大象传媒

CHAPTER 2 ARCHANGEL

The first thing that we all noticed was the remarkable change in temperature. Only a few hours ago we were in the centre of an ice-field with the temperature around 32 degrees, and now at 10-00 p.m. there was sunshine and the temperature was over 60 degrees. It seemed as though we had suddenly arrived in the tropics, yes, even to mosquitoes, although they were nothing like as bad as they were to be a few weeks later, when the temperature was as high as 75 degrees most days.

On our first night we met several of our own troops, both Army and Air Force. They had nothing very cheerful to tell us about mails. They had received none for over three months, but were hoping that some had arrived with our convoy. They told us how they had listened to the German news of the progress of the battle we were having on our journey, and, of course, you know what the Germans say about these sea and air fights. When the lads told about how many the Germans said they had sunk, we could not help laughing. Their figures were 42, yet only 37 of us left Iceland, and 30 got safely through. Of the escorting warships all reached port, though some were damaged. So much for Jerry's arithmetic!

We had not been tied up very long when Mr. Eves of the Ministry of War Transport came on board to deal with ships business, and he was followed by three of our officers, Capt. Longstaff, of the Royal Engineers, Flt. Lt. Heath and Flt. Lt. 'Benny' of the Royal Air Force. I forget Benny's surname, but he was a South African in our Air Force. These three stayed on board until after 2.00 a.m., and we spent a very pleasant time listening to the experiences that they had had during the Russian winter.

On being informed that we could send a cable home, every one of us got busy and told our families of our safe arrival. My first cable has not yet reached home, but the second one that I sent two weeks later did get home just within a month, to which I received a reply. This came out to us in about fifteen days, a week after we had received our first mail. Several of us had intended sending a cable home every two weeks after hearing how long it was taking letters to reach here, but, as cables proved to be no better, in fact worse, we did not think any more of them for several weeks. Then the Master told us that we could not send any more cables. This was not, true as we learnt a few months later.

Cargo work began next morning. First we had to get the tanks and other heavy lifts discharged from our ship, then our particular class of work began, to move alongside other ships in turn, and take out their tanks etc., place them in our holds, and return to the quay to discharge them. For this class of work we had to be constantly ready to move at short notice. It was only after the ships in port were finished discharging that we got any rest, whilst waiting for the next convoy to arrive. In the first case this was five weeks, as they had 'trouble' and got a bad mauling.

All of the ships which survived in this next convoy, PQ17, came through the White Sea, none going to Murmansk. The Germans took a very heavy toll, twenty-three ships being lost out of a total of thirty-four. They were attacked by surface raiders as well as aircraft.

For the next few weeks we were working hard both day and night to get these ships discharged, and as quickly as the cargos were put onto the quay, just as quickly did the Russians get them loaded on to trains and sent off to somewhere near the front line. They certainly wasted no time.

PQ17, the next convoy to arrive, is, I think, one of the most historic of all convoys as Mr. A. V. Alexander told us over the radio in one of his speeches. About forty-one ships of the Merchant Navy made up this convoy, and they carried cargo of the greatest value that had ever been conveyed. They were escorted by seventy-six warships of all classes, from battleships down to corvettes and trawlers. In spite of this great escort they were heavily attacked and suffered some losses, but they took a heavy toll of planes. Something like eighty-five were shot down. Even the Germans admitted the loss of quite a large number, but of course they claimed that many more ships were sunk than was the case.

About twenty of these ships came to Archangel, others going to Molotov or Salombola. By this time the new quay that was under construction when we arrived was finished and fourteen of those ships were moored alongside. Work began at once, and in a very short time there were great piles of cargo lying the full length of the quay.

