In the course of researching the book, I interviewed many men and women who worked on the different parts of the schemes. They all gave their time willingly and, without their help, this project would have been impossible. Their accounts of their experiences in their own words are the heart of this narrative and bring the period and the endeavour vividly to life. I am grateful to them all for their hospitality and kindness. In alphabetical order they are: Henry ‘Ben’ Bentley, Dingwall; Ronald Birse, Edinburgh; Paddy Boyle, Glasgow; Archie Chisholm, Kirkhill; Bill Cooper, Inverness; Sybil Davidson and Mairi Stewart, Muir of Ord; Laurie Donald, Inverness; Pat Kennedy, East Kilbride; Alastair Kirk, Inverness; Patrick McBride, Donegal; Hugh McCorriston, Cannich; Barry McDermott, Clydebank; Jimmy Macdonald, Invergordon; Patrick McGinley, Donegal; Roy Macintyre, Gairloch; Bill MacKenzie, Muir of Ord; Hamish Mackinven, Edinburgh; Dougie Maclennan, Dingwall; Donald and Jean MacLeod, Golspie; Iain Macmaster, Acharacle; Sandy MacPherson, Inveruglas; Iain MacRae, Inchmore; Wodek Majewski, Barbaraville; Sir Duncan Michael; Stanley Mills, Auchlochan; John Farquhar Munro MSP; Roy Osborne, Ullapool; Paddy Paterson, Fort Augustus; Sandy Payne, Wester Clunes; George Rennie, Connel; William Rosie, John o’Groats; Hamish Ross, Dingwall; Ian Sim, Polmont; Bob Sim, Inverness; Otton Stainke, Kildary; Don Smith, Fortrose; and Don West, Cabrich.
Antoin MacGabhann, Letterkenny, Donegal, kindly sent me a letter describing his experiences as a student worker. Patrick Campbell, a native of Dungloe now living in New Jersey, sent me his published memoir Tunnel Tigers; and Moira McNicol in the Stirling Council libraries service supplied me with a copy of Gillean Ford’s compilation of memories of the Breadalbane schemes. James Stevenson kindly photocopied for me his account of the construction of the Loch Sloy dam; and Tom Leith in Strathaven went to considerable trouble to get me a copy of Edward MacColl’s 1946 paper on the schemes. Professor Peter Payne, whose own book remains the definitive official account of the achievement of the Hydro-Electric Board and without which my task would have been much more difficult, was supportive of this work.
Dr Walther Bindemann in Edinburgh, Gisela Cumming in Inverness, Heinz Ohff in Berlin, J. Anthony Hellen in Tyne and Wear, and the staff of the German Consulate, Edinburgh, all tried to help me track down any former-POWs who worked on the schemes. Our joint efforts were unsuccessful but I am grateful to everyone for their cooperation freely given.
Jennifer Paice, Julian Reeves, Peter Donaldson and Heather Ward of Scottish and Southern Energy were immensely helpful in providing access to the Hydro-Electric Board archives. Angela Greig at Scottish Power likewise dealt with my queries with unfailing kindness. I would also like to thank Elaine Rodger and the staff at the Ben Cruachan Visitor Centre for their hospitality. Martin Broome, Roger Reid, Jim Donaldson and Louise Jones of Miller Civil Engineering Services Ltd welcomed me to the site of the Cuileig River scheme.
Many friends rallied to the task of helping me with accommodation, information or contacts, and in particular I would like to thank Roger and Anne Boulter, Dublin; Dr Jim Calder; Donald and Jean Campbell, Edinburgh; Isabel and Jimmy Gunn, Muir of Ord; and Alistair MacEachran, Raddery. I also owe a thank you to the editors of the Derry People and Donegal News, the Donegal Democrat, and the Galway Advertiser.
Research inevitably involves much use of libraries and I would particularly like to thank Paul Adair, Perth Museum; Perth Library, Local Studies Section; Highlands and Islands Enterprise; Inverness Library Reference Section; Rachel Chisholm, Highland Folk Museum; Carol Morgan, the archivist of the Institution of Civil Engineers; and Fiona MacCallum, Oban Public Library. Keith Moore, the senior librarian and archivist of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers kindly invited me to use their library but unfortunately I was unable to visit it.
Bob Sim, Archie Chisholm, Alastair Kirk and Hamish Mackinven read parts of the text and corrected several of my errors. Any that remain are all my own work. And once again I would like to thank Dick Raynor for his expert assistance with the photographs, my long-suffering agent Duncan McAra for his continuing support, and Hugh Andrew at Birlinn for his patience. Work on this book began when the author held a Hawthornden Fellowship.
INVERNESS
FEBRUARY 2002