Operation Dervish: the Arctic Convoys by debbie ladas

A T R I E

1941

T H I S B O O K I S D E D I C AT E D T O T H E I M M O R TA L M E M O R Y OF THOSE WHO SAILED IN T H E A R C T I C C O N VOYS

1941

RATI E

R V I S

AUTH O RS

DAIR M I D G U NN, OBE, a fluent Russian speaker

and former officer in the Royal Navy is one of two vice presi]dents of the Scotland Russia Forum. KE N N E TH RE Y NO L D S has been a photographer

of Russian and East European Theatre in performance since 1993.

Mr. Andrey A. Pritsepov CON S UL GEN ER A L OF THE RUSSIAN FEDER ATION IN EDINBUR G H

Foreword When I started my posting here two years ago, I was greatly privileged and honoured to present on behalf of the people of Russia and the Russian President highly esteemed Russian military awards to the veterans of the Arctic Convoys in Scotland for valour in combat. I presented the Ushakov Medals personally to each of them, carefully listened to their stories, studied the old photos and looked into their eyes and was genuinely impressed by the modesty and dignity of these brave men. Once when driving from one of these ceremonies, I shared my impressions with Ken Reynolds, one of the best artistic photographers I have ever known, and he agreed how vital and alert the veterans, all in their nineties, were and how remarkable they showed themselves to be in their retention of a highly developed sense of humour. Comparison with Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” came to mind, and the idea of commemorating the intrepidity of the veterans of the Arctic Convoys in an art photo album was born. It was then discussed at length with Lieutenant Commander Dairmid Gunn, who, with his great knowledge and expertise as well as his devotion to the memories of the Arctic Convoys, has thoughtfully transformed these initial images into a subtle relationship between history and art. Thanks to the invaluable contributions made and the passion and dedication shown by these two exceptional co-authors, you are holding this book. Every year we, diplomats of the Russian Consulate General in Edinburgh, together with the representatives of the local communities and officials lay wreaths at the Arctic Convoys memorials at Loch Ewe, and Lyness in the Orkneys in early May, when we celebrate Victory Day. It is a sacred day for all of us and deeply personal to each of us. You can still hardly find a single Russian who did not lose a relative in that war. It is no wonder that in Russia all the veterans of the World War II enjoy enduring love and respect. Today, we have a unique opportunity to share these genuine feelings with the veterans of the Arctic Convoys by paying tribute to each of them for fighting shoulder to shoulder with our fathers and grandfathers. The brotherhood in arms forged between our nations is an indispensable chapter of our shared and proud past, providing us with an obligation to build a lasting legacy of the significance and importance of the Convoys. This year we commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the first Arctic convoy, with the codename Dervish, which arrived at Archangel on the 31st August, 1941. It is an excellent occasion on which to build up the legacy of the Arctic Convoys and pay a debt of honour and gratitude to all participants in them that is long overdue. Let me conclude with a quote by the Russian writer Sergey Tolstoy: ‘We should learn about our fathers and their fathers not to be proud of them, but to be worthy of them’. The unsung heroes of the Arctic Convoys are worthy of veneration by giving us an example to follow of the stoicism, strength and endurance of the human spirit.

Mr. Andrey A. Pritsepov Consul General of the Russian Federation in Edinburgh

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Based on views derived from the addresses and conversations involving convoy veteran, Geoffrey Shelton, HMS Vindex. We remember Operation Dervish as being the code name for first Arctic convoy to north Russia. I remember rather than celebrate this convoy for the reason that so many of my shipmates in these convoys were killed or drowned and did not live to see the outcome of their endeavours. Convoy Dervish set sail on the 14th August 1941 but no one was fully aware of the perils that lay ahead. Attacks, of course, were expected from U-boats and aircraft operating from occupied Norway, but with the passage of time the level of enemy activity grew alarmingly. In one convoy alone twenty ships were sunk within a period of five days. This showed that the enemy was fully aware of the vital importance of the convoys to our Russian allies. The sinking of ships brought home the grim realisation that with sea temperatures 40 degrees below zero, life expectancy for those who took to the sea to escape from sinking ships was less than four minutes. Storms and freezing weather conditions were expected but not with the severity of those encountered. We did not expect our mess-decks to be without heating ; we did not expect having to be satisfied for warmth with one blanket and not having the facilities to dry out our clothes. We had to make do by getting into our hammocks to allow the heat from our bodies to dry us off within the four hours before the next watch. We could not change our clothes or have a shower for a week or more, and sleep was an intermittent affair. Above decks,the formation of ice on the gun decks and elsewhere required constant clearing to prevent the ship from becoming top heavy and unstable. Our losses and hardships, a price we had to pay, were eclipsed in terms of numbers by the millions of Russians who were being slaughtered by a merciless enemy in defence of their country. We, the Scottish veterans, are thankful for still being able to tell our children of the events all these years ago that allow them to lead a life of freedom; we are also thankful to be able to continue to say to our Russian friends how much we admired the tenacious spirit exhibited by them to rid Europe of the evils of a Nazi conquest. Over the past seventy five years a warm relationship has been established between the Arctic convoy veterans and our Russian friends that will never be broken and will be remembered in history long after we have gone.

Mr. Geoffrey Shelton Convoy Veteran

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Arctic Convoys THE

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BEGINS AUGUST 1941

OPERATION DERVISH ARCTIC CONVOY RO U T ES 1 9 41â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1945

SUMMER CONVOY ROUTES WINTER CONVOY ROUTES

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ON T H E

12 AUGUST TH

A SMALL CONVOY OF SIX MERCHANT SHIPS LEFT LIVERPOOL FOR ICELAND TEN DAYS LATER UNDER THE OPERATIONAL CODE NAME OF DERVISH and with an escort of warships of the Royal Navy it sailed for the northern Russian port of Archangel. The cargo it carried was military equipment in the form of tanks and aircraft to bolster the Russian defence against Nazi Germany. It was the response of the United Kingdom and the USA to a plea for support from Stalin, a plea that was fully understandable. In June 1941 Russia had been invaded by a massive Nazi force of three million troops in an operation called Barbarossa. Hitler expected a quick and decisive victory, an expectation that was not fulfilled owing to the heroic and stubborn defence of the Russians. The Russians needed time to organise their own war effort and welcomed any form of assistance from their Western sympathisers. The Dervish convoy was to be the first of many convoys from British ports and Iceland to the Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel.

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“Throughout the vicissitudes of the campaign there was one constant enemy — the weather.”

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were to complete their voyages to and from the Russian ports unscathed, but this happy state of affairs was not to last. Germany began to reinforce its military presence in Norway through the deployment of major warships to the fjords and the development of air bases in occupied Norway to accommodate its ever growing fleet of aircraft. This was partially due to a faulty analysis of the Western allies’ intentions with regard to Norway, in which an invasion of that country could not be easily dismissed. The misreading of the situation had been fuelled by successful British commando attacks on the Lofoten Islands off Norway in early 1941 and the mainland town of Vaasgo later that year.

But perhaps more important was Hitler’s realisation that the war with Russia would be long and drawnout and that Western convoys could contribute significantly to the success of the Russian war effort. For him, it was imperative that these convoys be destroyed by his Norwegian-based warships and aircraft and by that most important weapon in his armoury, the U-boat. The sailings of the convoys and their protection by escorts had to be carefully organised; the convoys themselves had to be kept in good order by the convoy commodores, often retired and experienced RN officers and merchant ship captains. Sound communications and liaison between the commodores and the escort commanders were vital. The convoys usually assembled at anchorages in Iceland and sailed round the north of Norway to the Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel. The outward bound and homeward bound convoys were planned so that a close escort of warships accompanied them to the port of destination, remaining to escort those convoys which had discharged their cargos back to their home ports or anchorages. For operational reasons and reasons of convenience the convoys were given code names. The designation PQ was for outward bound convoys and that of QP for homeward bound convoys. After September 1942 these code names were changed to JW for the outward bound convoys and RA for those returning from their Russian destinations. The Royal Navy had the overall responsibility for protecting the convoys. It provided long distance and close support with a variety of ships including battleships, escort carriers, cruisers, destroyers, sloops, corvettes, armed trawlers and ships of the Ocean Rescue Reserve. Russian warships based at Polyarny in the Kola Inlet helped to escort convoys through the dangerous approaches to the Russian ports. As the campaign progressed the Allied cover was improved by the introduction of more modern ships, a more sophisticated High Frequency Direction Finding System (HF/DF) to locate the position of U-boats, the expanding use of escort carriers and the post 1943 release of more escorts from the Atlantic

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“Despite the hazards and difficulties caused by the weather and the attention of the enemy, the convoys that sailed between 1941 and 1945 attained their aim by supplying Russia with vital supplies.”

theatre of operations for service with the Arctic convoys. In a campaign that was dangerous, demanding and monotonous there were certain defining actions that had a bearing on the eventual victory. The fate of convoy PQ17 was one such event. In July 1942 a faulty appreciation was made by the Admiralty regarding the intentions of the German surface raiders lurking in the Norwegian fjords. It was thought that they were on the point of emerging from their bases to attack the convoy PQ17, and the remedial action taken was to order the convoy to scatter, an order given only in extreme circumstances. The surface attack did not materialise but the ships of the convoy were exposed to much more sinister threats, those of German U-boats and land-based torpedo-bombers. The convoy losses were heavy, over twenty ships being sunk. This devastating blow to the Allied cause led to the decision to abandon summer convoys when the long days were ideal for enemy aircraft to locate and attack shipping. It also led to an appreciation of the role escort carriers could play in offering anti-air and anti-submarine protection. These vessels comprising a flight deck on top of a merchant ship hull were to prove invaluable for the safety of convoys. The so called ‘Woolworth’ escort carriers became a feature of convoy defence for the remainder of the campaign. Although enemy air and submarine attacks were frequent, the same could not be said with regard to the threat posed by German surface ships. It was a threat that did not often materialise; it did on two occasions, and fortunately the Allied surface ships met it firmly both times. In December 1942 Convoy JW 51B was largely spared the attentions of

a German surface force by the timely intervention of an Allied force of surface escorts in what became known as the Battle of the Barents Sea. A year later a more serious attack by a force of German warships, which included the battle cruiser Scharnhorst, was defeated by Allied surface forces The Scharnhorst was sunk, and the convoy, JW 55B, which the German ships had intended to attack, remained unmolested. The victory in what became known as the Battle of the North Cape was a massive boost to the morale for those serving in the Allied warships and merchantmen. Only the existence of the German battleship the Tirpitz prevented the Allies from considering that the enemy surface threat had been completely overcome. In November 1944 that threat was removed by a successful attack on the Tirpitz by Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers based at a Russian airfield.

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Throughout the vicissitudes of the campaign there was one constant enemy — the weather. Conditions at sea could not have been more hostile. The crews of the ships had to contend with tempestuous seas, Arctic sea smoke, blizzards, and below zero temperatures — all against a background of almost perpetual darkness. Guns, guard rails, ladders, masts, winches and whole superstructures were covered in black ice, which had to be removed by axes. Apart from causing the crews acute discomfort, the icing made the guns inoperable and created stability problems by making ships top heavy. Stability problems were aggravated by cargos breaking free in the holds. Extremely low temperatures made the survival of anyone falling into the sea a matter of a few minutes. Despite the hazards and difficulties caused by the weather and the attention of the enemy, the convoys that sailed between 1941 and 1945 attained their aim by supplying Russia with vital supplies. Many of the military items supplied were manufactured in Canada and the USA and many of the ships that delivered them were American.

In addition to a range of supplies which ranged from aircraft, tanks and anti-tank guns to radar sets and field telephones, there was a variety of ships delivered — submarines, destroyers, minesweepers, and even a battleship. This impressive list of military equipment was delivered at a cost. Around 87 merchant ships were lost at a cost of more than 800 lives. The Allied warships suffered too. Two cruisers, five destroyers, eight escort ships and an oiler were sunk with a loss of about 1,150 lives. The losses suffered by Russian warships and merchant ships were also heavy. As an epilogue to the Arctic convoys campaign, it is important to reflect on the word ‘support’. The Western Allies’ contribution to the Russian war effort was considerable; deliveries of 5,000 tanks and over 7,000 aircraft speak for themselves. What was equally important was the moral support implicit in these deliveries. Moral support is always difficult to quantify but its existence is a vital factor in raising the morale of combatants Symbolically, the Arctic convoys were a manifestation of true friendship between the Western allies and their Eastern ally, Russia, a friendship that lingers on in the hearts of the veterans of the convoys, to whom the peoples of the West and Russia feel deeply indebted.

