Arctic Convoys 75 Year Service at Loch Ewe
 

My Mother attended the service at Loch Ewe last Sunday to mark the 75th anniversary of the first convoy to Murmansk in 1942. As I have mentioned before my Father (RN) who died some years ago served on the Arctic runs and was based in Murmansk for some months as well.

According to my Mother, although there were veteran representatives from Russia present there were now only 7 UK veterans able to attend.

What I find surprising was that the event was organised by the Territorial Army. I know this is true as it was my brother-in-law, a Major in the TA, who was in charge!

The only uniformed RN presence seemingly was the Captain of HMS Belfast - I did not know there was one! - and Sea Cadets from Dundee. There was no RN/RNR or even RFA presence. I suspect the Captain from HMS Belfast was a Retired Officer but I cannot be certain.

The Russians had sent a sail training ship but there was no RN vessel of any description to be seen. Not even a P2000 from the URNUs.

While I can understand that the RN is stretched and can barely put some ships to sea, I just find it sad that any sense of history or community action seems to have been seen as unimportant and responsibility for everything handed over to the TA without even a RN Guard present.

McC

Sad. I learned at our last gathering in September (very possibly our last ever) that the schoolmaster we must have crucified with our end of every term request to hear about his Murmansk Convoy MN experiences, Roger Hayes, is now dead. Also a sad end in home for the demented. I think the last time we met was after one of our, then, annual gatherings in Miranda's to where those old enough repaired to watch Can-can and 'mull' increasing in mellowness as we did.

Any visit by a warship to a "Political" event has to have government approval. Shortage or no shortage if the MOD wanted a presence at Loch Ewe be in no doubt there would have been one.
Politics can be a murky old world.