Comments on: Matildas in Soviet Service

By: 3BAC

3BAC — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 21:31:40 +0000

Especially sad considering it was poor navigation that caused it. Seven allied ships lost to British mines laid a month earlier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Niger_(J73)
http://books.google.com/books?id=EFbVqxwLBewC&pg=PA182&lpg=PA182&dq=cargo+ship+rodina+-watch&source=bl&ots=c53e0zV5D0&sig=bClk5bkoWsLRLxI3WosfEA64N9c&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Yg-7U7CwCIvhsATHuIGQDQ&ved=0CG4Q6AEwDQ#v=onepage&q=cargo%20ship%20rodina%20-watch&f=false

By: Achaemenid

Achaemenid — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 16:33:04 +0000

Actually, Russia was and is a hell of a lot better at commemorating the Arctic Convoys than we Brits are. The British government actually blocked the Russians from awarding the men of the convoys the Ushakov Medal and the British government did not give the sailors of the Arctic Convoys a campaign medal (the Arctic Star) until 2012. The Arctic convoys did not get a specific war memorial in Britain until 2012. There was already one in Murmansk. And I just found this: http://www.rusemb.org.uk/arcticalliedconvoys/

It’s a page from the Russian Embassy to the UK about the convoys. It concludes: “The Allied seamen showed true heroism in their long and perilous sea passages in convoys, being constantly attacked by enemy forces in the appalling weather conditions of the Arctic. The bravery of these men and women who unsparingly fought for the Victory will be always remembered and respected.”

They even helped with the upkeep of HMS Belfast.

I’m no fan of the Soviets, or of Russia’s modern government, but the fact is Russia has always shown its gratitude to those who made the hellish trips. Britain cannot say the same thing.

By: Westonbirt_EU

Westonbirt_EU — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 15:32:42 +0000

East-West cooperation tends to be forgotten by the more virulent both sides in favour of a self-aggrandizing revisionist history that honestly benefit most of them. Instead of admitting the Allies needed each other, the Cold War has resulted in too often two camps that are very happy wanking themselves in their corner of the room.

I had the misfortune of encountering in a comment section an unpleasant fuck who saying that the Allies got with the USSR because it was clear that Staline was kicking Hitler’s ass. And I find it just as jarring as the jingoistic GI Joes who believe America destroyed Nazi Germany alone because freedom.

By: Banf

Banf — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 13:35:04 +0000

So I looked for SS Rodina, found this:

http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?192437

Pretty sad, desperate days.

By: tiger61378

tiger61378 — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 12:15:36 +0000

Very interesting info….nice to know that my Matilda IV is at least somewhat historical as well (even if it was a one-off prototype that never managed to get into production).

By: Herman_der_German

Herman_der_German — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 11:29:06 +0000

Russians now might make little of the material supplied but the contribution made by the artic convoys in spite of the danger and attrition by enemy action and the weather helped keep them going at the moment when they needed supplies most. The food and ammo supplies in particular helped keep Leningrad alive as the route from Murmansk in the north faced less disruption from enemy action.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_convoys_of_World_War_II

http://www.arcticconvoys.co.uk/

By: CrimsonSam

CrimsonSam — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 10:27:22 +0000

So he won’t appear in a HB in the future :/

By: XiongMao

XiongMao — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 09:48:53 +0000

Prototype. It has the modified turret and a 76.2mm gun.

By: Silentstalker

Silentstalker — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 09:30:48 +0000

You mean the Soviet one? One prototype existed, as the photo shows.

By: CrimsonSam

CrimsonSam — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 09:06:44 +0000

The Soviets also considered upgunning the Matildas with their own 76,2mm ZIS-5 gun from the KV-1 (along with heavy modifications of the turret), a prototype was made, but in January 1942 the program was scrapped because the worst crisis was over.

So the in-game matilda IV has a correct historical configuration or just prototype config?