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Admiral Fyodor Ushakov, 1745-1817

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THE

Medal

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The Ushakov Medal

The Ushakov medal, named after one of Russia’s most highly acclaimed navy commanders, Fyodor Ushakov, is a Russian state military decoration. It was created in 1944 during World War II for those who demonstrated courage and prowess in sea warfare. In 2000 this eighteenth century hero, Admiral Ushakov, who had never lost a battle at sea, was canonised by the Russian Orthodox Church and proclaimed patron saint of the Russian Navy. In accordance with the Russian Federation’s state decorations regulations, the Ushakov medal is awarded to personnel of the Navy and Border Guard Service for bravery and courage displayed in the defence of the country and its national interests in all theatres of military operations, and in the protection of the Federation’s borders. It is also awarded for performance of a high standard in naval combat training and for bravery and courage shown on naval combat missions and exercises with vessels of the Navy or Border Guard in hazardous conditions. In accordance with the Presidential decree No. 131 of 10th March 2014, the Ushakov Medal was awarded to veterans of the Arctic convoys of World War II for personal courage and valour during their service. This is no ordinary campaign medal; it is one of the most greatly esteemed military awards in the Russian Federation and one of the most highly regarded Russian naval decorations for exceptional valour in active service. The Ushakov Medal itself is a 36mm diameter circular sterling silver medal with a raised rim. The obverse of the medal has at its centre the bust of Admiral Ushakov in relief facing forward. It is surrounded by a slightly raised band bearing the inscription Admiral Ushakov (in Russian script), the two words being separated at the top by a star, At the bottom there are two laurel branches. The circular medal covers a naval anchor with the stock and flukes protruding at the bottom and the anchor arms and a shackle at the top.

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THE

Stories

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Sir Thomas Baird William Bannerman Robert Brand Joseph Bridges Edward Campbell David Craig Thomas Davidson James Docherty David Dunsmuir James Forbes John Forrest Thomas Lennie Eric Lloyd William McKay John McLees George McMillan Reginald Mashford John Oldfield Harold Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neil John Patterson Andrew Ramsay Kenneth Reith Ernest Robertson Geoffrey Shelton James Simpson John Sleigh Peter Stuart David Taylor

SIR THOMAS BAIRD In 1938 Thomas Baird began his distinguished career in the Royal Navy as an officer cadet at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. As a midshipman he was soon to see active service in the Arctic waters in the cruiser HMS Trinidad.

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“Maybe hostile attitudes prevailed at higher levels, but for the young there were opportunities to develop friendship.” I N 1942 W H I L S T E S CO R T I N G A N O U T WA R D

bound convoy (PQ13), the Trinidad suffered torpedo damage and had to enter dry dock in Rosta on the Kola Inlet near Murmansk to effect repairs. He and his colleagues were astonished to see that the majority of the welders were women. Language difficulties prevented much social contact but the occasional smile or laugh on their part showed that they were friendly and well disposed to members of the cruiser’s crew. Another point of contact was the Russian liaison officer to whom the Commander of the Trinidad had to turn for advice on ways of improving the shore-side heads (latrines). Those available were simply wooden sheds overhanging the sea with only ten holes to accommodate the needs of visiting crews. After much discussion laced with good humour, the Commander was able to organise the use of canvas from the ship to ensure an element of privacy and the increase of the number of holes to cater for the requirements of a crew of 750 men. The etiquette for the use of the heads caused much amusement but the Commander’s plan was sound, and necessary. Thomas Baird was at pains to stress that although the conditions ashore were harsh, there were always ways and means of lifting the gloom. He and some of his colleagues made friends with the military guards on a nearby hill and learnt with their help the elements of skiing. Although the Trinidad was able to offer excellent medical services through its two medical officers and an operating theatre, it could not provide an equivalent service for dentistry. Thomas had to endure agonising toothache on the way to the Kola Inlet but he was able to obtain relief at the hands of a Russian dentist, whose professionalism, and sympathy, were of the highest order. Musing about the human aspect of his time in Rosta, Thomas Baird felt that the young on board had little difficulty in getting on with the inhabitants of the town and the Russian servicemen.

“Maybe hostile attitudes prevailed at higher levels, but for the young there were opportunities to develop friendship.” In his role as navigating officer’s assistant he spent much of his time on the bridge. His main complaint was the unavailability of warm footwear. From time to time he had to act as a lookout in the crow’s nest, a chilly position. Fortunately stints on high were limited to 30 minutes. He found the air attacks frightening but consoled himself with the thought that the bombing of cities such as London, Coventry and Glasgow was that much worse. At least, the ship could react to attacks quickly and positively. Ironically, the Trinidad was to be sunk as result of torpedo damage caused by one of her own torpedoes. On the sinking of the Trinidad Thomas Baird joined HMS Orwell for escort duties for the outward bound convoy (KW53). When the ship entered the Inlet and requested a pilot, he witnessed a most amusing incident. The Russian pilot, who had seemed unnaturally keen to come aboard, announced that it was his birthday, an event that called for a celebratory dram. He had apparently had a ‘birthday’ a few months before, an anniversary that the first lieutenant remembered. After the ruse had been uncovered, there was much laughter on both sides. As was the custom at that time midshipmen kept journals to record incidents and happenings of note. Thomas Baird’s journal was almost lost at the time of the sinking of the Trinidad but is now with him as document that covers his time in Arctic waters and provides him with a window on the past. The award of the Ushakov medal, gratefully received by him, is another reminder of his youthful times in the service of the Allied cause.

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WILLI AM BANNERMAN William Bannerman was born and bred in Glasgow, a city renowned for its shipbuilding and engineering industries. It was almost natural that Bill should decide to become an engineer.

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“A smile and the offer of a cigarette went a long way in breaking the barriers caused by language difficulties..” AT A YO U N G A G E H E S P E N T T W O Y E A R S O F A

three year apprenticeship specialising in warships and merchant ships. War service interrupted his apprenticeship, and he found himself being trained in the Royal Navy for service as an able seaman. Disappointed but undeterred, Bill underwent his basic training and felt that at least he would be gaining sea-going experience that would stand him in good stead when he resumed his apprenticeship studies after the War. His long term goal was to become a fully fledged engineer on board a merchant vessel. In 1942 as an able seaman (AB) he joined his first and only warship, HMS Verulam, a V class destroyer. As an AB, Bill had to endure all the rigours of an Arctic winter— long periods of darkness, bitter, penetrating winds, below zero temperatures and icy sea fog. It was simply a case of endurance with thoughts always on the bliss of after watch periods in the comparative warmth of below decks, hot food and sleep. The Verulam escorted two outward bound convoys (JW 57 and JW 58) and two homeward bound ones (RA 58 and RA 59). It was not all convoy work. The ship saw action as part of a cover force for an attack by British carrier borne torpedo-carrying aircraft on the dreaded German battleship, the Tirpitz. But for Bill there was to be a big change in his duties. An understanding officer, having become acquainted with his (Bill’s) previous experience as an apprentice engineer, arranged for him to give up his duties as an AB in exchange for those of a stoker mechanic — a change from the upper deck to the boiler and engine-rooms. Bill was able to build on the skills acquired in Glasgow and at the same time play a useful role as a stoker.

Bill remembered his visits to Murmansk and Polyarny and his opportunities of meeting Russian sailors. A smile and the offer of a cigarette went a long way in breaking the barriers caused by language difficulties. He also remembered the close proximity of the Kola Inlet to German airfields and the unexpected attacks by enemy aircraft on the ship whilst in harbour. After leaving the Verulam and a short period in a minesweeper and having been demobbed, Bill returned to Glasgow to complete his apprenticeship in engineering. All this led to his entry into the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service and his going to sea as an engineer in the Fort Beauharnois, a supply ship for the Royal Navy. Subsequent postings were to the tankers Wave Chief and Wave Knight. Although maintaining his connection with the sea, Bill did not sever his contact with Russia. After the War He was able to visit St Petersburg several times and make a special trip to his old haunt of Murmansk. These pleasurable visits were rounded off by the award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government in recognition of his services with the wartime convoys. Bill considers the award of the medal a great honour and a wonderful token of gratitude from the Russian people.

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R OBER T GR AY BOGAN BR AND In September 1943 Robert Brand began his naval service as a junior canteen assistant in an organisation called the Naval, Army and Air force Institutes, better known by its initials NAAFI. He had volunteered for that part of NAAFI concerned with the Navy, the Naval Canteen Service.

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“I used the bulkheads as my punch bag although there was no give in them.”

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with a group of Russian sailors who were accommodated at the naval base. Although he could not speak Russian, he got to know them in other ways. He was greatly impressed by the visitors’ musical talents in the form of dancing and choral activities. He little thought that he would soon be on his way to Murmansk in a fast detachment of three destroyers to provide urgent medical supplies to the Allies there. In his ship, HMS Meteor, one of the destroyers, Bob soon became known to his messmates as a competent feather/fly-weight boxer. ‘I used the bulkheads as my punch bag although there was no give in them.’ Although he did not box in Russia, he took an active part in other forms of sport. He remembered vividly a sports day held by the Russians, which was followed by a football match. He was pleased to recall that his ship’s team emerged as winners in a soccer match against a local side. There were no hard feelings on the part of the losers and as always the offer of cigarettes broke down barriers. The Russian word ‘spichki’ (matches) remains indelibly imprinted in his memory. Bob was impressed by the friendly atmosphere that prevailed in the port area of Polyarny, where he had the opportunity of stretching his legs and visiting some of the communal flats. He was astonished by the amount of manual work undertaken by women and by the simplicity of the food enjoyed by the locals. Fish was the main ingredient of most dishes and soups. Fish was also a prominent part of the diet of the small British support team based at the port. Their diet, however, was supplemented by vitamin pills.

Bob emphasised that although his main work revolved round the NAFFI on board, he was expected to be ready to man the guns at any time. He was fully aware of the important role his ship was to play in September 1944 in providing cover for carrier-launched strikes against the enemy battleship, the Tirpitz. Bob remembered picking up the crew of a British carrier-based swordfish aircraft, which had ditched during one of the assaults on the battleship. Bob’s time afloat ended in October 1945, when he returned to general duties with the NAFFI. These were performed at home and abroad, and Bob could boast that in the course of these deployments he had served both the Army and the Air Force, thus completing a hat-trick in his service to the armed forces. Among the vast store of memories of his time in NAAFI, those in the Meteor are particularly precious for Bob. He feels greatly honoured by the award of the Ushakov medal, which he will always wear with pride.

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JOSEPH EDWARD BRIDGES In 1942 at the young age of just over 17 years Joseph Bridges joined the Royal Navy. His early period of training at HMS Ganges was arduous, but rewarding.

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“I was glad of my swimming training at HMS Ganges even for a short time in the water.”

JOSEPH, OR BILL AS HE IS NOW KNOWN SEES IT

as a very important stage in his life. Among other things, the training ensured that he became a confident swimmer, a skill that was to stand him in good stead in his career afloat. After further training of a specialised nature Bill qualified as a torpedo-man/ electrician and became well acquainted with the latest developments in anti submarine warfare. These included knowledge of the ‘hedgehog’, an ahead throwing weapon of projectiles similar to depth charges, which enabled the attacking ship to keep contact with the enemy submarine at the moment of firing. His qualifications made him eminently suitable for his draft to HMS Allington Castle, an anti-submarine corvette of the Castle Class. Whilst serving in her in 1944 and 1945 Bill participated in the escorting of six convoys, three outward bound and three homeward bound. The constant enemy throughout his time on board was the foul weather experienced during the winter months. Endless watch-keeping, ice everywhere, bitterly cold winds and damp clothes made life almost unbearable. Other factors too dampened his spirits — the occasional air attack, although they were mainly directed against the merchant ships, and the ever present threat of U boat attacks. Bill was to witness the sinking of HMS Lapwing off the Kola peninsula and was very much involved in the rescue of survivors. ‘I was glad then of my swimming training at HMS Ganges even for a short time in the water.’ 51 members of the crew of the Lapwing were brought onboard.

