The Russian Convoys - July 1942

	Overview & general experience.
	PQ17 - Journal of a Midshipman.
	This page: PQ18 - Two Yeomen of Signals.

Yeoman of Signals Philip Richardson

PQ18 did not suffer the same level of crippling losses as PQ17 but Yeoman of Signals Philip Richardson DSM, RN recorded in his notes that twelve ships were sunk in just three days. As the convoy approached the gulf of Archangel its troubles were not yet over:

"Up to noon the sea had been dead flat calm, but it blew up in the afternoon and by the time we arrived off Dvina approach the seas were far too heavy to take pilots aboard and even too rough to anchor. We tried the anchor but it dragged and we had to cruise around all night. It was still as rough as ever the next day and it was maddening to see 27 merchant ships who had come through so much to get within a few miles of their destination and not be able to get up the river.

And as we cruised round in no particular order back came old Jerry with his dive bombers. This time we had Russian fighters with us who no doubt did good work but we couldn't see them above the cloud. Now and again an enemy plane would come diving through the clouds and have a go at a ship and all the ships in the vicinity would open fire on him and every time he missed his mark. In the evening we learnt the Russians were going to try to put pilots aboard and the pilot cutter came alongside and as the bows rose with the swell by our ship's side the pilot took a flying leap and clung on to the ship's side to be hauled aboard just in time to escape the crashing of the cutter's bows as they crashed into the ship's side with the next wave. No damage was done and we had our pilot and I think he was a very brave man to come aboard in such a manner.

Damage inflicted in the Barents Sea

It was now too dark to try the dangerous channel so we waited outside for the dawn. Several of the ships tried it that night and six went aground. I slept well that night - undressed the first time since leaving Scotland and when awakened found we were nearly up to the town of Archangel. Each side of the river was massed with timber trees, logs in colossal stacks. The river was full of huge logs drifting down and occasional rafts of logs. We sailed past Archangel but we couldn't form much of an opinion of it from the river, and we went alongside a quay made of timber at a place called Bakharitsa on the opposite bank to Archangel. Bakharitsa was our first impression of Russia and not too favourable either. The first thing that struck us was that everything was made of wood - docks, houses, roads, and footpaths all wooden. Another unusual feature on the docks was the loud-speakers which were continuously spouting Russian or playing Russian music. . . I think the labour of unloading the ships is done by prisoners of some sort - political I believe. They seem dull and listless - always asking for cigarettes and smoking a foul-smelling concoction wrapped up in lots of newspaper".

Yeoman of Signals John Govey described being under attack and how he subsequently was forced to abandon ship:

"I looked to Starboard and there were two tell-tale streaks of torpedoes coming towards us. Slowly, oh so slowly we seemed to turn to comb the tracks, we had about 10 degrees to go, then Crash! The torpedo hit No 2 hold just forward of the bridge with a roar which was deafening, a huge wall of black shot up from the water and the ship shuddered with the explosion. We instantly heeled over to Port, over we went 30° 40° 'Christ' I thought, we are going to turn over, 45° and then slowly back to an even keel. 'Away to the boats lads' yelled the Chief Officer. I turned to the Commodore and said simply 'Books, Sir', he nodded and I placed all the signal books and coding material in a weighted bag. . . and dropped them over the side. . . . [Having climbed into his lifeboat]. . . .As we cleared the sinking ship I saw the Jutland, leading ship of the sixth column going down by the stern. I hadn't realised there were other ships hit. There were three casualties altogether, the third was an American ship full of ammunition. Peuf! A dull noise, a dark purple flash and she was gone. A trawler came alongside and we quickly transferred from lifeboat to the security of the ship. No sooner were we picked up, than we picked up three survivors of the ammo ship who miraculously survived on a raft. They must have abandoned ship before she was struck. . . The few days in the trawler were an eye-opener. Ice everywhere, even the guns were iced up, the heads were unusable, so we peed over the side, and when I really wanted to evacuate I was told to go down the boiler room and have a 'Fisherman's'. Do it on the shovel and throw it on the fire".

After a short stay in a camp in Russia, Govey returned home on board the Matchless, crammed full of survivors and spent another eventful journey under attack.

Signal sent during Convoy PQ18

Transcript of Signal (right)

Wednesday 16th September 1945
To   . . . . . R.A.D.
From . . . . Commodore.

Before you leave us I wish to thank you and your forces very much indeed for the great efforts you have made for our protection.
Do not, anyone of the screen, blame himself because a couple of submarines got through. The scale of their attack must have been immense and that from the air had to be seen to be believed.
You had some near shaves and I hope you will all get home safely and reap the rewards you so well deserve.
It is good for a "Has Been" to see "The Destroyer Service" still goes on as it always has done and is so ably led and commanded by yourself.
Once more, my own and PQ 18's thanks to you all and I trust that the hope expressed in the Book of Proverbs, Chapter six, verse ten, will shortly come true for everyone.
O731.

Prov. Ch.6, V.10,
"Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:"

To   . . . . . Commodore.
From . . . . R.A.D.

We all thank you for your most appreciative signal. It is fine to have sailed with your gallant convoy. Please convey to them, in due course, my and our admiration for them.
The Home Fleet Destroyers and myself would have you feel it is "the likes of you" taught "the likes of us" and if we meet with your approbation we are proud.
"May you finish the course successfully" is our wish to you.
O825.

	Overview & general experience.
	PQ17 - Journal of a Midshipman.
	This page: PQ18 - Two Yeomen of Signals.