Hello everyone, Here in my town of Whitchurch, Hampshire, there is growing recognition of the role played by all the people that took part in the Arctic Convoys to support Russia (Soviet Union) during WWII. This is mainly down to our former mayor and survivor of the convoys, Roy Dykes (who is now 92): A Hero in our midst A Hero in our midst | Whitchurch, Hampshire Official Town Web Site ~Andrew~ A volunteer helping with Whitchurch, Hampshire Official Town Website
A campaign page has now been set up; and it includes video interview with Roy Dykes, a veteran of 16 Arctic convoy campaigns. Campaign for Arctic Star Convoy Medal Did any of you watch the debate on the medal in Westminster Hall today (12:30)? What did you think? ~Andrew~ A volunteer helping with Whitchurch, Hampshire Official Town Website
What about present government Minister MR Robethon who has justified his refusal to grant Artic convoy medals to veterans because he doesn't think it was an important enough campaign to merit a medal for the surviving veterans of those convoys betwen 1941-45? True, he has attracted widespread flak even among his own party members in Parliament for this viewpoint but I am going to submit here the Devil's Advocate postion on behalf of Mr Robethon. A-Only 27 per cent of all allied aid to the Soviet Union went via the Artic convoys. 73 per cent went via Iran/Persia. B-Allied naval casualties between 1941-45 were a total of 1,944-less than the combined casualties inflicted on the cres of HMS Hood and U.S.S. Arizona, both sunk in 1941. C-720 out of 811 merchant ships which sailed for ports like Murmansk and Archangel arrived safely leaving 58 as being sunk-a lower percentage than the Atlantic convoys cost. D-Merchant navy personnel losses totalled 829 men including officers.-a fraction of the number of American Marines kiled in three days at the Batlle at Tarawa in 1943. E-Post- war British naval historians have concluded that the strategy of the Artic Convoys was unsound and should have been discontinued inn favour of the Iran/Persia landwards routes. Although, admittedly such sage conclusions would have been scant comfort to an allied merchant sailor freezing to death on a Carlley float after his ship had been sunk anytime between 1941-45.
I have just heard that a major daily national newspaper is meeting with 50+ veterans of the Arctic convoys this coming week in London. Key bit of new info for me from last Tuesday's debate (view it HERE) was fact that many veterans who served in the Arctic did not qualify for the Atlantic Star medal. Just some of the reaction from local newspapers: Portsmouth News: A slur on our Arctic Heroes by Veterans Minister Basingstoke Gazette: MP pushes for medals for Arctic Convoy vets (there was also an editorial but it isn't online yet) An article on our town's website about one veteran: Whitchurch.org.uk: Former Mayor to attend debate on Arctic Medal ~Andrew~