On several occasions the Allington Castle berthed at Polyarny in the Kola Inlet. Bill was impressed by the number of Red Army soldiers based in the area. In his contacts with them he found nothing but friendliness. Indeed, he indulged in a bit of bartering with them and on one occasion swapped a jersey with a Russian soldier. Other souvenirs he acquired were passed on much later to members of his family. Football also played a part in his life at Polyarny. On one occasion his ship’s team played against an army eleven, a game that was brought to an abrupt conclusion when a Kitty Hawk aircraft piloted by a Russian pilot crashed uncomfortably close to the pitch. The area was quickly cordoned off and the footballers ordered to leave the area. Bill had to admit that at the time of the catastrophe the Russian team was leading by six goals to nil. On the whole, Bill’s memories of his time ashore in the Polyarny area were happy. ‘It was simply good to get a break from the demands and discomfort of escorting duties.’ In 2014, accompanied by his wife, Bill returned to Murmansk in a cruise ship, the Marco Polo. Both onboard the liner and ashore in Murmansk Bill and his wife were treated royally. ‘It was a reward in itself for my time protecting the Arctic convoys and now I have the Ushakov medal, a further token of gratitude. I treasure both the memories and the medal.’

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EDWARD C AMPBELL In 1940 Edward Campbell began his service in the Royal Navy. After the initial period of basic training he opted to become an engineer or ‘stoker,’ as it was known in the naval parlance of that time.

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“My watches were in the boiler-room and not on deck; the cold up there was awful.”

HIS FIRST SH IP H M S LEDA, A F LEE T M INES W EEP ER

played an active part in the evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk in May and June 1940. It was a baptism of fire for Ted as his ship carried out eight visits to the beaches to collect beleaguered troops. ‘It was a case of nine days and nights without sleep, but it was a sort of preparation for what was to come.’ After the Dunkirk operation members of the crew of the Leda were transferred en masse to a sister ship, HMS Gossamer, for service in the protection of convoys of merchant ships taking essential supplies to the Russian northern ports of Murmansk and Archangel. After a boiler clean in Belfast, the Gossamer joined the escort for the second of a series of Arctic convoys bound for Russia (PQ1). On her arrival in Archangel in October 1941, she became part of a local force operating from the Russian port on mine and anti-submarine sweeps and was soon in operation to ensure the safe arrival of an Arctic convoy (PQ2). After escorting a homeward bound convoy, the Gossamer returned to Kirkwall for repairs and a subsequent refit in the Thames. After his first taste of life in the Arctic, Ted was glad that he had joined the Navy as a stoker. ‘My watches were in the boiler-room and not on deck; the cold up there was awful.’ In February 1942 after a short respite, the Gossamer returned to Arctic waters providing local support for five convoys in the approaches to the Kola Inlet. Two months later the escort duties were interrupted by a rescue operation to pick up survivors from HMS Edinburgh, a cruiser, which had been torpedoed. A large number of survivors were rescued by the Gossamer before her return to Kola Inlet.

In June 1942 whilst at anchor in the Kola Inlet, the Gossamer herself came under air attack and was sunk. At the time of the attack Ted was carrying out a boiler clean but managed to clamber on to the side of the sinking ship that had not been submerged. From there he jumped into the sea. He was quickly rescued by a Russian tug and accommodated with other survivors in what had been a barn. For several weeks he had to sleep on planks and remain in his boiler-room clothes. The food took the form of porridge in various forms. After a bout of dysentery and a noticeable loss of weight, Ted temporarily lost his appetite for the diet on offer. He remembers vividly a Russian country woman bringing him boiled eggs and shchi (cabbage soup), a kind gesture that brought from him the only Russian word he knew —‘spasibo’ (thank you).This was one of many instances of kindness experienced by him whilst ashore. Ted’s return passage to the UK in HMS Marne was eventful. The ship took part in an action that resulted in the sinking of the German minelayer, the Ulm. After reaching Scapa Flow, he was drafted to the USA for a course on diesel engines for anticipated service in amphibious warfare craft for the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. The award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government is a source of delight and pride for Ted and a reminder of the days spent in Russia and his time serving the Allied cause in Arctic waters.

CO NVOYS TO RUSSIA 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 4 5 : AN AL L IE D BRID G E OVE R TH E AR C TIC

DAVID CR AIG In January 1943 as a young radio officer David Craig joined the SS Dover Hill berthed in the Clyde. He was soon to find out that the ship loaded with military equipment was bound for Russia.

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“I was standing beside the bomb with two of my fellow officers as the Russian expert started to unscrew the retainer ring of the detonator and primer....I felt the hair on the back of my neck standing up against the hood of my duffle coat.” A F T E R M A K I N G A R E N D E Z V O U S W I T H OT H E R

merchant ships at Scapa Flow, the Dover Hill sailed in a protected convoy for northern Russia. From the outset the weather conditions were atrocious and several of the escorts, including HMS Sheffield, suffered serious damage, and the escort carrier, HMS Dasher, engine problems. The latter had to return to port for repairs – a serious blow to the safety of the convoy. As radio silence had to be observed for long periods, David had to keep watches on the bridge and resort to the use of an aldous lamp to communicate by light with the escorts. The absence of the Dasher exposed ships of the convoy to air attacks from Junker 88 bombers; in one such attack the Dover Hill sustained damage and one of its anti-aircraft gunners was wounded. The submarine threat, although always present, was less serious as the pancake ice floes impeded attacks from the U boats. In late February the Dover Hill reached the entrance to the Kola Inlet without further incident. With a Russian pilot onboard, she proceeded up the inlet to Murmansk to discharge her cargo. It was not a peaceful end to the voyage as the ship was attacked frequently by Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter bombers; the ship sustained further damage but her gun crews managed to shoot down one of the marauding aircraft. After discharging her cargo the Dover Hill moved to an anchorage at Mishukov to the north of Murmansk. Her period at Mishukov was far from being uneventful. The ship had to suffer frequent attacks from Junker 88 bombers. In one of these a bomb penetrated the decks and buried itself in a coal bunker. It did not explode, a fact that presented huge problems. David was one of a group of volunteers to dig out the unexploded bomb, an operation that lasted a couple of days. With the bomb on deck a Russian bomb disposal expert, who had been called to the scene, began the delicate task of removing the

detonator and primer. David recalls, ‘I was standing beside the bomb with two of my fellow officers as the Russian expert started to unscrew the retainer ring of the detonator, but after a few turns it stuck. He then took out a small hammer and punch and tapped it to get it moving. I can honestly say that every time he hit it, I felt the hair on the back of my neck standing up against the hood of my duffle coat’. Fortunately, all went well and the de-fused bomb was safely disposed of overboard. David was full of praise for the Russian expert, who had gone about his potentially difficult and dangerous task so coolly and confidently. After this frightening escape, she moved to the Archangel area where she remained until sailing for home in December 1943. The bravery of the British bomb disposal volunteers was recognised by the British government with the award of the King’s commendation to some of the crew and the Order of the British Empire (OBE) to others. The citation read very simply ‘for dangerous work in hazardous circumstances’. After leaving the Dover Castle David did not consider that that was the end of his association with Russia and its people. In the 1980s after the ban on visitors to Murmansk had been lifted, David visited Murmansk on six occasions. In all the visits David was delighted with the warm receptions accorded to him, to which he always responded appropriately. The warmth of these welcomes was more than equalled by that which he received when attending the celebrations in Moscow to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. ‘I was treated like a VIP throughout my visit. It was a truly moving experience.’ David felt the same way when he received the Ushakov medal from the Russian Consul General at a ceremony in Edinburgh. ‘It is a medal I shall always wear with pride.’

CO NVOYS TO RUSSIA 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 4 5 : AN AL L IE D BRID G E OVE R TH E AR C TIC

THOMAS BR OWN DAVIDSON Born in a coal mining part of Scotland, Thomas Davidson began his working life in a brickworks company near Edinburgh. In 1941 he was conscripted for service in the Royal Navy.

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(On viewing Russian sailors) “They simply looked good in all respects.”

AFTER INITIAL BASIC TRAINING HE HAD HIS

first taste of naval life by crossing the Atlantic to join his first ship, the American built HMS Searcher, officially described as an escort carrier. Escort carriers had been introduced to the Fleet in late 1942 to give greater protection to the Arctic convoys sailing between the UK and the northern ports of Murmansk and Archangel from enemy aircraft and U-boat attacks. As an Able Seaman (AB), Tom was attached to the flying control team as an assistant to the Commander (flying), better known as Commander F. He was truly at the heart of activity on board. The Searcher was to carry out several escort duties in the Atlantic before confining her activities to the defence of the Arctic convoys. At Scapa Flow, one of the departure anchorages for departing convoys, Tom was to witness the handing over of the battleship HMS Royal Sovereign to the Soviet Navy under her new name of Arkhangelsk. He was greatly impressed by the military bearing of the Russian sailors but had little chance of getting to know them because of shortage of time and the language barrier. ‘They simply looked good in all respects.’ Another highlight of his time at Scapa Flow was the visit of King George VI to the fleet, a visit marked by the welcome order of ‘splice the mainbrace’, an order that meant a double issue of rum to the ratings and a single issue to the officers. After downing his large tot of grog Tom felt in great and optimistic form. ‘I felt that I could have tackled the Nazis single handed.’ But the effects of the generous issue of rum were not to last for long.

Soon Tom’s ship was to be involved in a period of intense activity. The Searcher was involved in providing protection for an outward bound convoy JW58 before participating in an operation attacking the German battleship Tirpitz based at her anchorage in Kaafjord in the north of Norway. The Searcher’s role was to provide air cover for the attacking bombers with her squadrons of Wildcat fighter aircraft. The attacks were partially successful as the Tirpitz sustained enough damage to restrict her movements for a considerable period of time. Less exciting, but very important, was the cover provided for the homeward bound convoy RA58. For the remainder of April and the month of May the Searcher participated in a variety of actions — some against enemy shore positions, others against German convoys. The weather In May, after a welcome lull, reverted to being atrocious and difficult for flying. It was almost a relief when the Searcher left the Arctic to continue her wartime operations in the Western Approaches and thence to the Mediterranean. On being demobbed Tom returned to his first place of employment and worked for his old firm, and subsequently for local schools. On the occasion of his diamond wedding he and his wife (now sadly deceased) attended the Queen’s garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This recognition of Tom’s service to his country and community was matched by the award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government for his services in defence of the Arctic convoys in World War II. It is a medal that he will always cherish.

CO NVOYS TO RUSSIA 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 4 5 : AN AL L IE D BRID G E OVE R TH E AR C TIC

JAMES DOCHER T Y James Docherty seemed destined to do his military service in World War II in the army. His father, a sergeant in the Highland Light Infantry (the City of Glasgow regiment), had served in the First World War and was working as a military instructor when James (Jim) was called up.

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“Jim was told by a shipmate that a swimming qualification meant nothing in the Arctic as the survival time in the water was only a few minutes. Words of cold comfort.” J I M ’ S B R OT H E R WA S I N T H E A R M Y I N T H E

carrying on the family military tradition. But, strangely enough, Jim found himself in the Royal Navy undergoing basic training at HMS Ganges, a famous training establishment for young seamen. Jim took it all in his stride, becoming well acquainted with naval guns and their maintenance and feeling that he had not completely deserted the family tradition. What he had not expected was service in the most inhospitable of seas and climates, the Arctic Ocean. His first and only ship HMS Obedient, an O Class destroyer, had to perform escort duties for the convoys taking urgent supplies of military equipment from the UK to the Russian northern ports of Murmansk and Archangel. Gun maintenance in less formidable climates was a demanding, but routine affair. In the freezing conditions of the Arctic it was a continual battle to keep the guns in working condition. It was a daunting task as the ship was well armed with turrets of four-inch guns and plenty of smaller calibre anti aircraft weaponry. The unrelenting cold winds and snow blizzards made the periods off watch below decks seem oases of comparative comfort. Jim was fully aware that his hammock had other uses apart from that of providing short-lived comfort for his tired and cold limbs. When lashed up properly, they could be used as damage control devices to plug holes caused by shells and bombs. In warmer waters they could be used as a sort of life-buoy to keep afloat survivors from a sinking ship. In the Arctic waters this was not a role that they were expected to play. As a non-swimmer, Jim was told by a shipmate that a swimming qualification meant nothing in the Arctic as the survival time for those in the water was only a few minutes. Words of cold comfort. MIDDLE EAST

Jim enjoyed his short breaks at Polyarny in the Kola Inlet. Where he even played in the occasional football match organised by the ship to provide some exercise for the crew. He regretted not meeting more Russians during these brief excursions ashore. One memory remained with him — the sight of an armed Russian on horseback trotting along the jetty. In his childhood reading he had come across stories of the Cossacks and found the mounted soldier stimulated his imagination and made him feel truly abroad. On being informed that he was to receive the Ushakov medal from the Russian government, Jim hastened to the public library to find out more about this legendary admiral. He was thrilled by what he read and even more thrilled to be presented with the medal by the Russian Consul General at a ceremony in Glasgow. He was moved the kindness and courtesy of his Russian hosts at the ceremony, and a picture of him having a chat with the Russian Consul General takes pride of place among the pictures hanging on his walls.

