Arctic Convoys 1941-45: 'The worst journey in the world'

A view from the bridge of the British light cruiser HMS Sheffield. This photograph was taken while she was escorting convoy JW53 in late February 1943. This convoy encountered extremely severe weather on the passage to Russia, probably the worst ever experienced by any of the Arctic convoys. Sheffield and seven other vessels were forced to return to Britain for repairs after receiving storm damage. The size and power of the waves can be gauged by the fact that some of the armour plating from one of Sheffield’s forward turrets was torn away by the force of the water. The cruiser also suffered superficial damage to her upper works, and a lifeboat was smashed. Over the course of the War, 40 of the ships bound for Russian ports were forced to turn back due to damage inflicted by ice and heavy weather, and a further one sank in a gale