Operation EF (1941): The Raid on Kirkenes and Petsamo-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

This was the attack which claimed the lives of  Edward Burke and James Beardley.

It took place on July 30, 1941.  The plan was to attack German merchant ships and warships in these two places and inflict as much damage as possible.  It was meant to be a surprise to the Germans, but the midnight sun in those high latitudes precluded that from happening.

A major part of the operation was to keep the supply line to Murmansk open.

The attacking British force consisted of two aircraft carriers (the Furious and the Victorious), two cruisers and six destroyers.  The two carriers had some 61 planes of various sorts.  Eighteen of the planes were Fairey Fulmars of the type Burke and Beardsley were in.

--GreGen

Russia's Vaida Bay Military Cemetery

From Commonwealth War Graves site.

The graves of Edmund Seymour Burke and  James Beardsley are located here along with those of fifty other Russians who died in World War II.

Probably not a place you'd want to visit because it is extremely barren, cold most of the year and all sorts of travel problems will be encountered.

Here's what the site has to say:

The cemetery is a 7 to 8 hour drive from Murmansk across largely rough  and poorly maintained roads.  Access by road is only available for a short period of time during the summer months and should only be attempted with a well-maintained  4X4 vehicle.

Permission to visit the Rybachy Peninsula must also be obtained from the Russian Northern Fleet before attempting the trip.

--GreGen

Statue Controversy in N.C.-- Part 2: Training Soviet Aviators for Anti-U-boat Operations

One council member who voted against it believes it could be a Trojan Horse from which the Russians could disrupt the internet or electrical system in the United States.  Plus, Russians are known for their hacking now.

A Russian-American joint commission on POWs and MIAs wanted the monument in Elizabeth City because of a top-secret World War II operation at a U.S. Coast Guard station located there.  Recently declassified documents say that "Operation Zebra" helped train about 300 Soviet aviators to find German submarines and bomb them.

The U.S. east coast was always under threat of German U-boat operations, and, of course, the U.S. was supplying weapons and food to the Soviet Union along the Murmansk Arctic convoy run, which often was under U-boat attack.

--GreGen

The Brutal Murmansk Run-- Part 4: "It Looked Like He Was Doing Some Kind of Crazy Dance"

In the Battle of the Atlantic there were 1,600 Canadian merchant mariners killed, the highest casualty rate of any Canadian service during the war.  The Royal Canadian Navy lost 2,000 and Royal Canadian Air Force lost 752.

One of Mr. Polowi's memories of the Murmansk Run was watching the helmsmen in the wheelhouse during a storm trying to dick gushes of water shooting out of the speaking tube.  "It looked as if he was doing some kind of crazy dance."

Mr. Polowi is a regular speaker at schools recounting his World War II experiences.

--GreGen

The Brutal Murmansk Run-- Part 3: Loved Crow's Nest Duty

Overriding most everything was the fear of that mighty cold water.  If you were unfortunate enough to go in, you only had three minutes to live.  Then there were near-constant alerts where you had to stand battle stations in usually wet and freezing conditions.  Mr. Polowin recalled one time at his station for a whole day.

Sometimes they would get a break with what was called "reduced alerts", where, to keep the crew alert, the heating inside the ship was turned off.

With luck, they would make it back to Scapa Flow (which was closed in 1956) and then the process would be repeated.  In total, he made four of these trips.

In rough seas, they would stick knives in wooden tables to hold their plates in place.  Being young often meant crow's nest duty for Polowi, but he liked it, "You were above the spray and usually didn't get wet."

--GreGen

The Brutal Murmansk Run-- Part 2: "If They Intended to Terrify, They Did"

They would receive orders to escort a convoy across the Atlantic.  The ships would oil up in Iceland then join the convoy which was usually so large they couldn't see all the ships.

It took ten days to get to Murmansk and then unloading.  The ships would get more oil.  There was nothing to do ashore.

During each ten day trip over the top of Europe, "One's mind was so focused by fear and discomfort, and the body carrying an adrenaline load, that entertainment wasn't a thought.

Mr. Polowin would hear booms and see flashes on the horizon and knew that ships had been torpedoed.  he heard air attacks but didn't see much in the near darkness, adding, "Stuka (dive bombers) made an awful sound when they attacked.  If they intended to terrify, they did."

--GreGen

The Brutal Murmansk Run-- Part 1: 45 Minutes of Daylight

From the Feb. 17, 2013, Ottawa (Canada) Citizen "Brutal Murmansk Run kept Russian supplied during Second World War" by Dave Brown.

The Arctic Ocean across the top of Europe gets 45 minutes of winter daylight in what is referred to as the Murmansk Run.  Earlier this year, the Russian Embassy in Ottawa put out a call asking for veterans who made the run to come forward.  In most cases, family members of deceased showed up, but also one actual veteran did.

Alex Polowin, 88, was an underaged Royal Canadian Navy volunteer for the Murmansk Run.  Here is his memories of it:

He was one of 275 crew members on the HMCS Huron, a Tribal-class destroyer.  Murmansk duty started at Scapa Flow, the home base of British Grand Fleet located at the top of the British Isles.  They would spend many boring weeks at anchor in bleak landscape.  There was little entertainment ashore.

The Murmansk Run usually only took place during the winter to take advantage of the lack of sunlight.

--HreGen

The Virginia Dare Receives the Gallant Ship Award

From the U.S. Merchant Marine site.

Over a 17-day period, the SS Virginia Dare, loaded with high explosives and en route to Murmansk, Soviet Union, repelled countless enemy bombs and torpedoes by accurate fire of its guns and skillful maneuvering.

Later in the war, the Virginia Dare and Liberty Ship SS Daniel Chester French were sunk when Convoy UGS 33 entered an Allied minefield 6 March 1944.

 --GreGen

A D-Day Ship Returns to Britain: HMCS Stormont/Christina O.

From the February 24th Calgary (Can) Herald "Famous luxury yacht with Canadian past open for tourists: Christina O. hosted world's rich and famous" by Randy Boswell.

This ship participated in the D-Day armada across the English Channel and returned to British waters this week and will be open for tours.

The ship definitely has a World War II past what with its U-boat patrols and war stories, but, no doubt, most folks will be more interested in its history as the yacht belonging to Greek businessman Aristotle Onassis bought it in the 1950s and transformed it into one of the most luxurious craft ever to sail.

Built in 1943 at the Canadian Vickers shipyard in Montreal, Canada, it was named after a former county south of Ottawa. The vessel participated in the dangerous Murmansk Run convoys to that port in the Soviet Union bringing in vital supplies to enable that country to continue fighting in the war.

The ship also escorted troops and supplies across the North Atlantic and hunted U-boats.

More to Come. --GreGen