Undiscovered Scotland

 

"Never to Return: Convoys to Russia in the Second World War" by Roderick G MacLean is a superbly researched account of a little known part of the story of World War Two.

The Arctic convoys of World War Two sailed from the United Kingdom and Iceland to northern ports in the Soviet Union, mainly Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. In total, there were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945. In "Never to Return", Roderick G MacLean doesn't set out to tell the whole story. Rather he takes as his point of focus one Royal Navy destroyer, HMS Achates. She took part in a number of the convoys and we join her as she is nearly sunk by a mine off Iceland on 25 July 1941, with the loss of 65 members of her crew.

After repairs that took until April 1942 to complete, HMS Achates took part in Convoy PQ16 to northern Russia, which sailed the following month. Apart from a brief spell in the Mediterranean in November 1942, she continued to serve in northern waters until she sailed with Convoy JW51B in late December 1942. On 31 December 1942 the convoy was intercepted by German naval ships in what became known as the Battle of the Barents Sea and HMS Achates was sunk with the loss of 113 of her crew. The book looks in detail at the role of HMS Achates during this time and in particular focuses on two of the crew - one a cousin of the author's mother - who were both killed. The result is a fascinating and at times poignant account that ensures that HMS Achates and her crew will not be forgotten.

The publisher's description provdes furtyher background about the book: "Never to Return tells the story of the Russian convoys and the heroes who sailed in them with particular focus on HMS Achates. Roderick G Maclean has gathered primary and secondary source material to give a detailed and illuminating analysis of the Russian Convoys. He tells of the commodores who came out of retirement, risking their lives to navigate convoys to Murmansk and Archangel; the doctors who diced with death, jumping from one ship to another in rough seas to administer crucial medical aid; the astonishing behaviour of Adolf Hitler in belittling his Kriegsmarine admirals and captains, making them reticent to engage with the Royal Navy in December 1942; the rescue ships which pulled freezing survivors from the ice-cold Arctic waters. Never to Return shares the story of those who, despite their fears, sailed in these convoys. The Scottish Gaelic original of this book was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Research Book of the Year Award 2023 and for the Donald Meek Award for Best Non-Fiction book 2023."