Loch Ewe ceremony remembers convoy sacrifice
A POIGNANT memorial service attended by over one hundred people was held at the Russian Arctic Convoy Memorial site on the shores of Loch Ewe, Wester Ross on Sunday – and it was especially moving for the two veterans who attended the event.
Veterans Reay Clarke from Tain and Geoff Holmes, who travelled up from Lincoln, have first-hand memories of the voyages that were called “the worst journey in the world” by Churchill.
Reay was on HMS Farndale that left Loch Ewe 70 years ago and he remembers it as if it were yesterday.
He said: “I remember the comradeship – we were like a family, and that helped us through the horrors of the journey. We left Loch Ewe at 16.10 exactly 70 years ago, and were protecting the merchant ships carrying the supplies.”
Veteran Geoff Holmes travelled up to Loch Ewe from his home in Lincoln with his friend George Webb, and was so pleased to be able to take part in the service.
He served aboard the merchant ships Samaritan and Fort Yukon which were carrying supplies to Russia. He too, found the event very moving.
Wreaths were laid on behalf of the families of veterans, by Leona Thomas from Edinburgh and David Farrance of West Yorkshire, both of whom travelled up specifically for the service.
Families of veterans came from all across the country to show their respects for the sacrifices made by their relatives.
The Lord Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty, Janet Bowen, laid a wreath on behalf of the Queen. Local youngsters from the Air Training Corps and Sea Scouts also attended the service, together with the local community and many who travelled from afar to be part of the PQ18 Memorial event.
The event was organised by the Russian Arctic Convoy Museum Project which is fundraising to build a Museum on the shores of Loch Ewe, to create a lasting legacy to all those that took part in this important part of WWII.
More on this story in this week's Ross-shire Journal.
