Daily Post - 19.01.1943, Blaðsíða 2

D A i L Y f'OSr
With An Allied Convoy
To Russia
by Erik K. Nieisen
This article, written specially for Daily Post by a Nor-
wegian merchant seaman, relates his own experiences.
1
DAILY POST
ls published by
Blaðabringurlnn.
Editors: S. Benediktsson.
A. L. Merson.
Offlce: 12, Austursiræti. Tel.
3715. Reykjavík. Printed by
Alþýðuprentsmiðj an Ltd.
Tuesday, Jan. 19, 1943
Using The
Winter
With every week that has
passed since the middle of
November, the Soviet offensive
which began near Stalingrad
has developed in scope and
power. Now we can see it as a
vast strategic conception, em-
bracing the whole Eastern front
and executed with admirable
precision and judgement. How
the Russians have overcome the
grave difficulties of communica
tions and supply is almost im-
possible to comprehend. It can,
at any rate, only have been by
faultness organisation. The old
myth of the “Russian blunder-
buss”, of clumsy mechanics and
ramshackle communications,
has been swept away among the
other garbage of pre-war illu-
sions.
Hitler claimed that he was
much better prepared for this
winter than for last. He cer-
tainly had time to prepare, and
as it has turned out, the winter
is much less severe this time.
Yet this fact has' helped the
Russians to inflict even more
damaging blows on the German
army than they did last year.
And at the present time, Hitler
looks as near to disaster as he
ever was before,
Yet, let us not forget two
things. In the first place, just
as the Russians withdrew as far
as Stalingrad and the Caucasus
last summer because it was
their strategy to do so, so Hitler
undoubtedly never intended to
do otherwise than stand on the
defensive this winter. He wan-
ted to save up for next summer,
as is shown by his policy of
sacriíicing his allies in the pre-
sent campaign and trying to
keep his superior German
troops in reserve. Next summer
too, the Russians may be ex-
pected to feet the full effects
of the loss of the Ukraine and
Kuban plains and of the Donetz
mines and factories. Whatever
their gains in the coming
Slowly the big ship increased
her speed, while engineers
watched the controls and listen-
ed to the rhythm of the engin-
es. She had been captured from
the Italians, and they had da-
maged the engines, boilers and
pumps before we could get on
board. But now she was repair-
ed again and after brief trials,
was declared fit for service.
Then came loading in an Allied
port, joining the convoy, and
there we were with the long
voyage to Russia ahead of us.
FIRST ATTACK
For many days our journey
was uneventful. Our first
glimpse of the enemy came
when we were spotted by a
lone Focke-Wulfs patrol bomb-
er. We all expected action, but
instead the plane turned away,
probably to report us.
Two days later we had our
first attack. The bell rang for
“action stations” and in a few
seconds every man was at his
post. Then we saw them, com-
ing up behind us — eight heavy
German borhbers. They flew
over the convoy, through heavy
anti-aircraft fire, and dropped
their bombs. Then, as they
turned round and were about
half. way back, smoke poured
months, they will then be in
greater need than ever before
of a great Allied diversion to
take the weight off them.
For this diversion, the spring-
board is not yet secured. It is
vital that North Africa be
cleared of the enemy during
these menths. It is much chea-
per for the Germans to have
one army in Tunis than to be
forced to keep many armies all
along the north coast of the
Mediterranean to meet a blow
which might fall anywhere. For
this reason they are holding on
grimly. And for this reason, it
is excellent news that \he 8th
Army is again on the move
towards Tripoli. We hope and
believe that they will finish the
job now, and that the final
battles for Tunis lie not far
ahead.
from one of the engines and a
few seconds later, Hitler had
one plane less. This first attack
had not cost us- any damage,
but it cost us the lives of three
brave naval grunners. A bomb
exploded in the midst of their
gun-pit, killing them instantly.
HÍT, BUT UNDAUNTED
The planes came down the
convoy once more. This time
they hit a freighter along the
side, making a big hole under
the water-line. The ship began
to sink, and it was evident that
her pumps coula not keep her
afloat. Then a destroyer tvent
alongside, and that was the last
we saw of her until, after we
had been in Russia a couple of
days, she came into port under
her own power, limping but
safe.
We were attacked several
This amusing book written
in the form of letters to some-
one living in England does not
pretend to give authorative in-
formation about Iceland and
defty avoids those snippets, of
‘gen’ which the Censor doesn’t
like to see in our letters . . .
It is an account of life with
the British forces in Iceland
form June 1940 to May 1942
and displays in full measure
the sense of humour which
makes life bearable under try-
ing natural conditions. Captain
Ernest Watkins writes with a
subtlety we expect of a.con-
tributor to “Punch”. He men-
times after this first attack, but
with little result.
RUSSIA AT WAR
Some of us had been to Rus-
sia before the war, and we
could clearly see how war had
left its mark. When we came
ashore we were all surprised
to see the gay spirit everybody
was in. Hundreds of air raids
and much suffering had not
made the people sad or down-
hearted. Here we saw the same
spirit which we saw in the
people of London when they
were suffering under heavy air
raids.
Everybody was at work,
clearing up the streets after a
heavy air raid. In their eyes
we saw the light of hope . . -
the hope that they would live
to see their country freed from
the Germans and the Red Army
marching to Berlin. That spirit
and that hope made everybody
work. Soldiers on leave from
the front did not stay at horne,
but came down to the docks to
help unload the ships or repair'
them. Women had taken over
many jobs and we saw young
girls driving heavy army trucks
or operating winches and cran-
es.
We all felt at home among
the people, and when we left
Russia, we all hoped that we
should be back with another
cargo before long.
tions Mr. Churchill’s visit and
the coming of American troops
but he is at his best when des-
cribing the minor pleasures and
diversions of these outposts —
army exercises, motor cycle
trials, gardening, ridding
Nissen huts of rats or amend-
ing the rules for Chinese
Checkers . . .
This is not a book to send
home to trusting relatives who
think one is ‘winning the war’
but as an antidote for that
‘browned off’ feeling is it is the
best we have read yet. It does
help us fn laugh.
G. E. B.
A New Feature - Book Reviews
“No Depression In Sce land”
By Ernest Watkins, published by George Allen and Unwin, Ob-
tainable in Reykjavík at the English Bookshop.