The Arctic Convoys: The Forgotten Sacrifice

The Most Dangerous Route

From August 1941 to May 1945, 78 convoys sailed from Scottish ports to Murmansk and Archangel in the Soviet Union, carrying vital war supplies through some of the most dangerous waters on earth. They faced U-boats, Luftwaffe attacks, Arctic storms, and temperatures so extreme that spray froze instantly on deck.

The Price

Between 1941 and 1945, 104 merchant ships and 16 Royal Navy warships were lost on the Arctic route. Over 3,000 merchant seamen and Royal Navy personnel died. The convoys delivered four million tonnes of supplies to the Soviet Union, including 7,000 aircraft and 5,000 tanks.

Soviet-Scottish Bonds

The Arctic Convoys forged enduring bonds between Scotland and the Soviet Union. Glasgow and Edinburgh both had active Soviet-Scottish friendship societies, and the shared experience of the convoys created a mutual respect between British and Soviet sailors that lasted generations.

Recognition

Full recognition for Arctic Convoy veterans came shamefully late. The Arctic Star medal was not instituted until 2013. Russia awarded its Ushakov Medal to surviving British veterans, a gesture that many found more meaningful than their own country's belated recognition.