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DAVID DUNSMUIR From a mining family, David Dunsmuir was dissuaded by his father from doing his National Service as a Bevin Boy in the mines. In preference, he chose the Royal Navy, little guessing that most of his period afloat would be spent in the icy conditions of the Arctic. 50 50 50

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“Memories of the Arctic convoys were dominated by the difficulty in keeping warm whilst manning the guns and the virtual agony of thawing out below decks afterwards.” D AV I D T U R N E D O U T TO B E A ‘O N E S H I P ’ M A N

serving as he did throughout the war in HMS Diadem, a light cruiser with a main armament of 5.25–inch guns. David was trained in gunnery and was assigned to an anti aircraft mounting of 20mm guns, a position that was exposed to the appalling weather conditions of the northern waters. In 1944 during David’s time on board the Diadem, the ship escorted five convoys, two outward bound (JW58 AND JW60) and three homeward bound (RA58, RA59 and RA60). In addition, in the early months of 1944 she provided cover for carrier-borne aircraft raids on the enemy battleship, the Tirpitz, anchored in a Norwegian fjord and always ready to emerge and attack convoys and their escorts. David’s memories of the Arctic convoys are dominated by the difficulty in keeping warm whilst manning the guns and the virtual agony of thawing out below decks afterwards. Indeed the thawing out process was intricate and long. Below decks conditions were austere; all crew members had to sleep on the deck as hammocks were kept in accessible spaces for damage control purposes such as staunching the flow of water through holes created by enemy bombs or torpedoes and shoring up doors and bulkheads. In warmer climes hammocks could have been used in place of life belts to keep survivors afloat, but the short survival times in the Arctic seas ruled out this use. What made life tolerable was the hot food available from the galley, the briefings given by the commanding officer on the Tannoy system, and the eventual provision of more effective cold-resistant clothing.

Although the Diadem took on fuel from Russian tankers in the vicinity of the Kola Inlet, she was never there long enough for members of her crew to be given shore leave of meaningful length, thus denying them the opportunity to escape from the cramped conditions on board for a bit of exercise. He did manage, however, to set foot on Russian soil at Murmansk – albeit for a short time. He had wished so much to meet Russians who were involved in the war effort and learn more about a country that was so courageously defending itself from enemy invasion. David was to see more active service in the Diadem in the Channel during the D Day landings and afterwards in surface actions off the coast of Brittany and Norway. Although these actions were meritorious in themselves, David still considers that his most memorable experiences centre round his time protecting the Arctic convoys. His wish to meet Russians was eventually realised during the ceremonies associated with the award of medals from the Russian government. He remembers with gratitude the courtesy and kindness shown him by all members of the Russian Consulate General in Edinburgh. The award of the Ushakov medal was for him the happy conclusion to a long and fruitful association with Russia although he still hoped that it could be just another beginning.

CO NVOYS TO RUSSIA 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 4 5 : AN AL L IE D BRID G E OVE R TH E AR C TIC

JAMES FORBES In June 1943, when just over seventeen years old, James Forbes entered the Royal Navy. After basic training at HMS Raleigh he specialised in gunnery to become an anti aircraft gunner.

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“There were language problems but these were overcome by an atmosphere of good will helped to a large extent by the downing of pints of beer or stronger drinks.” W I T H H I S E A R LY A S S O C I AT I O N S W I T H T H E

Devonport area it seemed appropriate that he should join HMS Devonshire, a heavy eight-inch gun cruiser. (Jim reckons that he was the youngest man on board.) This cruiser’s roving deployment in the North Atlantic and Arctic waters made it difficult for members of the crew to know exactly what the immediate aims of the ship were. There was little doubt, however, to guess the ship’s location when she was off Norway. The constant hazard of air raids from Junker 88 torpedo bombers and the ever present U-boat threat against a background of icy winds and heavy seas were reminders of the task of protecting the vitally important Arctic convoys en route to and from the Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel. Also needing protection were the light aircraft carriers deployed form late 1942 onwards to give air and anti submarine protection to these convoys. The Devonshire had yet another aim to fulfil — the sinking of the enemy battleship, the Tirpitz. This mighty ship used the Norwegian fjords for its anchorages and was always ready to sally forth and wreak havoc with the merchant ships of the convoys and their escorts. Such ships as the Devonshire offered cover to the carrier borne aircraft on their way to attack the Tirpitz. Jim also remembered the ship bombarding enemy positions on the Norwegian coastline. His cruising and action stations varied between the bridge and the guns, positions which were exposed to the elements. What stood out for him was the severity of the winds and the icing up of the decks and gun positions. The thawing out process after a watch was a long and intricate process, and sometimes a very painful one.

Sadly for Jim, the ship didn’t visit the ports of the Kola Inlet or Murmansk. She had always to effect a quick turn round on reaching Russian waters to set off on another deployment. The loss of a chance to meet and mix with his Russian allies was partially compensated for by his coming across Russian sailors at the canteen at Scapa Flow. There were language problems but these were overcome by an atmosphere of good will helped to a large extent by the downing of pints of beer or stronger drinks. After a distinguished career in the Fire Service, for which he was awarded the MBE, Jim decided to visit the country he had wished so much to see during his time with the Arctic convoys. The cities of Moscow and St Petersburg lived up to his expectations in all respects and made him feel that his efforts in the war had been worth while. For him the award of the Ushakov medal and the opportunity to meet Russians at the associated ceremony rounded off a long and happy association with Russia.

CO NVOYS TO RUSSIA 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 4 5 : AN AL L IE D BRID G E OVE R TH E AR C TIC

JOHN SOMERS FORREST After a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s study at the Glasgow School of Art John Forrest found himself in a very different world, a world of sea and ships. In 1943 at the age of 18 he had joined the Royal Navy and specialised in electrical engineering.

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“The order of the day on board the Mermaid was to wear lifebelts at all times.”

T H I S H A D E N TA I L E D A Y E A R ’ S T R A I N I N G I N

in various establishments, including the former famous girls’ school of Roedean, which had been requisitioned by the military for the War effort. As a fully fledged electrical engineer he joined the sloop, HMS Mermaid, in Scapa Flow. The ship had been assigned escort duties for a convoy of merchant ships that had formed in Loch Ewe prior to sailing to the northern port of Murmansk. It was a big convoy (JW59) of 33 ships and it was sailing in September at a time when the days were sufficiently long to make enemy air attacks more than a possibility. The order of the day on board the Mermaid was to wear lifebelts at all times, a directive that made John fully aware of the dangers to be expected after sailing. The Mermaid along with her sister ships the Peacock and the Kite and the destroyer Keppel took up station astern of the escort carriers Vindex and Striker, which were providing protection for the convoy. Five days after the convoy’s departure from Loch Ewe the Kite was torpedoed and sunk with the loss of most of her crew. In a certain way the subsequent tracking and sinking of the U-boat by the remaining three ships compensated for the disaster, but the crew of the Mermaid felt the loss deeply. John had a roving commission on board the ship and was always at the ready to deal with electrical faults. The weather lived up to its reputation of being invariably hostile and John had great sympathy for the crews of a group of small submarine chasers that were within the convoy for ultimate delivery to the Russian Navy. From time to time they simply disappeared from view in the troughs created by the huge waves. Also on the way to enhance the capabilities of the Russian fleet was the battleship Arkhangelsk (formerly HMS Royal Sovereign) on loan ENGLAND

for the duration of the War. She was to play a vital role in protecting convoys during their approach to the Kola Inlet. Although the return convoy (RA59) arrived safely at Loch Ewe, the voyage had not been without incident. Again the Mermaid participated in a successful chase and sinking of a U-boat. With his experience of convoys John was full of praise for the role played throughout the War by the escort carriers in making the convoy transits safer. The arrival of convoy RA59 in Loch Ewe was particularly important for John as it marked the end of his time in Arctic waters. His next draft was to the stone frigate HMS Golden Hind in Australia. For John it should have been an agreeable end to his experiences in the War, but it was not to be. He took seriously ill with pleurisy and tuberculosis and was eventually invalided back to the UK in a series of hospital ships. John is most grateful to the Russian government for the award of the Ushakov medal, which will remind him of his departure, for a time, from the world of art for a demanding few months escorting convoys in the hostile environment of the Arctic Ocean.

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THOMAS LENNIE Thomas Lennie entered the Royal Navy in 1943, and after basic training underwent courses in anti-submarine warfare at Dunoon and Campeltown.

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“As always there were language problems but these could be overcome by gestures and smiles, and cigarettes.”

A T R A I N E D O P E R ATO R I N A S D I C S ( A N T I -

he had to cross the Atlantic to join his first ship, HMS Redmill, a Captain class frigate built by the Americans at Hingham, Massachusetts. He quickly found out that all ships of the class bore the names of Nelson’s captains at the battle of Trafalgar. They were light vessels with modest gunnery armament but well equipped for anti-submarine warfare. The Redmill was soon to play a vital role in the activities of the 21st Escort Group in the Eastern Atlantic, and in the Arctic waters, where Allied ships were constantly under threat by Junker 88 torpedo bombers based in Nazi-occupied Norway and the gun power of enemy warships lurking in the Norwegian fjords. But the biggest threat Thomas had to face in his ship was that posed by the U boat fleet deployed on the convoy routes between Scotland and Iceland and thence to Murmansk and Archangel. He was to remark, ‘As an Asdic operator, I felt I was in the front line in combating this ever constant threat. It was gruelling work— often one watch in two and never better than one in three — and the extreme cold and rough seas did not make life easier.’ His operating space was near the bridge and exposed to wind and snow. The pinging noise of the Asdics was wearing in its monotony although there was always the hope that an echo would reveal the presence of a marauding U boat. Time off watch was spent sleeping, often without a change of clothes, and trying to have a bite of hot food — a difficult task in a rolling and pitching ship. SUBMARINE DETEC TION SYSTEM),

In October 1944, after escorting an outward bound convoy from Liverpool (JW61), the Redmill reached Murmansk. The stay in the Russian port was long enough for Thomas to go ashore to stretch his legs and meet some Russian sailors accommodated in a damaged vessel. He described them as a happy bunch of fellows. As always, there were language difficulties but these could be overcome by gestures and smiles, and cigarettes. The Redmill carried on with its membership of the 21st Escort Group and saw the sinking of two German U-boats in the Minches (Scotland) before being irreparably damaged by torpedoes in the Irish Sea in April 1945. Thomas finished his service in The Royal Navy on board HMS Erne, which was deployed to the Far East to participate in the war against Japan. But it was his time in the Redmill that he remembered most vividly. He was able to preserve these memories by being an active member of the Russian Convoy Club of Dundee. On several occasions he laid a wreath at a memorial service on Armistice Sunday on board HMS Unicorn in Dundee. He felt greatly honoured to be awarded the Ushakov medal by the Russian government and will continue to wear it proudly on appropriate occasions.

CO NVOYS TO RUSSIA 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 4 5 : AN AL L IE D BRID G E OVE R TH E AR C TIC

ERIC WALLACE LLOYD From early youth Eric Lloyd was fascinated by the idea of flying and wished to become a pilot. His dream came true when in 1942 he was accepted for training in the Fleet Air Arm.

