Whisky Galore! (Or maybe not…)


During the Second World War, one of the tactics used by the German army was firebombing. This technique intended to cause major damage to urban areas using incendiary devices and was extremely concerning to the government. It caused them to publish a series of acts which introduced official procedures and installed people as ‘fire watchers’ to monitor areas and help extinguish fires if necessary. These procedures were extremely important and were cemented with the Fire Prevention (Business Premises) Orders which made individual businesses responsible for organising and equipping 24-hour fire watchers who would call in attacks and help fight fires. These regular people were vital to the safety of public and were a key part of the home front effort.

The ’fire prevention file’ kept by the Harbour Commissioners is fascinating. Some of the documents it contains includes information on fire watchers and their responsibilities, incendiary bomb detectors, the compulsory enrolment of women as fire guards, information on enemy bomb types, eye shields and training. It also holds correspondence relating to the storage of flammable goods such as motor spirit, oil, petroleum and, to my surprise, whisky.

By this time, Aberdeen Harbour had been designated as a key point of national importance and was considered to be a Luftwaffe target due to its significance to both the navy and as a trading post. Whisky was a concern for the harbour as it was stored in great quantities in bonded warehouses near areas which would likely be firebombed. There was also precedent for the danger of whisky. A fire had broken out in one of the Dailuaine-Talisker Distillery warehouses in Aberdeen in 1904, whisky casks exploded and ignited whisky spilled into the street. The Bamff Distillery had also suffered a Luftwaffe attack in 1941 where casks had exploded and ‘farmers reported that the whisky had run into nearby water supplies and intoxicated the local animal population’.[1] It is understandable that this level of damage would want to be avoided.

The District Commissioner for North-Eastern Scotland was told to arrange a visit to Aberdeen by the Civil Defence to inspect the levels of whisky in bonded warehouses in the harbour area and assess if this would be classified as a hazard. It was decided, although the initial report suggested that the ‘whisky stores are a distinct danger to the harbour’, that Glasgow and Leith were priority areas for the dispersal of whisky stock.



As you can see from this letter, the decision was not taken well by the Harbour Manager and Treasurer, Mr James Hay Petrie. He argued that the local fire service, the Admiralty and the Acting Regional Port Director for Scotland all believe that the ‘stocks are a great danger to the harbour’. He was also particularly annoyed that Glasgow and Leith were considered more urgent. Unfortunately, there is no further correspondence relating to the whisky question so we can’t know if the stocks were in fact moved or if they remained in the storage on Virginia Street.

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