The Arctic Convoys -the coldest place to be in WW2 ...

[dogtag]

Freezing your arse off, chipping ice away so you don't capsize
while being attacked from below, above and from the surface.
A late friend of mind did the Arctic runs in a Flower Class Corvette.
He said going down into the trough of a giant wave, you figured
you weren't coming up again. His ship was sunk (not in the Arctic)
that's why he survived.
I'm feeling cold just looking at the pictures.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...c-Convoys.html

[JB White]

What were cowboys doing driving 'vettes to flower classes in the Arctic? Oh...convoys. Let me read all that again.

[m1ashooter]

That was tough duty. The air bridge was a bit brisk also.

[barretcreek]

PQ 17. Lost 24 of 35 ships. Those corvettes were coal fired up and down steam plants which were based on a trawler hull.

HS teacher was in the armed guard. He volunteered (they all were) because he didn't want to get stuck behind a desk.

[Major Tom]

If the torpedoes didn't kill them, 30 seconds in the water would.

[togor]

And hardly so much as a thank-you from Ivan.

[retread12345]

NO EXPERT. IMHO. A corvette was a class of warship similar to a destroyer or destroyer escort Ballsy. Dudes

[dogtag]

NO EXPERT. IMHO. A corvette was a class of warship similar to a destroyer or destroyer escort Ballsy. Dudes

Smaller - see movie The Cruel Sea.

[Vern Humphrey]

PQ 17. Lost 24 of 35 ships. Those corvettes were coal fired up and down steam plants which were based on a trawler hull.

HS teacher was in the armed guard. He volunteered (they all were) because he didn't want to get stuck behind a desk.

PQ 17 was a crime -- they were abandoned by the Royal Navy and left to fend for themselves. Virtually everyone on the lost ships died in freezing arctic waters.

[barretcreek]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower-class_corvette

[dogtag]

Neat Movie - 'Corvette K255' starring Ella Raines and Randolph Scott.

[Clark Howard]

Anyone who is interested in the North Atlantic sea war should dig into a Royal Navy officer by the name of Johnny Walker. He perfected the weapons and tactics that enabled the small antisub boats to defeat the U-boats. Regards, Clark

[sid]

This is in response to Dog's post. The movie he recommended, Corvette K255, is really excellent and also quite realistic.

[Jiminvirginia]

Funny. My dad was Naval Armed Guard in WW2. He said he pulled every trick in the book to avoid a Murmansk run. Still made over 30 trips across the Atlantic. I dont think he volunteered for the Armed Guard. As he told it he was yanked out of the middle of an aviation mechanics class and was voluntold to be a Gunners Mate.

[Ken The Kanuck]

Although I have posted this before, this thread wants me to pay homage to the gentleman on the left (Dick M). The picture was taken at the club where we enjoyed shooting some trap. Fortunately I knew Dick for a long time as he was a friend of my parents and an old time welder in the pipe fitters union. I got to fish and hunt with Dick as he enjoyed the bush. Dick was raised in northern Manitoba and told me some very interesting stories about being raised in that frontier.

Dick was a sailor in WWII and made many journeys across the north Atlantic including to Russia. The Russian government issued a medal to those who served on the ships supplying Russia in the war. For the longest time the Canadian government would not let those veteran wear that medal (commie you know). But eventually they were allowed to.

Dick also drove a troop carrier on to Juno Beach on D-Day and was wounded and had to spend the night there until he was evacuated the following day.

One time when we were at the cabin and another old timer who lived at the lake and had also served in the Canadian navy during WWII came down for a coffee with Dick and they shared some stories. Fortunately I taped those conversations and when Dick passed away I gave a copy to his son.

The thing I believe that Dick was most proud of was his ability as a young man to be able to skin a muskrat while walking.

These gentlemen were truly of the greatest generation and need to be remembered whenever possible.

KTK