大象传媒

My Experiences on the Russian Convoy鈥檚

This story was submitted to the Peoples War Site by TONY WALKER on behalf of Arnold (MIcky) Finn, and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

In the early part of 1943 I was 18years old and employed by the Sunderland Fire Brigade as a Messenger, this employment was considered as a reserved occupation. However in August of that year, I was conscripted into the Royal Navy. I understand that at that stage of the war the navy were so short of men they began to conscript all 18 year old鈥� s regardless of their employment situation. As a result I travelled to Portsmouth and joined HMS Collingwood, a shore based training establishment. I was in training for a period of six weeks.

On completion of the training I was given a travel warrant, and ordered to travel to Rosyth to join HMS Berwick, a County Class Cruiser which was engaged in helping to provide protection for ships on the Russian Convoys to Murmansk. I remember the feeling of excitement I had when I saw HMS Berwick in Rosyth, I had never seen anything so big in my life. I was really huge.
There were a number of men joining at the same time, we boarded the ship and were met at the top of the gangway by a Petty Officer who informed us of the berthing arrangements. I and two other first trippers
Were allocated to Mess Deck 10 Quarter Deck Division, where we were taken in hand by the 鈥淥ld Salts 鈥� of the mess. These men taught us how , and where to hang our hammocks. To this day I only know the two men who joined the mess with me as,鈥� Scouse鈥� because he came from Liverpool and 鈥淭affy鈥�, because he came from Wales.
Over the next few days the three new mess men spent our time
Going round the ship trying to find out what was what, and where was where. Anyhow after a few days we were told that we were leaving Rosyth for sea trials, and familiarisation exercises which lasted for 14 days. By the time we got back I felt like an 鈥渙ld Salt.鈥� I had no idea what lay in store for me, I suppose it was better that way. I used to hear the older men talking about what had happened to them and the fear used to start. At times I used to get into my hammock really tired, and it was then that the thoughts and the fears started, so much sometimes that I lay awake all night. I suppose the glamour of being a sailor was fading.
While we were berthed in Rosyth, some of the crew were given a weekend leave, but only those who lived in the North got it. Anyone living further away than that got nothing
After a few days we began to prepare for sailing, we learned over the grape vine that we were, with other warships, going to escort a convoy to Russia. The experienced hands about began to sort out their fowl weather gear. We new recruits didn鈥檛 have much; accepting duffel coats and Wellington鈥檚 supplied to us as part of our equipment. We were soon to learn that what gear we had would not be sufficient, so we had to beg spare gear from other crew members.
. So the fatal day arrived and we left Rosyth, I can remember that I felt really proud, that I was at last going to face the enemy. I soon began to learn the hard way what facing the enemy really meant. The weather was really unpleasant, but the BERWICK was a big ship so it wasn鈥檛 too bad. It soon began to get a lot worse as we got near the Nor
wegian Coast
Gradually becoming colder and windier. We arrived off Bear Island the convoy rendezvous point. There were a total of 33 ships ready to sail. Eventually they were herded into position and off we went. The following days were much the same, chipping ice, and practicing Action Stations
The weather was fowl, and with an icy wind. We were soon set at chipping the ice from the deck, the handrails and the rigging it was a never ending battle, no sooner had the Ice been chipped away it began to form again. I had been allocated a position as a starboard side lookout situated on the bridge deck astern of No 2 funnel with my two colleagues 鈥淪couse鈥� and 鈥淭affy鈥� .Our duties were to search the sky with binoculars for enemy aircraft and if seen inform the bridge.
All went well for the first two days, but on the third Actions Stations were sounded, and the dreaded words were heard 鈥淭HIS IS NOT AN EXERCISE鈥� I soon realised that the convoy was being attacked by German bombers. The sky seemed full of bombers, they were coming in wave after wave, or so it seemed to a terrified 18 year old bombs were falling all over the place .There was no air cover for the convoy as we were to far from land, so it was up to us. The escort were letting go with everything they could.
The bombers sank four ships in the convoy and then two of the bombers came after us .They approached us from the bow, with their guns blazing. Our Petty Officer called for us to take cover as they passed over overhead, the rattle of the machine guns was terrific. I looked up and saw the planes disintegrate, as they were hit by our guns, the bits and pieces falling into the sea. The rest of the planes flew away I sat up and shouted to Scouse and Taffy鈥� That was close,鈥� I didn鈥檛 hear any reply so I looked around to see where they were. All I could see was two bundles of clothes on the deck. I got up from the deck and ran over to them. The were both dead having been shot numerous time in the back. I felt really terrible that I was alive. Why them, I hadn鈥檛 even have the time to get to know them properly .I realised that鈥檚 what happened in war.I will never forget those two shipmates as long as I live. Eventually we got the convoy to Murmansk without any further losses, so I believe we must have done a good job and that it had been worth while. At least that鈥檚 how I felt, but I doubt that the families of Scouse and Taffy felt the same. But That Was War.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.