Arctic Convoys

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There have been so many great programmes made about WW2 but one great story never told on film before is the one about those notorious convoys to Northern Russia… the Arctic Convoys.

For me personally, I can honestly say that it was the most difficult television programme I have ever made, but one I was determined should be produced and shown to the world.

I say this because as unbelievable as it may sound, if you stopped a hundred people in the street and ask them if they knew about those Arctic Convoys, I doubt if one would have a clue what you were on about, as I was to find out to my cost.

In the first instance I went, as is the way when you produce a television documentary, to all the broadcasters in the hope of getting enthusiastic support and backing, but not one of them showed the slightest bit of interest, and certainly didn’t offer any support at all.

This then left me with the decision to make as to whether I should continue on my own or do the simple thing and just call it a day. Because I felt that it was so important to tell this story now whilst there were still Arctic Convoy Veterans alive and able to give us their own stories, I make the decision to make it no matter how difficult it would be and believe me; it really was so very difficult.

I tried to make contact with Arctic Convoy Veterans, which sounds a whole lot easier than it proved to be. I also wanted to gain the support of governments and military in Russia, Norway, the UK and America but not one of them responded to my communications.

At times it seemed as though the whole project was doomed to failure and would never see the light of day, but then something quite unexplainable happened, something so very weird that it really does take some believing, but it happened and when it did, it changed everything.

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The Russians suddenly took a great interest, quickly followed by the Norwegians, the RAF and the Royal Navy. Arctic Convoy veterans made contact with me and suddenly, what looked so much like a doomed venture became a production like no other.

The end result is a quite remarkable television documentary that with the use of very rare archive film manages to capture the full gravity and horror of those Arctic Convoys in a way that leave us with no doubt in our minds just why Winston Churchill described them as “The Worst Journey in the World”.

I could write forever and ever about this programme but honestly, the best way is for you to get a copy and watch it for yourselves… it really is quite amazing.

In the words of one of the Arctic Convoy veterans after having viewed this programme: “I have seen just about ever programme ever made about the wartime convoys, but this is the first time I have seen one that somehow manages to capture just what it was like to have actually been there… truly amazing.

Now at long last their story is being told and although they still haven’t received a Campaign Medal, which is so disgusting, at least their story will, through this documentary, become a permanent part of our maritime history. (How nice to think that in twenty, fifty, a hundred or even a thousand years time, their story will still be able to be viewed by young people who must surely marvel at the courage of all those young seafarers, some hardly out of short trousers, served aboard those ships, manning guns and fighting not only for their lives but ours as well.

We owe them so very much and I am so pleased that after two and half years endless hard work, this remarkable Arctic Convoy documentary was finally made.

I would like to thank the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, the Norwegian military and government and most of all, the fantastic support and help we received from the Russian military and government, who really could teach our own government a thing or two about the respect and appreciation they have for all those brave young sea-farers that took part and perished in the icy seas of the Arctic.

We owe all those that took part in those Arctic Convoys so very much.

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