Five stars

Published on 21/12/2012 00:00

It is gratifying to learn that the government at long last has 
recognised the outstanding bravery of the men who sailed on the Arctic convoys (your
report, 20 December).

One of these convoys, PQ18 in 1942, was under constant attack for 15 days from 225 German 
aircraft and 36 U-boats.

The crews of the ships were continually at “action stations” and for most of the time were unable even to change their clothes.

Four merchant seamen from the Western Isles of Scotland were killed or 
decorated for bravery on four of the ships leading the convoy 
columns.

They were Finlay Ferguson, Harris, killed on SS Empire Stevenson (South Shields); Captain Murdo MacLeod, Lewis, 
awarded the DSC on SS Empire Snow (London), later in the war he was lost in the Indian Ocean on SS Fort Buckingham (London); Captain Hugh MacLeod, Tiree, awarded the DSC on SS Dan-y-Bryn (London); and Bosun Donald MacAskill, Uist, awarded the DSM on SS Temple Arch (London).

Another Hebridean seaman was decorated for bravery on one of the naval vessels in the convoy.

Donald J MacLeod

Woodcroft Avernue

Bridge of Don