Thanks Mike. The story of your Dad's Murmansk Run pretty much mirrows mine except for the compass alcohol caper. We had ferocious gales and floe ice to contend with as well as the enemy. Convoy PQ-14 that followed us (PQ-13)started out with twenty-seven vessels, thirteen of which were British, ten USA flag, two Russian, one Dutch and one Panamanian. The convoy with Commodore, Captain Rees RNR, on board the British S.S. Empire Howard, sailed from Reykjavik on the afternoon of the 8th April. After 30 hours of fog, and 12 hours in heavy Polar ice only eight ships remained in company, the rest having returned to Iceland with ice damage. Only two ships had Armed Guards aboard in convoy; the SS Yaka and the SS West Cheswald. It was a tough run.
John