Arctic Convoy heroes honoured by Putin

TWO naval veterans from Thame have been honoured by The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, for their individual contributions to the Arctic Convoys during the second World War.

Jack Kirtland (left) a Russian naval officer called Dmitrii (centre) and Jim Barrett

At a special ceremony at Oxford Town Hall yesterday, April 23, Jim Barrett and Jack Kirtland were among a group of British veterans presented with the Ushakov Medal, by Alexander Kramarenko, Minister –Counsellor at the Russian embassy.

Jim’s daughters, Gillian and Jane and his son, Roy, and Jack’s daughter, Denise Cousins, were all there to share their fathers’ proud moments.

Jim Barrett and his wife Clare ran the Three Horse Shoes pub in Towersey for 16 years following his 25 years serving in the Royal Navy,  mostly in Destroyers but also serving aboard Battleships, Cruisers and Aircraft Carriers.  Jim joined the Royal Navy at the age of 14 in 1936. One of the first ships Jim served on was the Battleship HMS Iron Duke, which was later sunk at Scapa Flow.

After a spell in the Far East, he joined HMS Faulknor in 1942. As Leader of ‘F’ Flotilla group of destroyers, HMS Faulknor was soon in the thick of things, being sent to escort and protect the Arctic Convoys of merchant ships delivering essential supplies to the Soviet Union.These convoys suffered continual attacks and many sailors and their ships were lost.

From Dennis and Sheila Manners, and Jim and Clare, the idea of the Towersey Folk Weekends was born, which has now grown into a national, annual event.

Jack Kirtland was also a wartime sailor with the Arctic Convoys. His ship, HMS Mounsey,  was  hit by a torpedo in November 1944, killing many on board. The torpedo hit the ship’s water tanks which exploded, and the huge force threw Jack Kirtland across the deck. Although several of his fellow crew members died of suffocation in the horrifying attack, luckily Jack escaped suffering any serious injury.

In his tribute to the Arctic Convoy veterans, Alexander Kramarenko explained why, after 70 years, they (the Russians) still care and want to honour the veterans:  “We have a word ‘rodnye’. In its original meaning it refers to blood relations. But more often it is used to refer to other people, neighbours and others, with whom one shared the burden of everyday life, quite tough most of the time, with whom one has been through various trials, shared all, grief and misfortune, joy and triumph. It explains why we survived as a nation.”

He continued that it was about……..”an inherent need for some sort of collective life, for caring for others and for being cared for. For mutual support, for mutual  foregiveness, for mutual confession…..it has everything to do with Christian love and laying down one’s life for one’s friends.

“It is a relationship born out of shared experience…….By virtue of our common experience, you are ‘rodnye’ to us.”

Mr Kramarenko added: “Simply, it is recognition, pure and clear, of our common humanity that is timeless and transcends everything else. That is why we remember and seek to express our appreciation of your effort in the ways available to us.”

He concluded on a personal note: “In my 40 years on Diplomatic Service I have never had a mission more important than this, and I am sure I will never have (in the future).

“It is about the debt all of us living owe to those brave men.”