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“They (the batsmen) seemed to know the capabilities and idiosyncrasies of each pilot....when the carrier was pitching and rolling, the prospect of landing was to say the least, uninviting.” A F T E R A P E R I O D O F F LY I N G T I G E R M OT H S

Eric was sent to Canada to continue his training, this time in Harvard aircraft. To reach Canada he had the interesting experience of a fast crossing of the Atlantic on board the Queen Elizabeth, then requisitioned by the War Office for the transfer of military personnel between the USA and Britain. ‘‘It was not luxurious, but very comfortable.’’ On his return, this time on board a French merchant ship, Eric continued his training at the air stations of Crail and Worthy Down. At the latter station he graduated as a pilot for the all-purpose Avenger aircraft, the aircraft in which he was to see active service. Before participating in the campaign to protect the Arctic convoys Eric had experience of antiU-boat patrols in the Western Approaches and mine-laying at the entrances to the Norwegian fjords. As a member of 846 Squadron he joined HMS Trumpeter, built in 1943 as an escort aircraft carrier of the Ruler class, a class irreverently known as ‘Woolworth’ carriers. Escort carriers had been introduced to strengthen the protection afforded to the Arctic convoys against air attacks and the U-boat threat. Eric was soon to experience the atrocious weather conditions which his ship had to face. On one occasion she listed to within a few degrees of the danger level for ship stability and almost capsized. It was a horrific moment and one during which an Avenger, which had been firmly strapped to the deck, was washed overboard. Eric was to remark, ‘Landing on carriers during the best of weather conditions was a worrying experience; the flight deck of the carrier looked small, frighteningly small. But during adverse conditions, when the carrier was pitching and rolling, the prospect of landing was to say the least, uninviting.’ I N N O R T H WA L E S ,

Eric was full of praise for the batsman standing at the rear of the flight deck who ‘guided’ the aircraft on their final flight path before landing. ‘They seemed to know the capabilities and idiosyncrasies of each pilot.’ Eric also paid tribute to the observers whose position in the aircraft was behind the pilot. Eric’s brother Jack was his observer from June 1944 until March 1945, a partnership that was broken by an understanding commanding officer, who saw the danger of a mother losing two sons in one go in the event of a serious incident. Ironically enough, shortly after the separation, the Avenger in which Jack was a crew member ditched after take-off; fortunately Jack was quickly rescued from the icy water by the plane guard, the destroyer, HMS Opportune. Although the Trumpeter was in the Kola Inlet near Murmansk for a short time, no shore leave was given to the crew. Eric was impressed by the active role Russian women played in manning the lighters that were used for ferrying equipment within the harbour area. ‘They seemed a cheerful bunch of women.’ As a sub lieutenant, Eric declined the offer of staying in the Royal Navy and pursuing his flying career. He had enjoyed the comradeship of his fellow aviators and the crew of the Trumpeter and felt proud of what he had done for the war effort in Arctic waters. Memories of these exciting times were brought back to him when he was awarded the Ushakov medal by the Russian government, an award of which he is deeply appreciative.

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WILLI AM R OBER TSON M cK AY Born into a rural community near Aboyne in Aberdeenshire, William McKay started his working life in the hotel business. Little did he know that such experience would be most useful when he joined the Royal Navy in1943 at the young age of nineteen.

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“He had few opportunities of going ashore at Polyarny in the Kola inlet but they proved to be long enough for him to experience the essential friendliness of Russians.” A F T E R E N T E R I N G T H E N AV Y B I L L U N D E R W E N T

the standard training courses at HMS Royal Arthur at Skegness and at the barracks at Chatham before joining his first and only ship HMS Wild Goose, a sloop of the Black Swan class. The ship was part of a well known escort group, the 2nd Escort Group, renowned for its successes against U-boats in the Atlantic. The sister ships included HMS Starling, the commanding officer of which was the legendary Captain Frederick Walker, whose anti submarine tactics were used as a model for all vessels engaged in this aspect of warfare. It was a demanding and extremely tiring experience for the commanding officers of the sloops. Indeed Captain Walker was to die from an illness brought on by complete exhaustion from his duties. Bill, who attended on his commanding officer, quickly showed his skills in the provision of daily material support for his captain, with whom he developed a very friendly relationship. At the same time, this privileged position gave Bill the advantage of knowing what was going on in the escort group during anti-submarine operations that were complicated by their very nature. This did not in any way detract from his duties in closing up at a gun mounting during action stations. The conditions in the Arctic waters were so different from those in the Atlantic. Bill recalled the icy conditions and the long period of darkness during a northern winter, a grim background for the hazardous duties of escorting the convoys plying between the UK and the Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel. He had few opportunities of going ashore at Polyarny in the Kola Inlet but they proved to be long enough for him to experience the essential friendliness of Russians. Friendship too was what appealed to Bill most on board his small ship, where a wonderful spirit of camaraderie prevailed.

After having been demobbed, Bill took away from his time in the Royal Navy a highly developed sense of service, an attitude of mind that served him admirably in his subsequent career in the hotel business. This included service at a senior level in one of London’s most prestigious hotels, the Savoy. Bill’s creative talents did not end when he retired from full-time work. He discovered within himself the ability to write and made full use of this by some fine autobiographical work. So far, this has concentrated on his early years in a rural community, The award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government means much to Bill. It has brought him into contact with Russians again, a reward in itself. The medal will always serve as a memento of his days in Arctic waters, Russian friendliness and a naval life full of incident.

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JOHN M cMILLAN M cLE ES In 1941 John McLees, a native of Port Glasgow, joined the Royal Navy and underwent training courses at Skegness and Bournemouth.

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“...in Arctic waters John was quite glad to be in the boiler-room as the conditions on deck were atrocious. There were drawbacks... the sub zero temperatures on deck made it impossible to have decent breather.” HIS SPE CIAL ISATIO N WA S ENGINEER ING A ND A S A

young stoker mechanic he joined his first and only ship, HMS Kent, a cruiser with a main armament of eight-inch guns. Because of her versatility and speed, the ship played a number of roles, including that of providing protection for the Arctic convoys plying between the UK and the northern Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel. When the ship was in Arctic waters, John was quite glad to be in the boiler-room as the conditions on deck were atrocious. There were definite drawbacks, however, to the long hours in the hot conditions of the machinery spaces. After a four hour watch John felt physically exhausted and the need to cool off on the upper deck. The sub zero temperatures on deck made it impossible to have a decent breather. Equally frustrating was the security regulation that forbade smoking on deck. John was denied the traditional ‘fag’ to make life more agreeable. There were the occasional breaks from the dull, monotonous routine of daily life. During a visit to the port of Polyarny in the Kola Inlet the ship had to embark an unusual visitor in the shape of a reindeer, a gift from the Russians to the British fleet. Accommodation for the reindeer posed problems. It was quickly decided that the only suitable place for the animal was the potato locker. She was soon given the name of Olga by the crew and was the focus of many a discussion on board during the return voyage to the UK.

There were some who considered that the Arctic lady should be slaughtered to give the crew some welcome fresh meat. Fortunately such realists or gourmets were over-ruled, and Olga reached Scapa Flow alive and in good condition, good enough for her to be dispatched to the Edinburgh Zoo. For Olga herself it was a story that could be entitled ‘from rags to riches’, from the confined conditions of a potato locker on board a warship to the palatial surroundings of a well established zoo. John was always acutely conscious of the nature of the operations undertaken by the cruiser and was in no doubt about the hazards facing all the ships in the northern waters. He witnessed the sinking of two ships and felt for the smaller ships and older merchantmen in their difficulties in coping with the severe weather conditions. The Kent was fortunate, but it could have been otherwise. The award of the Ushakov medal, an award which he cherishes, not only brings back memories of life in the Kent in wartime conditions but also has given him the opportunity of meeting Russians at the presentations associated with the award of medals from the Russian Government. Before these events the most vivid impression of Russia for John had been provided by a gift that symbolised the friendship between Russia and its allies, Olga, the reindeer.

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GEOR GE M cMILLAN After joining the Royal Navy in 1942 and becoming a radar operator George McMillan found himself participating in one of the most important naval engagements of the Second World War â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the sinking of the German battle-cruiser Scharnhorst.

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“George was in no doubt that the difficult conditions engendered a great sense of camaraderie among members of the crew. Real friendships were forged.” TH IS SH IP H AD BEEN A CO NS TA NT T HR EAT TO

convoys taking vital military supplies to the northern Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel. George’s ship, HMS Opportune, was one of a group of destroyers that were ordered to sail between the German ship and its anchorage in a fjord in occupied Norway to cut off her return to base. Some remarkably accurate gunnery by the British battleship, HMS Duke of York, had inflicted serious damage on the Scharnhorst, destroying her radar capabilities and making her vulnerable to all forms of attack. George remembers vividly the last hours of the Scharnhorst, when the German gun crews, confused by the absence of radar coverage, were firing randomly into the air against a nonexistent air threat. Although the torpedo attacks from the destroyers were successful, one of their number, HMS Saumarez, sustained serious damage. Fortunately for George, the Opportune emerged from the engagement unscathed. Although the sinking of the Scharnhorst had significantly reduced the threat to the safety of the convoys, other threats remained in the form of those from U-boats and torpedo-carrying aircraft. All this against a background of appalling weather conditions. The radar operating space near the bridge where George kept his watches was not immune from the effects of extreme cold. The cold and lack of sleep made life on board uncomfortable and exacting. George was in no doubt that the difficult conditions engendered a great sense of camaraderie among members of the crew. Real friendships were forged. TH E

There were times when the monotony of escorting many convoys was broken. George witnessed a U-boat being forced to surface as a result of the release of depth charges. He remembered the submarine crew, who had surrendered, ditching their binoculars and wrist watches as a gesture of defiance, before climbing aboard the Opportune. The dispirited German submariners were later landed at Greenock. Another moment to remember centred round the rescue of a merchantman stranded in a minefield. This earned the ship some prize money from the owners. Any hopes of a financial bonanza were dashed when the distribution of money revealed that the reward for each member of the crew was under £2. There were occasional breaks from the hazards of sailing in Arctic waters when the ship anchored in Scapa Flow. The conditions there were austere, but, at least, safe. Sadly for George the routine boiler cleans were carried out there instead of Greenock, where he could have had some welcome shore leave to visit his family. George regretted that his wartime experience had not provided him with the opportunity of meeting and getting to know Russians. In a certain way, the award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian Government has made up for this. The medal was not only an honour in itself but also an opportunity of meeting the Russian consular staff and other Russian nationals at the presentation ceremonies and other occasions organised by the Russian consulate general in Edinburgh.

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REGINALD FERNLE Y MASHFORD In 1939 at the age of fifteen Reginald (Reg) Mashford joined the Royal Marines as a boy bugler. He received his basic training at Devonport before joining his first ship, HMS Hermes, an aircraft carrier.

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“But there was a sad side to it too. We took on board only sixteen survivors from the Scharnhorst out of a crew of nineteen hundred men.” I N SEPTE MBER 1939 A F T ER T HE O U T BR EA K O F

the Hermes was to see action against German raiders off the coast of West Africa before joining the French fleet at Dakar where she remained until the fall of France in 1940. In 1941 during her deployment off Ceylon (Sri Lanka) the Hermes was sunk by Japanese aircraft, and Reg spent some ten hours in the water clinging to a life raft before being rescued. With other survivors he returned to the UK via Capetown. Shortly after his return and, after a period of further training, he joined the battleship, HMS Duke of York and became a member of a crew of a 4.5-inch gun turret. Strangely enough, he had occupied a similar position in the Hermes. It was not long before he saw some serious action. In December 1943 off the North Cape his ship along with a cruiser and several destroyers engaged the German battleship Scharnhorst in a gunnery action which resulted in the sinking of the enemy ship, a massive blow to the German surface threat to the Arctic convoys. Reg got immense satisfaction from this encounter, which had been for him a sort of recompense for the loss of the Hermes. But there was a sad side to it too. ‘We took on board only sixteen survivors from the Scharnhorst out of a crew of nineteen hundred men’. The battle off the North Cape had saved two convoys (JW55 and RA55) from a potentially dangerous situation, and the battleship continued her support duties for the Arctic convoys Indeed, throughout 1944 the Duke of York provided protection from surface threats for two outward bound convoys (JW58 and JW59) and one homeward bound convoy (RA59). When his ship spent a short time in the Kola Inlet, Reg was able ‘to stretch his legs’ on Russian soil. It was long enough for him to meet a mixture of Russian civilians and soldiers. WAR

With regard to communicating with Russians (for he did not speak their language) he found the gift of cigarettes worked wonders and broke the ice at any gathering. But one experience that lingered in his memory was hearing a Russian choir from Archangel perform. The words were naturally incomprehensible to him but the beauty of the music and the moving way in which the singers sang made a deep impression on him. It made him feel — at least momentarily — that the discomforts and dangers of naval life in Arctic waters had been worth while. After his time in The Duke of York Reg went on to serve in several ships and saw active service in various parts of the world. He occupied many important posts in the Royal Marines and ended his career as a quartermaster sergeant. His many campaign medals in the ‘Star’ family include the names Atlantic, Africa, Burma and, of course, Arctic; the clasps on his general service medal bear the names of Cyprus, Suez and the Arabian Peninsula. Although he is proud of these reminders of a long and distinguished career, he has special affection for the Ushakov medal awarded to him by the Russian government. ‘I was very proud to receive the medal and have it presented in a most friendly way by the Consul General in Edinburgh. I will always wear it with pride.’

