On the Russian Arctic convoys in 1942, Leonard H. Thomas kept a secret notebook, from which he later wrote his memoirs. These contained many closely observed details about life aboard his ship, HMS Ulster Queen. He described in detail the hardships they endured as they held their posts, trapped in the engine room, under fire from the air and the sea, able to guess what was happening only from the cacophony of sounds they heard. Thomas recounts how the crew suffered from a terrifying lack of food, extreme cold and the harsh conditions they endured for weeks in Arkhangelsk as the Russian winter approached. There are also insights into the men's morale and moments of levity when their humour kept them going. These stories can now be told because his daughter has compiled them into an account that illustrates the fortitude and bravery of the men who sailed through ice and fire to advance the war so far from home.
Author
Thomas, Leona J.
Title
Through Ice and Fire
Details
English text, paperback, 32 bw-illustrations. 216 pages.
State
new
Subtitle
A Russian ArcticConvoy Diary 1942
Fonthill Media Millview, Toadsmoor GL5 2TB Road, Stroud, Vereinigtes Königreich
