At least Russia remembers the sacrifice made by the Arctic convoy heroes

As an old salt, I have always been upset at our government’s refusal to recognise the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy sacrifices on the Murmansk convoys in the Second World war.

It was therefore with huge satisfaction that I read the Russian Federation’s Consul General’s letter in The Scotsman (15 May). Sadly, I only once met Jock Dempster, that great man who spearheaded the determination to get acknowledgement of the special sacrifice made by the men in these convoys from Loch Ewe.

As a young deck boy on his first voyage to sea, in a tanker, in an Arctic convoy, he was out on deck when a small escort ship was hit by a torpedo. The noise was horrendous, and the screech of metal being torn apart and the screams of the dying haunted him for the rest of his life.

The horrors of the people of Murmansk, under constant air attack with practically no food and no medical facilities, touched many men on the ships and they, in many cases, went along to free people from the rubble of their homes. The stores and armaments brought in helped to save Leningrad from the Nazis, and was a turning point during the war. Those old veterans and close family went on a voyage back to Murmansk some years ago, and were amazed to be greeted by a full military and government reception. The graves of those buried there are tended beautifully by local people. As the Consul General says, the prized Ushakov Medal was awarded to many of these veterans, and in many cases he went to the homes of those who couldn’t travel due to infirmity.

The medal is, I believe, awarded to the recipient on behalf of the Russian people, who will always thank these men for their sacrifice. In their eyes they are true war heroes.

We should all thank the Consul General for reminding us of how Russian people feel about the Arctic convoy sacrifices, something which we in this country have tended to forget.

DAVID FLEMING-MILLER Manse Street, Edinburgh