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JOHN BLAIR OLDFIELD John Oldfield’s first experiences of life afloat in the Royal Navy can certainly be described as a baptism of fire. Blair’s (Eric’s preferred name) first ship, the battle cruiser HMS Repulse, was sunk in December 1941 by Japanese aircraft off the coast of east Malaysia.

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“I just cannot forget the height of some of these waves during the storms. At least seventy feet high.”

A S A S U R V I V O R , B L A I R WA S E V E N T UA L LY

moved to Trincomalee, a British naval base in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), where he spent a year in boom defence work. This work was of immense importance as the harbour at Trincomalee became the main base for warships in the Eastern Fleet after the fall of Singapore. After his return to Britain he joined an O class destroyer, HMS Onslaught, which was undergoing a refit in Hull. On completion of this, the Onslaught began her convoy escort duties with an outward bound convoy (JW57). It was to be the first of six convoys the ship had to escort. For Blair, the change from serving in a battle cruiser to being a member of a crew of a much smaller vessel was more than just noticeable. ‘It was a new way of life, and I had to get used to turning my hand to a variety of jobs. I even took the wheel from time to time. But it could be tough. Frequent action stations, filthy weather conditions and lack of sleep tested one’s endurance. I just cannot forget the height of some of these waves during the storms. At least seventy feet high.’ The Onslaught played many roles from escorting the convoys and carrying out anti submarine chases to acting as the rescue destroyer for ditched aircraft during carrier operations. Opportunities for the crew to go ashore in Russia were few as the turn-over time between outward bound and homeward bound convoys was short. The Russians Blair did meet were friendly although shortage of time prevented him from really getting to know them.

He remembers most vividly the last homeward bound convoy to be escorted by the Onslaught, when two of the escorts, HMS Lark and Bluebell, were torpedoed off the Kola peninsula. The Lark was seriously damaged but did not sink; she remained seaworthy enough to be towed and beached near Rosta. Sadly, the Bluebell blew up with the loss of virtually all the crew. Fortunately the convoy itself managed to reach Loch Ewe unscathed. Blair’s memory of life in the Royal Navy is rich and colourful. Although his adventures in tropical waters were traumatic and unforgettable, his times in the Arctic waters have also left an indelible impression on him. What stands out for him in the Arctic campaign is the camaraderie of the seamen in those difficult and hostile conditions and the feeling that with their Russian allies the British crews were contributing richly to the victory over enemy forces. Blair feels deeply grateful that his efforts and those of his colleagues have been so graciously recognised by the Russian government in the form of the presentation of the Ushakov medals. ‘The medal is a great honour, and I will always wear it with pride.’

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HAR OLD O ’NEIL Before joining the Royal Navy in 1941 Harold O’Neill had some experience of working with the Armed Forces. This had taken the form of setting up canteens around England for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, better known by the initials NAAFI.

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“It is a bloody miracle that you have got this ship here.”

AFTER RECE IVIN G EA R LY T R A INING AT HM S

at Torpoint and HMS Drake at Devonport, Harold was lured by the attraction of the Royal Naval Patrol Service at Lowestoft, a body that operated small auxiliary vessels such as trawlers in anti submarine and minesweeping operations. When issued with tropical clothing for future duties, Harold revealed that he had a medical condition that would react badly to the excessive heat of tropical climates. He was asked by the drafting officer whether he would be prepared to go to Russia. On answering ‘yes’, Harold found himself drafted to HMS Sumba, a converted whaler which had been assigned to Arctic duties prior to being handed over to the Russian navy under the Lease/Lend agreement operating at the time. In March 1942 she departed for escort duties for an outward bound convoy (PQ13). Because of exceptionally stormy weather conditions, the convoy was scattered. In his efforts to clear ice from the upper deck, Harold had to strap himself to the funnel and other parts of the superstructure. His efforts were aimed at preventing the ship from becoming top heavy and losing stability. A sister ship, HMS Sulla, which had disappeared without trace, was assumed to have capsized owing to stability problems caused by the accumulation of ice on the decks. The appalling weather conditions did not prevent harassment from the air and the Sumba being straffed by an enemy reconnaissance plane. This did not deter Harold, who carried on with his ice clearing work. During this uncomfortable voyage the Sumba had to refuel from the destroyer, HMS Fury, an operation, which although necessary, put both ships at considerable danger from U-boat attacks. The Sumba was fortunate to get away with it although many other ships did not fare so well. The convoy lost five merchantmen. R ALEIGH

After her ordeals escorting the convoy, the Sumba berthed alongside a Russian ship at Polyarny, a port at the outermost part of the Kola Inlet. The crew of the Sumba were warmly received by those on board the Russian ship. A remark made by a Russian captain said much. ’It’s a bloody miracle that you have got this ship here.’ The local admiral visited the ship, and Harold remembers playing a game of Chinese chequers with him, a game which the admiral won. The Sumba was handed over to the Russians and her crew accommodated in barracks belonging to Russian submarine crews, and later in accommodation further up the Inlet, where he witnessed the disembarkation of wounded personnel from the cruiser Trinidad at Rosta, the escort command ship for Convoy PQ13. Harold quickly got used to life ashore. Armed with a pass (which he still possesses) he was able to visit the cinema, the barber and the Northern Fleet Club. He made friends with two Russian submariners, who could speak some English, From one, a Nikolai Kuntich, he received a postcard as a memento, and possibly more importantly, a jar of cherry jam made by one of Nikolai’s relatives. His return to Scapa Flow in the cruiser Liverpool escorting convoy QP10 was not without incident as attacks by German aircraft and submarines were frequent. Although he did not return to escorting Arctic convoys, Harold continued his service in other ships in different and equally dangerous theatres of war. The award of the Ushakov medal from the Russian government brings back a host of memories for Harold of his time in Arctic waters and Russia. He feels greatly honoured by the award of this medal, which he will always wear with pride.

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JOHN PAT TERSON From an early age John Patterson was interested in communications. Before joining the Royal Navy in 1943 John had undergone training in telegraphy in the Air Training Corps.

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“It was like being on board what we used to call a friendly ship in the Royal Navy. Misunderstandings caused by language problems were always resolved with much laughter.” HIS SKILLS WE RE Q U IC KLY R ECO GNIS ED BY T HE

resulting in his spending the first part of his naval service at HMS Ferret in Northern Ireland on a course for telegraphists. As a fully fledged operator John served in two Castle class corvettes, HMS Kennilworth Castle and HMS Portchester Castle. Two Atlantic convoys and one to Gibraltar gave John his first taste of operating in waters patrolled by U-boats. His experiences with these convoys prepared him for yet more convoy operations, but this time in Arctic waters and on board a vessel manned by Russian sailors. In 1944 as part of a Lend/Lease agreement between Russia and the United States six submarine chasers made their way across the Atlantic from the USA, where they had been built, to Londonderry on the first stage of their voyage to the Kola Inlet and Murmansk. They were small vessels of only 110 feet in length and a beam width of 17 feet, with a crew of twenty eight. John and a signalman were drafted to the lead ship, SC1517, to look after the communications between the vessels and other ships. After a small mishap at the boom at Loch Ewe, the ships sailed round to Corpach near Fort William to await the formation of the next outbound convoy for Murmansk (JW6), which they were to join. This gave John and his colleague time to get to know better the Russian sailors with whom they would be working. Football and beer were part of the binding process, and by the time the submarine chasers left Corpach, John and his colleague felt that they had been accepted as friends by the Russians. Weather conditions were bad and life on the small craft tough. John and his colleague had their work cut out in maintaining contact with the commodore of the convoy. Radio silence meant recourse to the Aldous lamp for communications; the adverse weather conditions made this form of NAVY

communication a balancing act. John was full of praise for the food provided and the feeling of camaraderie that prevailed on board. ‘It was like being onboard what we used to call a happy ship in the Royal Navy. Misunderstandings caused by language problems were always resolved with much laughter.’ At journey’s end at Polyarny in the Kola Inlet the services of the two British communicators were no longer required, and they had to spend four days at the Russian signal station there. They received a warm reception at the station and were able to move freely in their new surroundings. John, possessing some roubles, took the opportunity of purchasing postage stamps for his brother, a keen philatelist. ’It was a good choice as there wasn’t much else to buy.’ After his return to Scotland in HMS Walker John went on a petty officers’ training course before joining HMS Pevensey Castle. Whilst on board, he witnessed a more agreeable encounter with the enemy, which took the form of escorting a damaged U-boat, which had surrendered, from the Pentland Firth to Loch Eribol. In 1950 after service in the Far East John left the Navy. His most vivid memories of his years afloat were those of his time on board the Russian submarine chaser, SC1517. The award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government was a gesture that rounded off his happy association with the Arctic convoys and the Russian navy.

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ANDRE W MILR OY R AMSAY Andrew Ramsay became acquainted with military service very early in his life. At the age of sixteen he joined the Home Guard, in which he learnt the basics of the use of firearms. Indeed, it was then that he learnt from a veteran of the Spanish Civil War all about Molotov cocktails. 74 74 74

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“He also thought the food was good despite unwelcome visitors in the shape of cockroaches and weevils.We used to refer to them jokingly as fresh meat.” ON J OININ G TH E R OYA L NAV Y A NDR E W F O U ND

drafted to HMS Formidable, an Illustrious class aircraft carrier, which had seen service in the Far East at the battle of Matapan. It was soon to see action a little nearer to home. In late 1942 the Formidable supported Allied landings in French North Africa. A year later she provided air cover for the 8th Army landings in Sicily and Salerno. For Andrew, serving as an aircraft handler in the Formidable, the landings were of particular interest as his brother was in the invading army. Whilst in the Mediterranean the Formidable called in at Malta to a rapturous welcome by the inhabitants as it was the first carrier to visit the island since 1941. On its return to Home waters the Formidable was involved in the protection of a homeward bound convoy in Arctic waters. The experience was a wake-up call in terms of acclimatisation. Andrew, whose duties on the flight deck exposed him to wind, snow and ice, was full of praise for the foul weather clothing that had been issued prior to deployment to the Arctic ocean. He also thought the food good despite unwelcome visitors in the shape of cockroaches and weevils. ‘We used to refer to them jokingly as fresh meat.’ Andrew’s praise for conditions on board the Formidable was tempered by the realisation of what the smaller warships and some of the merchant ships had to experience in the atrocious weather conditions. His heart went out to crews of the merchant ships, for whom he had a great respect and for whom he agitated for the award from the British government of the Arctic Star. HIMSEL F

In late 1943 the Formidable underwent a six month refit in Belfast. One of the aims of the refit was to extend the after end of the flight deck to accommodate the landing of such aircraft as Barracuda torpedo bombers and Corsair fighter aircraft. Aircraft of both types were embarked before the Formidable returned to Arctic waters in the summer of 1944. The main reason for her return was made evident when air attacks were made in July and August on the enemy battleship the Tirpitz. Such attacks ensured that the battleship remained confined to its base in a Norwegian fjord, thus preventing her temporarily from molesting the vital Arctic convoys. Andrew’s service in the Formidable left him with a desire to ensure that the events associated with that great ship were not forgotten. He put pen to paper and collected photographs to produce a book, ’HMS Formidable 6th RN ship of that name. 1940-1953.’ This most readable book is now in the National Library of Scotland, along with a collection of poems written by his wife. Although the book is understandably a treasured possession of Andrew’s, so also is the Ushakov medal awarded by the Russian government for his service in keeping the life lines between Britain and the north of Russia open during the dark days of World War II.

