Thrumster Patrol

County Group
Locality

The township of Thrumster lies 3 miles south of Wick.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant Angus MacAulay Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Corporal James Miller Baikie Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private John Bremner Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private A. G. Doull Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Alex Oag MacAulay Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private J. Sutherland Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private William Sutherland Unknown Unknown
Operational Base (OB)

The Operational Base was located near to Borrowton Quarries and Ulbster Mains. It was on high ground overlooking the general area of Loch Scarlet, a grazing /arable type environment with an outlook to the sea.

No corrugated sheeting remains, but the excavation hole that housed the OB is still visible, measuring approximately 3 x 4m square, with a stone ramp to conceal the lower side.

The OB was situated very close to a dummy airfield at Scarlet which was a very sophisticated set up as a K Site (day decoy) and Q site (night decoy), intended to mimic Wick airfield some miles to the north, the site was bombed several times in 1941. Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) image taken in February 1941 shows the Hill of Ulbster and the site of the general area of the OB.

OB Status
Destroyed
Location

Thrumster Patrol

Patrol Targets

Targets would have included the main road route which is now the A99 and some unclassified roads. Tannach Mains nearby was a Chain Home Radar Station providing long range early warning for the extreme north of Scotland.

Training

Specialist training given by Cameron Highlanders Scout Section at Halkirk and Langwell.

References

Geoff Leet's article in Caithness Field Club Bulletin 2005
Hancock data held at B.R.A
TNA ref WO199/3388
Private Correspondence with David Blair