By pure coincidence, a book's just cropped up on my kindle recommendations. I've not read it myself but it gets very good reviews and for less than a quid I reckon it's worth a punt. http://www.amazon.co.uk/St-Nazaire-...1_a1_33_p?ie=UTF8&refRID=13AVGWZE028TMWN6WG58
My Grandad did the Russian convoys and the super tricky runs to Malta. Got sank a few times and even had his lifeboat machine gunned, leaving him to float about in the med with a boat full of corpses. All at 17 too, nuts.
My great grandad was was also in the merchant navy on the atlantic convoy. Nowt but a boy when he joined up. He really wouldn't talk about it either and his medals were just stuffed in a box in the loft. Had that thousand mile stare when the subject ever came up. The only story I heard was of him missing his boat for one convoy. Had to get the next one. The boat he missed was sunk, with the loss of all hands. His best mate was on that boat.
Rovertiger....I searched for the book again for an hour this morning & still it's alluding me (I have a large library dotted all over the house). I last read it about 5 years ago & I may have left it at my sisters in Hull & I know I lent it out to an American mate here in Toronto). I'll check those possibilities out & get back to you with the details I promise.
H H & H, My old man's torpedo experience was similar to your great granddad's, but less gruesome. When they finally ended up in the lifeboat, the sub surfaced & it looked like curtains when half a dozen crew from the sub emerged holding machine guns. In the nick of time the captain of the sub appeared & ordered his men not to shoot. They just let the lifeboat carry on drifting. The one & only time my father told us the story there were tears in his eyes. There's no wonder these lads were reluctant to talk about their horrendous experiences is there ? Just can't imagine being in such situations.
You never really understand that as a kid. I'd read commando comics, watch the stylised films and play war with my mates. It was all a game. Then you grow up and begin to realise the horrors of war. Even then I can't truly know how horrendous it must have been. It's quite poignant that now, when you watch these programs, a number of the participants will have passed away between the filming and the screening. They've seen things we couldn't imagine...all those moments will be lost in time...
Actually no problem RT - after seeing Clarkson's documentay last night I want to reread the book, so I have to trace it's location anyway. Problem is at my bloody age I can't quite recall what I did with it....could be mission impossible ! It is a very detailed, somewhat technical, description of the attempt by the allies (US, Canada & GB) to alleviate the Russians problems of supplies to the front as the Germans were advancing further North. I think it was first published sometime in the 60's or early 70's, authored by a Brit historian, and outlines almost every one of the many convoys setting out from the US via Iceland. I'll let you know if I have any luck retrieving, but as you say, I have googled also & despite there being many references to the NA convoys & conflicts with the Germans non of the "hits" triggered my memory re the title of the book I read.
So true....and in those days there was no real understanding of post-traumatic stress syndrome & it's impact on the many lives involved, directly & indirectly (the sufferers' families etc). Glossed over as "shell shock"...which was viewed more like a "cowards" response than an actual real medical problem. So many were treated shabbily after being demobbed. In many cases little has changed with modern warfare sadly.
Go on Amazon and look for it. It brings up loads of books along the same lines. It wasnt Battle for the North Atlantic: The Strategic Naval Campaign that Won World War II in Europe by John R Bruning??
RT, Finally tracked it down - my American mate had it - in fact it's his book (he says - I don't believe him, that I had borrowed about 7-8 years ago - told you I was going senile !) Title: "The Russian Convoys" Author : B.B.Schofield. (Vice Admiral, CB, CBE) Published: First - 1964, this edition : 1984....ISBN 0 330 28388 X Publisher: Pan Books Ltd I'm sure you'll be able to get a copy on e-bay or through Amazon. It's an excellent read. TigersCanada PS. Thanks for the tip Chazz, I heared Bruning's book was a good read too.
Thanks TC, Library first stop tomorrow, i'll look forward to reading it. Thanks for taking the time to run it down mate.
Excellent series. Portillo has gone up in my estimation - quite a laugh on "This Week" too - maybe Neil's influence mind..
