Arctic warriors : a personal account of convoy PQ18

249 Pages·2013·2.8 MB·English

by  Mason

The editing of my father’s experiences took me, as I hope it will take the readers,
into new territories. It has been a great pleasure and privilege to write about the
bravery of the men of the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and American Merchant
Navy who battled the enemy, as well as the horrific Arctic weather conditions, to
aid our Russian allies. To them a heartfelt thank you.
I owe a particular debt to Bill Quigley who has been an inspiration
throughout. Thanks also to Robert Eke who served aboard HMS Milne and
provided some of the photographs taken in 1942 during PQ18.
I am grateful to Brigadier Henry Wilson and his team at Pen and Sword
Publishing for their superb guidance and encouragement and to my husband,
Roy, for his help, patience, computer skills and support.
Julie Grossmith Deltrice

First published in Great Britain in 2013 by
P E N & S W O R D M A R I T I M E
An imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2AS
Copyright © Alfred Grossmith Mason and Julie Grossmith Deltrice 2013
HARDBACK ISBN: 978-1-78303-037-8
PDF ISBN: 978-1-47383-121-6
EPUB ISBN: 978-1-47383-005-9
PRC ISBN: 978-1-47383-063-9
The right of Alfred Grossmith Mason and Julie Grossmith Deltrice to be
identified as Author and Editor of this work has been asserted by them in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing.
Typeset in 10.5/12.5pt Palatino by
Concept, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Printed and bound in England by
Printed and bound in England by
CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CRO 4YY
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Contents
Chapter 1 From Somewhere in England to Somewhere Unknown
Chapter 2 Cargo Loading in Leith
Chapter 3 Our Hazardous Journey Begins
Chapter 4 Midnight, 3 September 1942
Chapter 5 Looking Back
Chapter 6 First Encounter
Chapter 7 Temperatures Plummet
Chapter 8 Sunday, 13 September 1942 – The Luftwaffe Launches Die Goldene
Zange (Golden Comb)
Chapter 9 14 September 1942
Chapter 10 SS Empire Baffin Suffers Her First Casualties
Chapter 11 Heinkels Attack
Chapter 12 Wednesday, 16 September 1942
Chapter 13 HMS Scylla Departs
Chapter 14 Thursday, 17 September 1942
Chapter 15 Friday, 18 September 1942
Chapter 16 Hazards and Blizzards
Chapter 17 Sunday, 20 September 1942
Chapter 18 Monday, 21 September 1942
Chapter 19 Berthed at Last
Chapter 20 Introducing the Workforce
Chapter 21 To the Victor – the Spoils
Chapter 22 Me and My Shadow
Chapter 23 Shore Leave
Chapter 24 Unloading
Chapter 25 Pandora’s Box
Chapter 26 Degradation and Starvation
Chapter 27 Guards and Bayonets
Chapter 28 New Surroundings
Chapter 29 All in a Day’s Work
Chapter 30 Chilling News
Chapter 31 Almost Ready for Sea
Chapter 32 Our Last Night in Russia
Chapter 33 Sunday, 8 November 1942
Chapter 34 Monday, 9 November 1942
Chapter 35 Homeward Bound
Chapter 36 Luck Be A Lady
Chapter 37 Northern Lights
Chapter 38 Saturday, 14 November 1942 – Friend or Foe?
Chapter 39 Sunday, 15 November 1942 – Almost There
Appendixes
The Sea
How many moods rolled into one You lie there … glistening in the sun All calm, serene, like mirrored pool
Sparkling like the rarest jewel The wind blows, … you stir and rise Swirling foam ‘neath leaden skies
Rolling back you gather speed Rising up, great strength you need …
To pound at last on rocky shore A splashing, foaming, boiling roar Retreat again to rise once more Like
green glass towers from ocean floor
Shimmering bright with crystal spray In shrouds of mist you face the day Veiled in mystery dark and deep
Your heart pounds on, you never sleep Every wakeful, deep you lie
Yet in your anger the furrows fly Spitting foam, white splashing spray Spires of diamond droplets stay …
In the air when your fury’s past Calm once more like mirrored glass Washing round small feet at play
Paddling, prancing, laughter gay Friendly now you lap the shore Quiet and at peace once more

That howling wind soon starts to blow And once again your wrath you’ll show Your Titan strength will rise
again Your very depths it will inflame And you are in command once more Breakers crash on rocky shore
Your cauldrons seething, boiling spume Incited into pillared plume