British Forces

For those in peril on the sea (2) ...

Unknown author.

Sailors on an escort warship clear heavy snow from the deck, Arctic Convoys, 1942/'43. Considering the fact that they were heavily exposed to German attack - by aircraft, submarine, and surface ship - as they steamed up from Britain to the Soviet Arctic - the attrition rate on Naval escorts with the convoys (indeed on the Convoys in general) was bad, but could have been a lot worse. Unfortunately, where a ship was sunk or an aircraft shot down, there was seldom any question of turning back to pick up survivors; circumstances were much too dangerous and, in any event, survivability of those pitched into Sub-Arctic and Arctic waters could be measured in a small number of minutes. The extreme conditions of cold encountered by the convoys so far north, clearly, added in no small measure to the stress caused by German attack ... Best regards, JR.