Many Polish soldiers were based in Nairn and were billeted around the town. Some stayed in Viewfield House where Nairn Museum is now housed. They often could be seen marching through the town singing in harmony.

There were also Indian soldiers living in tents on the farmers Showground. They were an amazing sight for the children of Nairn to see. They would go up to see them and often shared their food.

The first time many of them would have tasted Indian food!

The beaches of Scotland had to be protected and Nairn was no exception. The east beach was mined and poles were placed along all the beaches to prevent planes from landing.

The biggest part Nairn had to play during the war was probably the training done on the beach and through the town of the men who would play a part in the D-Day landings.

Mobile harbours were put in place then tanks and men would appear on the beaches. It was common to find soldiers lurking in your garden seeking to surprise an unseen enemy.

There is still much evidence of this time to be seen in Nairn. In particular the building work around the beaches, a bailey bridge, the paths and the shaped dunes. There are also less obvious remnants in the shape of the sunken tanks at Culbin.

To be a child at this time was exciting as we were blissfully unaffected by the worst horrors of war experienced in the rest of Europe.