and rowed in for a couple of beers wearing a Pompey shirt. This was a good icebreaker, as the landlady was from Portsmouth herself, and great chat was had!
 
I was asked if they still speak gaelic in Orkney

I guess they did a fair bit before the Navy arrived but thousands of navy personnel must have had a massive impact on the local culture

I certainly heard a lot of different accents

D
 
dylanwinter said:
I was asked if they still speak gaelic in Orkney

I guess they did a fair bit before the Navy arrived but thousands of navy personnel must have had a massive impact on the local culture

I certainly heard a lot of different accents

D
Click to expand...
I'd imagine that the influx of overwhelming numbers of young men must have had an impact on the genetics of the place! Especially as a lot of them would have been sailors on leave...
 
AntarcticPilot said:
I'd imagine that the influx of overwhelming numbers of young men must have had an impact on the genetics of the place! Especially as a lot of them would have been sailors on leave...
Click to expand...

Population of mainland was 10,000 - and there were 20,000 naval personnel there

blimey!

words of the song written by a bloke who hated the place

This bloody town's a bloody cuss
No bloody trains, no bloody bus
And no one cares for bloody us
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody roads are bloody bad
The bloody folk are bloody mad
They make this place bloody sad
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Oh bloody crows, Oh bloody rain
No bloody kerbs, no bloody drains
The council's got no bloody brains
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Everything's so bloody dear
A bob for just a bloody beer
And is it good? No bloody fear
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody films are bloody old
The bloody seats are bloody sold,
You can't get in for bloody gold
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody dances make you smile
The bloody band is bloody vile
It only cramps your bloody style
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

No bloody sport, no bloody games
No bloody fun. The bloody dames
Won't even give their bloody names
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

This bloody place is bloody bad
With bloody blanket over yourhead
Be better when your bloody dead.
Bloody, bloody Orkney.


D
 
dylanwinter said:
Population of mainland was 10,000 - and there were 20,000 naval personnel there

blimey!

words of the song written by a bloke who hated the place

This bloody town's a bloody cuss
No bloody trains, no bloody bus
And no one cares for bloody us
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody roads are bloody bad
The bloody folk are bloody mad
They make this place bloody sad
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Oh bloody crows, Oh bloody rain
No bloody kerbs, no bloody drains
The council's got no bloody brains
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Everything's so bloody dear
A bob for just a bloody beer
And is it good? No bloody fear
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody films are bloody old
The bloody seats are bloody sold,
You can't get in for bloody gold
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody dances make you smile
The bloody band is bloody vile
It only cramps your bloody style
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

No bloody sport, no bloody games
No bloody fun. The bloody dames
Won't even give their bloody names
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

This bloody place is bloody bad
With bloody blanket over yourhead
Be better when your bloody dead.
Bloody, bloody Orkney.


D
Click to expand...

I served with a guy who had served in Scapa during the war. His comments on the train journey to Wick were very unprintable and his opinion on Scapa was even worse, he would have considered that song complimentary. Invergordon was little better and Rosyth or the Clyde was only better because of the better train connection to London
 
dylanwinter said:
Population of mainland was 10,000 - and there were 20,000 naval personnel there

blimey!

words of the song written by a bloke who hated the place

This bloody town's a bloody cuss
No bloody trains, no bloody bus
And no one cares for bloody us
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody roads are bloody bad
The bloody folk are bloody mad
They make this place bloody sad
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Oh bloody crows, Oh bloody rain
No bloody kerbs, no bloody drains
The council's got no bloody brains
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Everything's so bloody dear
A bob for just a bloody beer
And is it good? No bloody fear
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody films are bloody old
The bloody seats are bloody sold,
You can't get in for bloody gold
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody dances make you smile
The bloody band is bloody vile
It only cramps your bloody style
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

No bloody sport, no bloody games
No bloody fun. The bloody dames
Won't even give their bloody names
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

This bloody place is bloody bad
With bloody blanket over yourhead
Be better when your bloody dead.
Bloody, bloody Orkney.


D
Click to expand...

Seems like it only leaves one thing to do! :rolleyes:
 
dylanwinter said:
I was asked if they still speak gaelic in Orkney

I guess they did a fair bit before the Navy arrived but thousands of navy personnel must have had a massive impact on the local culture

I certainly heard a lot of different accents

D
Click to expand...

Dylan, Gaelic was never spoken in Orkney or Shetland AFAIK. The heritage of the Northern Isles is Norse, not Celtic, and since the end of the Norse period in Orkney, people in the islands have spoken an Orkney dialect of ancient Scots, blended with Norse accent and words, making it a unique member among the ten dialects of the Scots language.
 
dylanwinter said:
Population of mainland was 10,000 - and there were 20,000 naval personnel there

blimey!

words of the song written by a bloke who hated the place

This bloody town's a bloody cuss
No bloody trains, no bloody bus
And no one cares for bloody us
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody roads are bloody bad
The bloody folk are bloody mad
They make this place bloody sad
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Oh bloody crows, Oh bloody rain
No bloody kerbs, no bloody drains
The council's got no bloody brains
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

Everything's so bloody dear
A bob for just a bloody beer
And is it good? No bloody fear
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody films are bloody old
The bloody seats are bloody sold,
You can't get in for bloody gold
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

The bloody dances make you smile
The bloody band is bloody vile
It only cramps your bloody style
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

No bloody sport, no bloody games
No bloody fun. The bloody dames
Won't even give their bloody names
Bloody, bloody Orkney.

This bloody place is bloody bad
With bloody blanket over yourhead
Be better when your bloody dead.
Bloody, bloody Orkney.


D
Click to expand...

nearly scans to Evidently Chickentown... folk memories eh, (on the back seat of your Nissen, Dylan..)

 
dylanwinter said:
This bloody town's a bloody cuss
No bloody trains, no bloody bus
And no one cares for bloody us
Bloody, bloody Orkney.
Click to expand...

Trying to learn more about the author, apparently named Blair, I found the locals' alleged response:

Captain Hamish "Bloody" Blair
Isna posted here nae mare
But no-one seems to bloody care
In bloody Orkney
​
 
Strolls said:
Trying to learn more about the author, apparently named Blair, I found the locals' alleged response:

Captain Hamish "Bloody" Blair
Isna posted here nae mare
But no-one seems to bloody care
In bloody Orkney
​
Click to expand...

My Grandfather and his brother spent all of WW2 in RN support - on their own boats (puffers) on fleet supply and telephone cable laying ops. They came back. Many others did not, so please remember that.
I visited Lyness on my own boat last year. (Golden quay) . It was still quite atmospheric, despite the air of desolation. Orcadians are as friendly as they come, Well worth a visit.
 
pagoda said:
My Grandfather and his brother spent all of WW2 in RN support - on their own boats (puffers) on fleet supply and telephone cable laying ops. They came back. Many others did not, so please remember that.
Click to expand...
I think that rhyme was just the locals being as disrespectful back to Blair as he was about their home. I did not write it.
 
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