Unsung heroes who helped shorten the war

THE Arctic convoys ran between August 1941 and May 1945 and delivered vital supplies to Russia during the Second World War.

Veterans of the convoys, from both the Royal and the Merchant Navy, have long been hailed as heroes in Russia and are still honoured there today, but their sacrifice has been less celebrated in Britain.

Conditions on the ships which travelled between Britain and the United States and the ports of Murmansk and Archangel were harsh and 85 merchant ships and 16 Royal Navy ships were lost.

The ships were under constant attack from air and sea and temperatures plunged to minus 60 on deck. About 3,000 men lost their lives. Many historians have said that the Arctic Convoys shortened the war. By preventing Russia from starving, the convoys helped to keep the war going on the Eastern Front, which hastened the collapse of the Nazi regime.

However, during the Cold War Stalin became the enemy and the role of the USSR as one of the allies against Hitler was played down.

CLAIRE SMITH