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KENNE TH REITH Before joining the Royal Navy at the young age of sixteen Kenneth Reith had had some experience of the sea and ships through his membership of the Sea Cadet Corps. His first year in the Navy was spent training in communications at HMS St George on the Isle of Man. 76 76

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“Your eyebrows froze, and there was always a danger of being cut by falling icicles from the rigging. .... It was a nightmare, and my thoughts dwelt on how much longer I had to keep going before my watch ended.” TH IS PERIOD OF TR A INING LED TO HIS BEING

drafted to HMS Hilary, a ‘banana boat’ which had been converted into a combined command and communications headquarters ship. It was not until 1944 that Kenneth joined what he described as his first real ship, HMS Diadem, a Dido class cruiser. Soon after joining he found his ship escorting an outward bound convoy (JW63) from Loch Ewe to the Kola Inlet in northern Russia. This was to be the first of four convoys the Diadem had to escort. Vivid in his memories were the appalling weather conditions encountered to and from the Kola Inlet. As a signalman, Kenneth had the bridge as his place of duty, a position completely exposed to the elements. ‘Your eyebrows froze, and there was always a danger of being cut by falling icicles from the rigging. Steam jets were used to prevent the guns from icing up. It was a nightmare, and my thoughts dwelt on how much longer I had to keep going before my watch ended.’ As, at times, it was a matter of four on four off, he had little time to eat and sleep between watches, and sleep meant lying on the deck in wet clothing. The diet was unappetising — corn beef and herring in tomato sauce. What sustained him in all this was the wonderful spirit of camaraderie that prevailed on board. ‘We were all in it together and believed in what we were doing.’ The weather was not the only enemy for the Diadem. In early 1945 whilst successfully preventing German destroyers from entering the Baltic Sea the Diadem sustained damage to her fore funnel from an enemy shell. There were four resultant casualties, one fatal. Kenneth is convinced that the funnel explosion was the reason for the lasting impairment of his hearing.

After the engagement, the Diadem returned to her escort duties and had the satisfaction of evading a group of U-boats near the approaches to the Kola Inlet. This was achieved by the subterfuge of sending four destroyers to follow the normal return route using a variety of means to simulate a genuine convoy, allowing the Diadem to use a channel through a minefield, cleared by Russian minesweepers and take up again her escort duties. Kenneth was full of regret for not being able to go ashore in Russia. His ship had always to do a quick turn round at the Kola Inlet to escort a convoy returning to the UK. After the end of the War he made up for this by visiting Russia four times and was delighted by his reception there. He continued to serve in the Royal Navy, and with distinction, retiring in 1982 as a lieutenant commander and recipient of the MBE. The award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government is deeply appreciated by him, and he will always wear the medal with pride.

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ERNEST R OBER TSON A native of Aberdeen, Ernest Robertson joined the Royal Navy in 1942. His training took him to the West Country, where he underwent courses at HMS Raleigh and HMS Drake. He did not have to wait long before finding himself in colder climes.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite the use of steam to clear he barrels and essential mechanisms of the guns, the guns themselves were often inoperable.â&#x20AC;?

HIS FIRST DR AFT M EA NT A V OYAGE TO IC ELA ND

to join his ship, HMS Montrose, a Scott class destroyer, temporarily based in Iceland. From September 1942 until January 1943 the ship was in Arctic waters on convoy escorting duties. During that period of very short days and long nights Ernie had to endure the appalling weather conditions that prevailed in these waters. What remained sharply in his memory were the effects of ice on the superstructure of the ship and her armament. As a anti-aircraft gunner he was acutely aware of this. Despite the use of steam to clear the barrels and the essential mechanisms of the guns, the guns themselves were often inoperable. He remembered a visit to an Icelandic port to de-ice the superstructure and the guns. If the guns suffered from the extreme conditions of the Arctic so also did the members of the crews manning them. For him, it was a matter of existing and longing for the comparative warmth below decks and some well earned sleep. He was full of praise for the winter clothing that had been issued and its effectiveness against the cold. The greatest single factor in keeping up the spirits of the crew was the wonderful sense of camaraderie that existed in the ship. Although the ship bore a Scottish name, Montrose, Ernie was only one of two Scotsmen on board, a situation that led to a bit of teasing by other members of the crew but one that Ernie found educational. It gave him the opportunity of getting to know his colleagues from south of the Border and in Wales that much better. This made him all the more disappointed not to have had the chance of meeting Russians during the wartime years. He was fully aware of the importance of the convoys to the Russian war effort and was proud of what his ship had contributed in the way of help.

After his service in Arctic waters his service in the Navy was full of incident and took him to the Far East where he served in a landing ship tank (LST) and saw the end of the war against Japan. But it was the service in the Arctic waters that came most readily to his mind in a life enriched by varied experiences. The award the Ushakov medal by the Russian government gives Ernie a great sense of pride as it is a medal that recognises his time in dangerous waters in one of the darkest periods of the war. It has brought back memories of difficult times made endurable by the good humour and stoicism of his colleagues in the Montrose. It has also given him the chance to get to know Russians through his contacts with them during ceremonies organised by the staff of the Russian Consulate General in Edinburgh.

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GEOFFRE Y WILLIAM SHELTON Geoffrey Shelton began his time in the Royal Navy as a conscript in 1943. After basic training and a gunnery course Geoffrey spent a short time in HMS Corinthian, a coal burning armed merchant cruiser, in which he had to suffer the discomfort of coaling ship. 80 80

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“When an escort, the Kite, was sunk by torpedoes, there was a surge of patriotic feeling among the crew and a desire to avenge the loss.” SER VIN G IN CONV ER T ED M ER C HA NT M EN S EEM ED

to be Geoffrey’s lot as his next draft was to HMS Vindex, a ship laid down as a merchantman and converted into an aircraft carrier. Such light carriers were introduced from late 1942 to provide air and anti submarine protection for the convoys leaving the UK for Russia with vital military supplies. In the early days of the use of radar it was quite common for the sets to have technical problems and for the ships to have to depend more on visual means for surveillance. As a radar gunner Geoffrey at times had to act as a look out from what was called the crow’s nest. ‘It was the highest job you could get in the Royal Navy and one of the most uncomfortable. When the ship was rolling you could feel dangerously near the sea.’ HMS Vindex was well equipped for its role as a protector of the convoys with its aircraft complement of twelve Fairey Swordfish and six to eight Sea Buccaneers. Its flight deck was equipped with arrester wires, a crash barrier and a catapult. During Geoffrey’s time on board the Vindex did a great job in detecting and sinking U-boats and keeping marauding enemy aircraft at bay. The background conditions were appalling; the icy winds, the tumultuous seas and the long dark nights made life for those on board a grim experience. The messdecks were cold, the drying facilities for wet clothes non-existent and the opportunities for showers curtailed because of the demanding watch-keeping roster. ‘Yet, the camaraderie on board was amazing and uplifting. When an escort, the Kite, was sunk by torpedoes, there was a surge of patriotic feeling among the crew and a desire to avenge the loss.’

In the Vindex Geoffrey participated in the protection of four outward bound convoys (JW59A, JW61, JW63 and JW66) and four homeward bound ones (RA59A, RA61, RA63 and RA66). During the last convoy operation in April 1945 an escort, the destroyer HMS Goodall, was torpedoed and sunk in the Barents Sea, and had the doubtful honour of being the last major British warship to be sunk in the course of the war. Geoffrey completed his naval service in HMS Mauritius in voyages to the Mediterranean and East Indies, voyages not without incident. But his time in Arctic waters occupied a special place in his memory. His one regret was not having had the opportunity of getting to know Russia and Russians during his time in the Royal Navy. The Vindex had been to Vaida Bay in the north west of the Kola Peninsula, but opportunities for going ashore had been limited. His frustration was more than recompensed when, at the invitation of the Russian government, he attended the celebrations in Moscow to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe. He, along with other veterans, was treated like a very important person (VIP) and was seated close to the President of Russian Federation on the viewing podium. Indeed, he was privileged to have a short conversation with him, in which he conveyed the good wishes of all the veterans of the Arctic convoys. At the ceremony he proudly wore the Ushakov medal, which had been presented to him in Edinburgh by the Russian Consul General.

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JAMES SIMPSON Of a farming background, James Simpson became a joinerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apprentice before the Second World War. His work was varied but one of the most interesting assignments was the installation of stained glass windows in St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh.

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“Lifelines were used for moving on the upper deck, which was usually frozen over. Never had hot food been so welcome, and then that glorious tot of rum.”

O N B E I N G C A L L E D U P I N 1 9 4 0 , J A M E S WA S S E N T

to the Orkney Islands to build accommodation for the Army and RAF as part of the British government’s plan for Home Defence. From there he was moved to Devonport, where he spent three months learning about damage control on board ships. This included the shoring up of bulkheads and the repairing of damage sustained during attacks from aircraft or U-Boats. After a short assignment at Campbeltown to build targets for gunnery training, Jim joined the cruiser, HMS Devonshire. One of the main roles of the Devonshire was to hem in and contain the movement of the German battleship, the Tirpitz, which posed a constant threat to the Arctic convoys that sailed between the United Kingdom and Iceland and the Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel. This involved covering the carrier-borne aircraft raids on German targets on the Norwegian coast and on the battleship Tirpitz herself. Cover was also provided for aircraft mine-laying at the entrances to fjords. In retaliation, attacks from German Junker 88 bombers were frequent but, fortunately, the Devonshire was not hit. In July 1944 the Devonshire provided distant cover for two convoys, one outward bound and the other homeward bound. Jim’s action station was amidships where he was ready to cope with damage that threatened the ship’s safety. When hammocks were not used for sleeping, they were kept ready to block any holes caused by air attacks. Jim and many of the crew members had to sleep on the deck — often fully clothed in damp clothing. The weather conditions were horrific with waves reaching the height of forty to sixty feet. Life lines were used for moving

on the upper deck, which was usually frozen over. The ship’s ventilators filled up with water, which subsequently froze. Jim remarked, ‘Never had hot food been more welcome, and then that glorious tot of rum.’ There was a break in the usual routine when in September 1944 the Devonshire was detached to escort the Queen Mary conveying the Prime Minister, (Winston Churchill), to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for high level talks about the D-Day landings. The job done, the Devonshsire returned to her duties with the Arctic convoys. Jim regretted that he never had had the opportunity of landing in Murmansk or Archangel as it was his constant wish to meet his Russian allies. It was frustrating as the ship was too big to berth alongside in some of the ports and had always to do a quick turn round at the entrance to the Kola Inlet. After the German surrender in 1945 the Devonshire rounded off her activities in Norwegian waters by escorting HMS Apollo with the Crown Prince of Norway on board to Oslo. But the war against Japan was still being waged, and Jim saw the end of it in the Far East in HMS Jamaica. Although ending up in the Far East Jim still considered his days in Arctic waters as his most memorable. With this in mind, he felt touched and most honoured to receive the Ushakov medal from the Russian government. He was also delighted to have the chance of meeting Russians at the associated ceremony.

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JOHN ANDERSON SLEIGH Of farming background, John Sleigh joined the Royal Navy in 1943. After basic training at HMS Ganges John underwent courses on an anti submarine detection system developed between the wars â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Asdic system later to be known as the sonar system.

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“He remembered most clearly the awe-inspiring sight of other battleships moving at high speed in company with the Anson. Names of such famous ships as the Duke of York and the French warship the Richlieu.” TH IS TOOK H IM TO C AM P BELTO W N A ND D U NO O N

and to his first ship HMS Pennywort, in which he completed a convoy escort voyage to Gibraltar. With this period of active service behind him John joined the battleship HMS Anson. In the navy of the time most ships were manned to meet the demands of operating the gun armament. A ship was known by her guns. Being a sonar operator John was in a team whose existence was an exception to the gunnery dominated organisation of the ship. As one of eight sonar operators, John played an unusual but vitally essential role in defending the ship from submarine attack. There were times when sonar search was impossible, particularly when the ship’s speed was more than nineteen knots. High speeds wee necessary for a capital ship like the Anson to provide long distance cover to the convoys of merchant ships plying between the UK and the northern Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel. The Anson had another task to perform in connection with the convoys. She had to prevent the enemy surface ships lurking in the Norwegian fjords from emerging to attack the convoys. John remembered the occasion when the Anson steamed towards Norway to provide cover for the carriers which were launching attacks on the well known and feared German battleship, the Tirpitz. He remembered most clearly the awe inspiring sight of other battleships moving at high speeds in the company of the Anson. Names of such famous ships as HMS Duke of York and the French warship the Richelieu remained in his memory.

