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Force Benedict
Second World War fighter pilot Eric Carter is one of only four surviving members of a secret mission, code-named 'Force Benedict'. Sanctioned by Winston Churchill in 1941 Force Benedict was dispatched to defend Murmansk, the USSR's only port not under Nazi occupation. If Murmansk fell, Soviet resistance against the Nazis would be hard to sustain and Hitler would be able to turn all his forces on Britain...Force Benedict was under the command of New Zealand-born RAF Wing Commander Henry Neville Gynes Ramsbottom-Isherwood, who led two squadrons of Hurricane fighters, pilots and ground crew which were shipped to Russia in total secrecy on the first ever Arctic Convoy. They were told to defend Murmansk against the Germans 'at all costs'. 'We all reckoned the government thought we'd never survive' - but Eric Carter did, and was threatened with Court Martial if he talked about where he'd been or what he'd done. Now he reveals his experiences of seventy years ago in the hell on earth that was Murmansk, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. It will also include previously unseen photos and documents, as well as exploring - for the first time - other intriguing aspects of Force Benedict.
411 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 30, 2024
A book that tells the story of a little known aspect of WW2, when in the late summer of 1941, two squadrons of RAF Hurricane fighters were sent to the port of Murmansk to help defend it against a German offensive. The Hurricanes, complete with pilots and ground crew, were in the first of the Arctic convoys that took supplies to the USSR after the German invasion. They were given the name “Force Benedict”. The job of the RAF was to advise Soviet pilots on flying the aircraft, whilst the ground crews did the same with their counterparts in terms of maintenance and repair. The pilots engaged in operational duties until this training was completed.
The subtitle to this book refers to a “mission to save Stalin”. In terms of Force Benedict itself, this is a gross exaggeration (though typical of the way these subtitles are written). Given the millions involved directly in the war on the Eastern Front, we should not overstate the impact of a couple of squadrons of British aircraft. Indeed in purely military terms the mission was little more than a pinprick to the Luftwaffe. That is not meant to denigrate the courage or professionalism of those who took part. Arguably though the mission was important in that the Hurricanes were the first of 3,000 delivered to the Soviet Union via the Arctic convoys, and the training given by the pilots and groundcrew to the first Soviet crews allowed the latter to cascade that training onto others.
The book is entertainingly written, and I sped through it in just a few days. Initially the pilots were unimpressed with their posting. Only a few weeks before, the USSR had been considered an enemy of Great Britain. On arrival though, the pilots seem to have worked well with their Russian counterparts, and were impressed with their resourcefulness and determination. The climate and culture of northern Russia were a continual source of wonderment to the RAF pilots.
The last section of the book tells of the pilots’ return to the UK via one of the return convoys. They arrived back in December 1941. The discomfort and tension of Arctic convoy work is conveyed well.
A worthwhile read for those interested in the more unusual stories of WW2.
The subtitle to this book refers to a “mission to save Stalin”. In terms of Force Benedict itself, this is a gross exaggeration (though typical of the way these subtitles are written). Given the millions involved directly in the war on the Eastern Front, we should not overstate the impact of a couple of squadrons of British aircraft. Indeed in purely military terms the mission was little more than a pinprick to the Luftwaffe. That is not meant to denigrate the courage or professionalism of those who took part. Arguably though the mission was important in that the Hurricanes were the first of 3,000 delivered to the Soviet Union via the Arctic convoys, and the training given by the pilots and groundcrew to the first Soviet crews allowed the latter to cascade that training onto others.
The book is entertainingly written, and I sped through it in just a few days. Initially the pilots were unimpressed with their posting. Only a few weeks before, the USSR had been considered an enemy of Great Britain. On arrival though, the pilots seem to have worked well with their Russian counterparts, and were impressed with their resourcefulness and determination. The climate and culture of northern Russia were a continual source of wonderment to the RAF pilots.
The last section of the book tells of the pilots’ return to the UK via one of the return convoys. They arrived back in December 1941. The discomfort and tension of Arctic convoy work is conveyed well.
