Local History - Action
High on Bully Beef and Carrots

In late 1942, the SS Hirondelle, a steamer of around 1000 tons newly loaded at Invergordon with stores for the fleet at Scapa Flow, was involved in a collision at night with another vessel off Cromarty.  As a result of this she suffered damage and flooding to several holds.

The master and crew managed to run the vessel onto the beach, west of Cromarty.

Later, after pumping out operations, the Hirondelle was able to limp into the inner basin at Invergordon to discharge her damaged cargo.  Naval, RAF and dockyard working parties were soon on hand for recovery duties.

Among some of the cargo in the holds that had been flooded was a huge mix of flour, beans, sweets, navy soap, clothing, label-less tins of vegetables and fruit and, of course, corned beef galore. As most of the cargo was to be dumped, the working parties were more than generous to all who were around.
For us young lads, it was as if Christmas had come early that year. In many a home in the harbour area, the corned beef was a welcome addition to the meat ration which, at that time, was measured in ounces per week. The tinned fruit, almost unobtainable in those austere days, was the icing on the cake.  It is known that some members of the working parties succumbed to temptation in the holds as regard to the spirits, but I believe most of the cases of whisky and gin were recovered along with the barrels of navy rum.