Caithness Family History Society's WWI book signing event in Wick
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Caithness Family History Society (CFHS) held a very successful launch at the Nethercliffe Hotel in Wick last Saturday (April 15) for a book on local WWI casualties.
Visitors bought copies of the Society’s latest publication, The Unreturning Brave, which was researched and compiled by Wick-born retired teacher Kathy Wares.
Anna Rogalski from CFHS said: "Books were signed and people enjoyed a chat over a cuppa and the Nethercliffe’s delicious shortbread.
"Many people have seen medals from World War II, but those from WWI are less common. Kathy was delighted to see the WWI medals belonging to one of Alex Paterson’s uncles and to hear his story."
The new book lists details about local casualties of World War One and covers three war memorials – Thrumster; Ackergill and Hempriggs Estate; along with Staxigoe and Papigoe – and the men whose names are inscribed on them.
Kathy said that the book was created during the lockdown period and, though not directly related to it, was influenced by her reading of a book by teacher Caitlin Morrison and her Wick High School pupils called They Never Returned detailing the lives of the servicemen from 1914 to 1918 recorded on the Wick war memorial.
The book is the first volume in a series which will cover all the WWI service personnel on Caithness War Memorials – apart from the Wick one which is detailed in They Never Returned.
The Unreturning Brave is aimed at those with an interest in family history and in military history. It has photos of people and gravestones, extracts from the Groat and Northern Ensign about the service personnel and information about their families, occupations, where they lived, war service and death.
CFHS has a Facebook page and further info can be found by emailing: caithnessfhs@btinternet.com