A worthwhile read for those interested in the more unusual stories of WW2.
July 10, 2020
This is an entertaining read about one of the lesser known units of the RAF during World War 2. It follows the author through his early days in the RAF into his time in 151 Wing flying Hurricanes in defense of the USSR and the training of Russian flyers on Hurricanes. This is the story of the lost squadrons fighting in the political wilderness that was the Soviet Union in 1942 so that Churchill could please Stalin with some token support. Very interesting memoir on this subject, though sometimes the author goes off track a bit in his telling of the story.
September 3, 2015
This remarkable book about a little known collaborative endeavor during the Second World War between Great Britain and the Soviet Union --- in which the former nation dispatched a wing of Hurricane fighters to assist the Soviets in defending the key northern port of Murmansk against a possible seizure by the Germans in 1941 --- was the result of a collective effort by surviving veterans of 'Force Benedict' (e.g. Eric Carter) and Antony Loveless to bring this story before a wider audience.
Between August 1941 (when a hastily assembled Royal Air Force [RAF] unit departed Britain for the Soviet Union in the strictest secrecy on the express orders of Winston Churchill himself) and December 1941, 151 Wing took part in combat actions against the Germans in the far north above the Arctic Circle and also trained Soviet fighter pilots to fly Hurricane fighters and support personnel in maintaining a fighter wing in the field. Churchill's reason for sending 151 Wing to the Soviet Union in the first place was to help Stalin stay afloat in his struggle against Hitler. At the time --- Summer 1941 --- it seemed very likely that the Soviet Union was on the point of collapse. So much material and soldiers had already been lost, and the Germans had penetrated deep into Soviet territory, put Leningrad under siege and was nearing Moscow. The only port remaining to Stalin that had access to the West was Murmansk. What's more: Murmansk was the only port that maintained a warm water passage year round. Thus keeping the Soviet Union in the war was vital to Britain's long-term prospects for survival (and victory) against Nazi Germany.
The book contains several diary entries from members of 151 Wing which give the reader a palpable sense of immediacy as to what it was really like to live and fight in the Soviet Union during the summer and fall of 1941. There are also several photos of 151 Wing and their Soviet compatriots. All members of 151 Wing, upon return to Britain, were enjoined by the government not to talk about their experiences in the Soviet Union. Otherwise, they would face a court-martial. Indeed, the story of 'Force Benedict' (the code name for the operation) was suppressed by both Britain and the Soviet Union/Russia until 1994. So, for any reader who enjoys reading a story of succeeding against heavy odds, "Force Benedict" is a winner.
Between August 1941 (when a hastily assembled Royal Air Force [RAF] unit departed Britain for the Soviet Union in the strictest secrecy on the express orders of Winston Churchill himself) and December 1941, 151 Wing took part in combat actions against the Germans in the far north above the Arctic Circle and also trained Soviet fighter pilots to fly Hurricane fighters and support personnel in maintaining a fighter wing in the field. Churchill's reason for sending 151 Wing to the Soviet Union in the first place was to help Stalin stay afloat in his struggle against Hitler. At the time --- Summer 1941 --- it seemed very likely that the Soviet Union was on the point of collapse. So much material and soldiers had already been lost, and the Germans had penetrated deep into Soviet territory, put Leningrad under siege and was nearing Moscow. The only port remaining to Stalin that had access to the West was Murmansk. What's more: Murmansk was the only port that maintained a warm water passage year round. Thus keeping the Soviet Union in the war was vital to Britain's long-term prospects for survival (and victory) against Nazi Germany.
The book contains several diary entries from members of 151 Wing which give the reader a palpable sense of immediacy as to what it was really like to live and fight in the Soviet Union during the summer and fall of 1941. There are also several photos of 151 Wing and their Soviet compatriots. All members of 151 Wing, upon return to Britain, were enjoined by the government not to talk about their experiences in the Soviet Union. Otherwise, they would face a court-martial. Indeed, the story of 'Force Benedict' (the code name for the operation) was suppressed by both Britain and the Soviet Union/Russia until 1994. So, for any reader who enjoys reading a story of succeeding against heavy odds, "Force Benedict" is a winner.
