Convoy veterans get heroes’ welcome
Winston Churchill called it ‘‘the worst journey in the world’’. From 1941 to 1945, British and American ships risked freezing seas, Nazi U-boat attacks and aerial bombardment to deliver more than 4 million tonnes of supplies to the Soviet Union during World War II.
The first of these Arctic convoys, carrying RAF Hurricane fighters, sailed from Iceland and reached Arkhangelsk in northern Russia 75 years ago tomorrow, having sailed around the top of German-occupied Norway.
Princess Anne flew into the port yesterday to join events to mark the anniversary, which are being attended by eight British veterans and 41 members of the Royal Marines band.
Two of the veterans took part in Operation Dervish, the first convoy, which delivered exclusively British aid. Victor Bashford, an electrical fitter in the RAF, and Tim Elkington, a Hurricane pilot, are now both 95.
Others sailed on Royal Navy warships or on merchant vessels that brought supplies such as tractors, trucks, railway engines and boots provided by the United States under the Lend-Lease programme.
In winter, waves would freeze as they washed over the ships, with the temperature dropping as low as minus 42 degrees Celsius.
‘‘We started off with steam hoses to get the doors open to the upper deck, and then we chipped ice off the superstructure using hammers and axes,’’ said Robert Owen, 91, who was a lookout on the battleship HMS Anson. ‘‘If you took off your gloves and touched it, you’d lose your skin.’’
More than 3000 men died in the convoys, which provided strategic and moral support to the Soviet Union as Hitler’s troops pressed deep into the country.
Wearing their distinctive white berets, the elderly servicemen shared their stories as they were feted by the Arkhangelsk authorities, who have provided a team of eager teenagers to cater to their every need.
Harry Grew, 94, a stoker, sailed from Iceland on the corvette HMS Starwort as part of Convoy PQ16, which lost eight ships to air attacks in May 1942.
‘‘The German bombing was horrendous, and it went on for days,’’ he said. ‘‘We ran out of ammo and were firing flares and distress rockets to try to keep them off.’’
Elkington, who had been shot down during the Battle of Britain, flew his Hurricane off the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Argus and landed near Murmansk, close to the front line.
He and his comrades taught Soviet airmen how to fly the fighters, about 3000 of which would eventually be delivered to the Soviet Union’s northern ports.
Elkington said the veterans were overwhelmed by the welcome they had received.