When conditions were unfavourable for sonar operating, John worked on the maintenance of paravanes. These kite-like devices when streamed under water were able to protect the ship from moored mines by keeping them clear of the ship or cutting the mines’ connecting cables. The work occasionally demanded the splicing of wire rope — a difficult and sometimes painful task. In a philosophical way John regarded this work as being closer to farming than the operating of sonar. John felt that his time on the Anson had been an enriching experience. It had taught him, above all, to get on with people. He only wished that he had had the chance of meeting Russians during the War when they proved themselves to be brave allies. A visit to Russia after the War filled this gap, at least, to certain extent. He was delighted by the way in which he was welcomed and by what he saw. His return to farming was a great success, and his capabilities were recognised when he was elected chairman of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society, a prestigious body in the farming world both in the UK and internationally. But memories of the sea and ships remained with him and were strengthened by the award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government. He now has the pleasant task of deciding which grandchild will eventually inherit the medal, which has become a family heirloom.

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PE TER IR VING STUAR T On being called up in 1943 Peter Stuart, on his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommendation, opted to join the Royal Navy. After basic training at HMS Ganges, he specialised in gunnery and as an able seaman gunner joined HMS Kent, a cruiser with a heavy armament of 8-inch guns, and flagship of the First Cruiser Squadron.

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“After four hours on watch you were covered in ice and the hairs of your eyebrows would have snapped off if you had touched them.”

I N 1944 T H E K E N T WA S E M P LOY E D I N E S CO R T I N G

three convoys, two outward bound and one homeward bound. As far as Peter was concerned, the main enemy was the weather with tumultuous seas, icy winds and what seemed perpetual darkness. His cruising station was in a gun director on the starboard side of the ship in the company of a layer, trainer and petty officer in charge. Peter was full of praise for the foul weather clothing that had been issued. His quilted eiderdown canvas suit was covered by a black PVC garment, which, with the use of studs fastened round the ankles, wrists and neck, gave him full protection against the extreme cold. To add to this, he wore leather mittens with canvas backs and lined with sheepskin. All this was more than necessary. ‘After four hours on watch you were covered in ice and the hairs on your eyebrows would have snapped off if you had touched them.’ After a watch the thawing out process had to be conducted with care. ‘Putting your hands on warm water caused the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced.’ Peter’s action station in Y turret in the after part of the cruiser was a warmer spot but Peter maintained that it would have been difficult to make an exit from it in the event of an emergency. The Kent did not call at Murmansk or Archangel; indeed her visits to ports were few. Peter recalled a short visit to northern Iceland to bury a member of the crew and lend assistance to the master of an American merchant ship to sort out some difficulties with his crew, who were concerned with the lack of safety equipment on board.

Peter admitted that his ship had been fortunate with regard to escaping any damage either inflicted by air attacks or U-boats. Only the propagandist and traitor, Lord Haw Haw thought otherwise. He claimed that the Kent had been sunk off Norway. Peter was to remark, ‘his claim might have become true had a couple of torpedoes fired at the Kent hit their target. They just missed the stern and would have destroyed my action station in Y turret.’ Throughout his time in the Kent, Peter was keenly aware of the war around him and the importance of protecting the convoys on their mission to help Britain’s ally, Russia. He was deeply disappointed that he had been denied the opportunity of going ashore at Murmansk or Archangel. For him the award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government came as a form of recompense for the unfulfilment of a wish to know more about Russia and its people. He was greatly impressed and touched by the friendliness and courtesy of the staff at the Russian consulate general at the awards ceremony. ‘It was a wonderful experience’.

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DAVID TAYLOR Barely a month after the outbreak of the Second World War, Davie Taylor joined the Royal Navy. Only sixteen years of age, Dave underwent a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training at HMS St George on the Isle of Man.

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“The task force of which the Bedouin was an important unit included two Russian destroyers. He came in closer contact with Russians when later he met some of the crew of a Russian oiler, a friendly meeting at which a tot or two of vodka was drunk.” I N 1941 H E J OINED HIS F IR S T S HIP, HM S BEDO U IN

a Tribal class destroyer with a main armament of 4.7-inch guns. It was not long before he was on active service in the Arctic. In November 1941 his ship had the then new experience of escorting one of the earliest of the so-called Russian convoys, Convoy PQ3, on its voyage from Iceland to Archangel. It was of immense importance in ensuring the delivery of vital supplies to Russia to bolster that country’s efforts to contain the massive German onslaught that had begun in June 1941 under the code name of Barbarossa. Escorting this early convoy brought home to Dave the horror of an Arctic winter for those at sea-ice-strewn waters, temperatures of minus 40 degrees and bitter, penetrating winds. All this against an ever present U-boat threat and the possibility of attacks from the air and surface vessels lurking in the fjords of German occupied Norway. Later that month Dave was to see his own ship’s guns in action in a naval bombardment of the German held garrison of Vardo, a small town on the north eastern tip of Norway. The task force of which the Bedouin was an important unit included two Russian destroyers. He came in closer contact with Russians when later he met some of the crew of a Russian oiler, a friendly meeting at which a tot or two of vodka was drunk. Before the end of 1941 the Bedouin was a unit in a British task force providing cover for a commando raid on the Lofoten islands off Norway to destroy certain specified targets, including a fish oil factory and glycerine production unit. Several German vessels were sunk and many prisoners taken. It was an exciting break from the demanding escorting duties. But they continued. In the first three months of 1942 the Bedouin escorted four convoys, one of which had sailed from the Scottish port of Oban. The others began and ended their voyages in Iceland.

Dave experienced an immense sense of relief in April 1942 when his ship sailed to Hull for a refit, which provided a respite from active service for the crew, who enjoyed a well-earned spot of leave. After completion of the refit the ship sailed to the Mediterranean for convoy operations in support of the beleaguered island of Malta. Sadly, the Bedouin was attacked and sunk by an Italian surface force and torpedo-carrying bombers. Dave ruefully remarked that it was better to be sunk in the Mediterranean than in the icy waters of the Arctic. Rescued by an Italian hospital ship, Dave spent the rest of the conflict as a prisoner of war in both Italy and Germany. At the end of the War he returned to the fleet and served in the cruiser, HMS Sussex, the destroyer, HMS St Kitts and the frigate, HMS Wademouth Bay. The award of the Ushakov medal by the Russian government means much to Dave. It has made his naval service with the Russian convoys seem even more meaningful and worth while. He regards it as a great honour.

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91 Photograph by Toby Long PHOTO express

An island veteran, N O RMA N MACLE OD

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With Thanks

C HARL E S MAC A R TH U R pictured centre with two comrades

T H I S B O O K WA S M A D E P O S S I B L E T H R O U G H T H E K I N D S U P P O R T O F T H E FA M I LY O F C H A R L E S M A C A R T H U R O F P O R T N A H AV E N , I S L E O F I S L AY.

Charles served in the Merchant Navy in both World Wars. He signed up aged 15 in 1917 and was involved in the transfer of troops and supplies to France. In World War II he sailed as a Bosun in the Merchant Navy. He completed two convoys, including the very first convoy from Pool Ewe in February 1942 in the Marylyn. He was scheduled to complete a third mission but was prevented by severe frostbite in his feet. He was a private man with great humility who never spoke about his time on the Arctic Convoys. If asked, he would merely say that his colleagues suffered greatly. He described the convoy missions as “peirigleadh” which translated from Gaelic means “an urgent necessity”. After the War Charles sailed for The Donaldson Atlantic Line taking GI brides to Canada. He then became a very talented baker in his home village of Portnahaven. The MacArthur family support for the cause was strong as Charles’s two brothers Archibald and Donald also sailed in the Arctic Convoys as did his nephew Donald. The family are delighted to support this book as a lasting memorial to all the heroes of the Arctic convoys, many of whom never shared their stories.

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Acknowledgements

The authors, Dairmid Gunn and Kenneth Reynolds, could not have created this album without the overall support and encouragement of the Consul General of the Russian Federation, Andrey A. Pritsepov, who conceived the idea of the album as a way of expressing gratitude to those seamen who served in the convoys to Russia during the Second World War and ensuring that the precious legacy of friendship forged between the seamen of Russia and Britain in the difficult times of a vicious war would always be remembered and treasured. His constant and unflagging interest in the album was greatly valued by the authors. The authors specifically express their gratitude to Timofey Kunitsky (former vice consul) for the wonderful relationship he developed with the convoy veterans, which made the subsequent writing of the album that much easier and more meaningful, and to his successor, Anastasia Iliinskaya, for preserving most charmingly that relationship and providing unstinting organisational support for the creation of the album. Gratitude must also be expressed to Magomet Zyazikov, the attaché at the Consulate General, for his significant preparatory work on the project. The authors also acknowledge with gratitude help from David Cant, for his interest and financial support; from James Cook for his enthusiastic support for the project in many aspects of its development; from Peter France for his beautiful translation of the Russian poem, Dream at Sea; from Sarah Grotian of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral for her wise counsel and for securing the services of a voluntary proof- reader, Judith Lewis, to whom the authors are also grateful; from Toby Long for his advice and expertise so willingly offered in the production of the album’s many photographs; from Elizabeth Miles and Stuart MacKenzie of the Russian Arctic Convoys Museum at Loch Ewe for giving access to their records, providing a wide range of photographs and facilitating contacts with other museums, including the Imperial War Museum; from Brian Wilton, MBE, for his design work on the tartan associated with the Album, and from Fiona MacLeod for her enthusiastic support and for generating interest in the project. And finally, we should like to express our sincere gratitude to the Scottish Salmon Company for their generous support to the anniversary celebrations of the Arctic Convoys. Their input and commitment have played a significant role in ensuring the veterans continue to be remembered. The authors are grateful too for the friendly cooperation of the veterans and their families in making the album both attractive and informative.

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Федор Тютчев

Fyodor Tyutchev

Сон на море

D R E AM AT SE A

И море, и буря качали наш челн; Я, сонный, был предан всей прихоти волн. Две беспредельности были во мне, И мной своевольно играли оне. Вкруг меня, как кимвалы, звучали скалы́, Окликалися ветры и пели валы. Я в хаосе звуков лежал оглушен, Но над хаосом звуков носился мой сон. Болезненно-яркий, волшебно-немой, Он веял легко над гремящею тьмой. В лучах огневицы развил он свой мир – Земля зеленела, светился эфир, Сады-лавиринфы, чертоги, столпы, И сонмы кипели безмолвной толпы. Я много узнал мне неведомых лиц, Зрел тварей волшебных, таинственных птиц, По высям творенья, как бог, я шагал, И мир подо мною недвижный сиял. Но все грезы насквозь, как волшебника вой, Мне слышался грохот пучины морской, И в тихую область видений и снов Врывалася пена ревущих валов.

Our vessel was rocked by the storm and the sea; As I slept, the waves were sporting with me. Two infinite powers possessed my mind, And I was their plaything. On every side, All round me, like cymbals, the high cliffs rang, The winds spoke together, the breakers sang. Struck deaf in this chaos of sounds I lay, But above the chaos my dream flew free. Painfully vivid, miraculously mute, Lightly it soared through the thunderous night. In a fevered gleam its world lay revealed, The air incandescent, earth a green field, Labyrinthine gardens, palaces, pillars, And seething throngs of silent people. I came to know many uncharted features, Saw mysterious birds, saw magical creatures, Like a god I strode on creation’s heights, And beneath me, unmoving, the world shone bright. But through all these wraiths, like a magus’ howl, I could hear the ocean’s tumultuous growl, And the peaceful land of visions and dreams Was drowned in the foam of the roaring sea.

(1830)

Translation by Peter France