HEROES OF ARCTIC CONVOYS

It’s 75 years since the men who sailed on the Arctic convoys were finally offered a respite from embarking on a “mission to hell”. Sir Winston Churchill described their experiences as the “worst journey on Earth” and thousands of serving personnel perished in sub-zero conditions as they strove to keep the naval routes open, while resisting their German adversaries.

Sub-Lieutenant John Boothroyd was among those who braved the elements and the enemy, repeatedly sailing into treacherous, stormbattered territory after leaving Loch Ewe in the Highlands and Scapa Flow on Orkney and he never forgot the stomachchurning privations which he and his comrades encountered as they battled to preserve crucial routes for the Allies.

The old campaigner died in Melbourne, Australia, in 2007, but his daughter, Alison Hutchison, contacted The Courier with her father’s remarkable story – one which eventually led to his family receiving the Arctic

Star medal, but only more than a decade after Mr Boothroyd’s death.

Yet, even if his exploits were in danger of being overlooked, Mrs Hutchison has revealed the sense of joy and relief with which Mr Boothroyd and his colleagues reacted to returning to Scotland on VE Day – May 8 1945.

She said: “Before Dad died, he was in a nursing home in Sunbury and, one day, while I was there, a social worker came to do an assessment of his memory. Part way through, the following exchange took place:

“‘John, where were you and what were you doing on VE Day?’”

“John pulled himself up in his chair as if he needed a straight back to reply. Then he answered promptly and proudly: ‘I was standing on the deck of HMS Vindex as it steamed up the Firth of Clyde at the end of an Arctic convoy. The whole crew was standing in formation on the deck of the aircraft carrier as it came into dock at the Tail ’o the Bank. And there was a huge party that night’.

“On VE Day, John had completed his eighth

Arctic convoy – which saw him returning from the Kola Peninsula. It was the last Russian Arctic convoy which was undertaken during wartime (RA66).”

Mrs Hutchison added: “When he answered the question, 60 years after the event, I could still sense the relief in his voice, describing that moment – he was just 21 years of age, standing with the whole crew on the deck of the aircraft carrier knowing that there would be no more convoy voyages for him.

“That meant there would be no more horrific hurricanes in icy waters, ice-clogged equipment, U-boat attacks and Luftwaffe threats.

“Two years ago, I received from the British Government John’s Arctic Star medal. It was greatly appreciated by his family despite the decades of delay.”

The Arctic Convoy Museum at Aultbea in the Highlands has painstakingly gathered the recollections of men like Mr Boothroyd, who risked their lives whenever they left Britain.

Mr Boothroyd described his role with Fleet Air

Arm 813 Squadron as being a radar mechanic and observer with responsibility for maintaining radar equipment and radio communications for the Swordfish aircraft, which were deployed on aircraft carriers HMS Campania and HMS Vindex.

He was on four returntrip Arctic convoys from September 15 1944 to May 8 1945.

On one particular return voyage (RA64), Mr Boothroyd was on deck and watched as a corvette, HMS Bluebell, was sunk by a torpedo from the German U-boat U711. The ship sank with more than 80 men lost.

The conditions weathered by RA64 were reported to be the worst endured in the entire North Atlantic theatre.

The convoy was hit by two hurricanes. HMS Campania rolled 45 degrees each way and equipment and men were flung in all directions.

There was concern about leaking fuel from motors which had been upended in the tempest.

It was one of the most harrowing experiences of his life.