June 19, 2017
In September 1941, as Operation Barbarossa was gaining momentum, the Soviet government requested aid, some of it on a fairly staggering scale, from the UK. The first of this aid was 151 Wing of the RAF, dispatched to Vaenga near Murmansk to protect this vital supply port, to train Soviet pilots in the operation of their Hurricane fighters and to then hand these machines over.
The book tells of the two months our so of the wing's operations, the characters who made up the unit and their battles with the Luftwaffe, the Arctic winter (beginning staggeringly in mid September!) and the Russian language. Surprisingly, given the Soviets "it never happened" treatment of Allied aid, 151 Wing's activities were acknowledged by the Russians and surviving airmen made troops back to the region where they were treat like heroes. While the men were forbidden from talking of their experiences it is made clear that this was a temporary injunction while the Soviets decided how they wanted the story dealt with and the full tale was public knowledge by mid-1942.
It's a wonderful story, full of anecdotes and diary excerpts, including a wonderful homage to the Arctic convoys and the ordeals they suffered. I loved every page and I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in aviation, the Eastern Front (how often are you going to read about the RAF up in Northern Russia?) or even just military shaggy dog stories.
The book tells of the two months our so of the wing's operations, the characters who made up the unit and their battles with the Luftwaffe, the Arctic winter (beginning staggeringly in mid September!) and the Russian language. Surprisingly, given the Soviets "it never happened" treatment of Allied aid, 151 Wing's activities were acknowledged by the Russians and surviving airmen made troops back to the region where they were treat like heroes. While the men were forbidden from talking of their experiences it is made clear that this was a temporary injunction while the Soviets decided how they wanted the story dealt with and the full tale was public knowledge by mid-1942.
It's a wonderful story, full of anecdotes and diary excerpts, including a wonderful homage to the Arctic convoys and the ordeals they suffered. I loved every page and I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in aviation, the Eastern Front (how often are you going to read about the RAF up in Northern Russia?) or even just military shaggy dog stories.
January 2, 2015
A good edition to the canon of WWII memoirs of lesser known actions. It is brief like the deployment itself. Well worth reading, especially in conjunction with other material on the Arctic Convoys.
July 9, 2019
Really enjoyed this story about part of the war most of us will not have heard about. It ultimately proved to be very important and it's fsascinating to read about the whole mission concept and delivery. As usual there were losses, and these were described very eloquently and respectively, but the author very definitely shows us the positive side of the mission all the way to the end.
June 20, 2023
I enjoyed this first hand account of the secret WW2 battle of Murmansk, Russia. As always with these sorts of books, if you didn’t know it was true, much would be unbelievable.
April 7, 2015
An excellent story well told but a bit short on air combat action. An adventure I knew little about when Churchill and co tried to help irascible, ungrateful Stalin with some of our best planes, pilots and groundcrew. Sadly, the action was infrequent though when it came it was successful. They spent more time on the ground trying to get used to totally alien surroundings even though their hosts were in the main welcoming and grateful.
I learned some interesting things along the way such as the lack of the right kind of petrol because the Soviets were some way behind western chemical tech. But you come away with a sense of disappointment over ingratitude at the top levels not just for this effort but for the millions of pounds and dollars worth of supplies a great many men risked everything to get to one of the most inhospitable regions on earth. OK, we were fighting the Nazis together at the time but events like in this book get conveniently overlooked in the success on the Eastern Front because such defence had a key contribution to the ultimate success.
So all in all a worthy report and engaging read.
I learned some interesting things along the way such as the lack of the right kind of petrol because the Soviets were some way behind western chemical tech. But you come away with a sense of disappointment over ingratitude at the top levels not just for this effort but for the millions of pounds and dollars worth of supplies a great many men risked everything to get to one of the most inhospitable regions on earth. OK, we were fighting the Nazis together at the time but events like in this book get conveniently overlooked in the success on the Eastern Front because such defence had a key contribution to the ultimate success.
So all in all a worthy report and engaging read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews