Thurso was founded at the mouth of the Thurso river over a thousand years ago by Viking Earls. It is the largest town in Caithness and has been a free burgh since 1640. Commerce is supported by Scrabster harbor with its fish market, transport and ferrying operations. Thurso has a population hovering around ten thousand many of whom are employed at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's Dounreay Plant, Norfrost in Castletown or (BT) Manpower Plc. Post-secondary education and training needs are met by Thurso College which was originally established to support the technical training requirements of Dounreay and is now working toward full university status within the larger European Union higher education system.
At the height of the Cold War, the United States Navy found Thurso to be a most satisfactory location for a communications facility supporting Polaris-equipped nuclear submarines in the north Atlantic. The region was preferred for several reasons: geographical location; a local population receptive to an American presence; and a well-educated workforce to complement U.S. Navy staff.
Many British civilians did in fact serve at Forss and Murkle during the U.S. Navy's years in Caithness. Their numbers and responsibilities varied as the magnitude of service the facility was called upon to deliver evolved. In the first years, what came to be known throughout the Navy as "Thurso," provided communications to the fleet as a Radio Station, then as an humble Communications Unit but ended its service as a full-blown Communications Station.
The support provided by Scottish civilians over those thirty-plus years enabled a relatively small contingent of U.S. Navy personnel to perform their duties effectively. It is therefore no exaggeration to give a large portion of credit to them for the sustained success of the facility over the years. They are remembered affectionately by those of us who were fortunate enough to serve with them. A preliminary list of those who served includes...