Over 40 veterans are gathering on the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh Tuesday (August 30) as part of a series of commemorative events led by the Consul General, in a bid to preserve their legacy.
Between 1941 and 1945 the Convoys sailed from Loch Ewe in Wester Ross and the River Clyde to the ports of Archangelsk and Murmansk in the far north of Russia, where temperatures could reach as low as minus 50 degrees centigrade.
Consul General @RusCG_Edinburgh on #ArcticConvoy vets: 'They show us how to cooperate when we’re facing challenges' pic.twitter.com/ozombQYeYW
— Sputnik UK (@SputnikNewsUK) August 30, 2016
It was a test of endurance for the sailors, with nearly 3000 young men — some as young as 16 years of age — perishing in the icy North Atlantic.
"It was horrendous," said John Lawrie, a seaman — now 97-years-old.
"If any part of your skin got stuck to metal you couldn't get it off. Even when there was a hurricane or a blizzard you had to cut the words from your mouth if you spoke… It was 50 or 60 below at times."
Despite the language barrier, the Scots nevertheless were able engage in the exchange of goods with their Soviet counterparts. Cigarettes and chocolate, as Jack Lawrie recalls, were the most sought-after items.
#ArcticConvoy veteran John Lawrie (97) describes how they traded British cigarettes for Soviet star badges pic.twitter.com/B5uWkDMhjG
— Sputnik UK (@SputnikNewsUK) August 30, 2016
Another veteran, Donald Dawkins, was only 16-years-old when he joined the Convoys as a leading telegraphist.
He recalled being asked, "Are you sure you want to join," to which he replied, "Yes!"
"I was so excited," he told Sputnik, as he described his best moments.
75 anniversary of the #ArcticConvoy celebrated in Scotland @ScotRussiaForum @RusCG_Edinburgh https://t.co/BGhJ579eFx pic.twitter.com/zHookvOAub
— Sputnik UK (@SputnikNewsUK) August 30, 2016
The importance of the Arctic Convoys' role in defeating Nazi Germany cannot be underestimated.
"Their contribution to the achievement after the Second World War was immense. I think it's been recognized now by both the British and Russian governments that the Arctic Convoys were a very important aspect of the eventual victory," Commander Dairmid Gunn, Vice-President of the Russia-Scotland Forum told Sputnik.
The Consul General has sought out every Arctic Convoy survivor in recent years, in order to present them with the Ushakov medal, an award given to Russian (and previously Soviet) sailors and soldiers. He told Sputnik that there are further plans to commemorate the Arctic Convoys, including a museum and special monument in the UK.
Consul General @RusCG_Edinburgh Andrey A. Pritsepov and vets D. Dawkins, J. Lawrie at 75th #ArcticConvoy anniversary pic.twitter.com/XwrKacfxOf
— Sputnik UK (@SputnikNewsUK) August 30, 2016
"I think that what they've done overshadows any volatility in bilateral relations. They are giants — they show us how to cooperate when we are facing challenges. I do think it's maybe a lost generation that knew right from wrong," Mr. Pritsepov told Sputnik.
The Consul continued by emphasizing the importance of history and learning from the mistakes of the past. He cited the Russian saying, "We shouldn't just learn from our fathers and grandfathers, we should be worthy of them."