'Jerry' now thought it was time to visit this place, and for the first time since the beginning of the war bombs were dropped on Archangel. They attacked the town itself and started many large fires, some of which burned for a considerable time. Flares and incendiary bombs were dropped in very large numbers, but for some reason or other they were unable to discover this very long quay, at which all of these ships were lying discharging their cargo-very fortunately for us, as hundreds of tons of T.N.T. and other kinds of explosives were being handled at this time. Had one bomb found that target it would have put paid to all of the district for miles around. It was surprising that each time the Luftwaffe came over they dropped their bombs on the town side of the river, and never anywhere near the quay at which all of the ships were lying. The amount of war material that was being shipped to North Russia, and, most important of all, getting through, was almost unbelievable.

During our stay near Archangel we had a very nice time. There were some nice walks in the country, which gave us memories of our own countryside. Each night we would go for a long walk through the fields which were growing all kinds of vegetables. The only thing that was really troublesome was the mosquitoes. They were very bad, especially after a shower of rain.

Some nights we would take a ferry and go over to the town, visiting the Tourist Hotel, and also the International Hotel. A pleasant hour or so could be spent at this first named place while listening to the orchestra whilst having a cup of tea or a glass of vodka, a drink best left alone, as the after-effects were not very good!

At the other hotel drinks could also be obtained, and there was also a dance hall. Another large hall was used sometimes as a concert hall, or for dancing, and sometimes for the showing of films. Everything that could possibly done for the pleasure and comfort of the men was done by the women of the town.

At some of the concerts the ships band of H.M.S. Alynbank gave very enjoyable performances, which were greatly appreciated by the Russians who attended these shows.

The conditions under which the Russian people were living was really astounding. It seemed to us that every person, men, women, boys and girls had to work if they possibly could. They worked for twelve hours on end and then had twelve hours off. At the weekend they worked for twenty-four hours on duty, and then had twenty-four hours off, thus effecting a change of shift.

Their food ration, which they obtained each day, was very small. It was obtained at a communal kitchen, and we often wondered at them doing the amount of work that was set for them, for they were always very grateful for any scraps which were left over from our meals.

Often boys and girls would be waiting around, trying to buy some chocolates or cigarettes from us. They would give as much as 60 roubles for a 2-陆 penny bar, which was 拢3.

About the beginning of September we received orders to go to Molotov, a small place about 80 miles from Archangel. It was there that we met lieutenants Major and Miller, both of the R.N.R.. We spent many enjoyable evenings with them at their billet. Sometimes we had to walk back to the ship, and other times one of them would run us back in their car. It was a long walk, and, as the nights began to darken, it was not so pleasant, which is why we welcomed the car ride back.

With the coming of the dark nights we were now beginning to get snowstorms, and it was not so pleasant going for walks now. We had to put on our sea-boot stockings and boots. This made walking a very tiring pastime.

We still kept getting air-raid warnings, but we only heard the planes going over on their way to Archangel. We could see the fires which they started all this distance away.

All the convoys going to North-west Russia had their troubles with 'Jerry' one way or another, but their troubles did not end after they had finished their attacks. On the arrival of one particular convoy at the mouth of the river, a few of the ships ran onto the sandbank, and we received orders to proceed a quickly as we could to get off their deck cargos, so as to lighten them, in order that they could re-float at the next high-tide, and go on to Archangel. When we arrived at the bar we found about five ships well aground, and several destroyers and trawlers cruising around in readiness for any attack that 'Jerry' might make. After several hours of hard work we had done a good piece of work, and there was no attack made, for which we were very thankful, as it did not appear to be a very nice place to be in during an attack.

With this work finished we went on our way to Archangel instead of returning to Molotov, here to discharge the tanks. When this was completed we began to make ready for our return to Murmansk, o take the place of the 'Empire Bard', which had come from that place after doing some good work in that northern port. We took in some stores, and several tons of stores for the naval base at Murmansk. Next we took in bunkers, Russian coal, which looked more like garden soil than coal. It was difficult to burn, and we had an awful time, trying to get steam to keep us moving.

Our run up to Murmansk, a voyage of about 550 miles, was uneventful, except that we took nearly 24 hours more than expected owing to this bad coal.

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