Local Memoirs

Memoirs from the Faroes

My name is Rod Mackenzie from Inverness.

I was a Lance Bombardier in the Royal Artillery during World War 2.
I am 2nd from the left in the middle row of this photo.

I spent some of the war moving around Britain working on gun emplacements and other things to protect our coastline.

We used lots of tricks to fool the enemy such as at Rosyth where we added wooden guns to the real ones to make the docks look as though they were better defended than they were. Eventually I was sent to the Faroe Islands to help stop them falling into German hands as they were in quite a strategic position.

Christmas Card 1942, sent home from Faroe Islands.


Christmas card to home from the Faroes	Birthday card


Faroese phrase book printed March 22, 1941 – the first of its kind ever to be printed in English and Faroese. This was given to all soldiers to help them with everyday conversations.	Another of our tricks to fool the enemy was to paint windows on the outside of our army huts to make them look like civilian homes. From a distance I think they were quite convincing.

As we were on the islands for a long time we mixed with the local people a great deal. Some even wed local girls!

We also learned about their way of life. One of the most memorable sights was the whale cull. The locals in small rowing boats would herd whole whale pods into the harbour so that they became beached. They then proceeded to kill them for their oil, fat and meat. It was something to see, as the water became a sea of blood.

I enjoyed my time in the army although it was hard being away from my wife and baby daughter. It gave me a chance to visit places I would never otherwise have had the opportunity to see.

It was also very important for me to have felt that I had played my part in the war.