How British pilots defended the Russian North: Operation Benedict

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Operation Benedict lasted less than three months. However, despite the short period of time, the Soviet aviation, with the help of the pilots of the Royal Air Force, managed to save the airspace of the Arctic from the domination of the Wehrmacht air force. Thanks to the participation of the allies, the defense of Murmansk was strengthened, and an important port was preserved, which was the only one in the Arctic Circle to ensure the supply of strategic cargo and food.

How Soviet-British relations developed in the first months of the Second World War

The signing between the USSR and Great Britain in July 1941 of an agreement to fight Germany made the countries official allies. However, despite this, the soldiers of the two states rarely had to fight shoulder to shoulder - the theaters of military operations where they took part were located too far away. Nevertheless, there have been times in history when the Red Army and British military personnel carried out joint operations in the name of performing a single combat mission.

So the Soviet and British Arctic convoys were involved in the delivery of goods to the USSR under Lend-Lease and the supply of gold and natural resources to England. Jointly allied troops entered the territory of Iran, in order to prevent the country's transformation into an accomplice of Germany. Another striking, but practically forgotten episode of military cooperation was the participation of Great Britain and the Union in flight operations against German and Finnish troops in the Soviet Arctic.

For what purpose was Operation Benedict organized?

After the German invasion of Soviet territory, the efforts of the USSR and Britain organized the dispatch of convoys with food and British weapons across the Arctic Ocean. The nearest ice-free port in Murmansk, which at the same time was at a dangerously close distance from the Finnish border, took cargo. In the event of the loss of this northern city, the Soviet Union was deprived of strategically important supplies, and in addition received practically another front line.

Operation Benedict, initiated by London, helped to solve two problems at once: to strengthen the defense of Murmansk and to teach Soviet pilots to fly Hurricane fighters. The planes were delivered to the USSR in disassembled form from England, so not only competent pilots were required, but also qualified technical personnel familiar with the device of aerial technology.

For sending to the USSR, Britain formed a division of the Royal Air Force, which consisted of approximately 500 personnel - flight dispatchers, technicians, medical personnel, translators, cooks, etc., and more than 30 pilots.

How the USSR received the British

On August 31, 1941, the Soviet side received most of the British who arrived in the country on the ships of the Dervish convoy. Disassembled Hurricane fighters were delivered together with people, in the amount of 15 pieces. A week later, on September 6, they were joined by another 24 aircraft sent from England on the aircraft carrier Argus.

The help of the allies in the USSR was accepted with sincere gratitude, which was expressed not only in a kind-hearted attitude, but also in excellent nutrition. One of the participants in Operation Benedict, British pilot Tim Elkington, recalled: “We were given very large quantities of food. At the same time, the food was really tasty and varied - the ration often contained eggs, caviar, canned ham and compote from plums or cherries, butter, pancakes, red wine, champagne, smoked salmon. Needless to say, in wartime conditions, when the inhabitants of the USSR were already switching to food ration cards, the British received in the literal sense a royal table.

However, the foreign military did not cool down: they trained Soviet pilots on a daily basis, showing all the subtleties of controlling British fighters. In a short time, they prepared four aviation regiments of the Karelian Front. Newly minted specialists, having acquired skills, became teachers for other pilots, whose divisions received foreign military aircraft.

Results of Operation Benedict

While assembling fighters and preparing Soviet flight personnel, the British did not sit out in the rear - from the beginning of autumn 1941 they constantly patrolled the Arctic region, often engaging in combat battles with German and Finnish pilots. In addition, at the same time, the Royal Air Force aces were engaged in covering the ships of the Northern Fleet, air defense of Soviet bombers, as well as the defense of the skies of Murmansk and the strategic port of Arctic convoys.

The result of allied assistance was that the Germans, after losing fifteen aircraft in battles with the British, significantly reduced flight activity, realizing that experienced British pilots were helping the Russians. One of the commanders of the Soviet squadron described the allies this way, talking to a war reporter: “I don’t know how to praise better than to say that they have shown themselves to be real soldiers - selfless, disciplined, fearless. In battle, they fight no worse than my eagles, and that already says it all.

The British also often spoke of fearlessness, but already of Soviet pilots. They were amazed at the ability of the Russians to rise into the air, despite the extreme weather conditions: none of the British aces would fly into a blizzard, with practically zero visibility. One of the Soviet pilots, Boris Safonov, who won 25 battles, was recalled by his foreign colleague, Royal Air Force pilot Eric Carter: “He had no fear at all. I still didn't understand - either he was crazy, or very, very good at what he did."

Operation Benedict ended in the fall of 1941. When in November an English ship with crews of the Royal Air Force departed from the Arkhangelsk pier, domestic Hurricanes flew off to see it off, on whose wings were already visible red stars. During the short but effective mission of the British, four of them were awarded the highest state award of the USSR - the Order of Lenin. Four Soviet pilots received the Distinguished Flight Merit crosses from the British government - awards for courage and dedication to duty.

After the end of the war, relations between the former allies deteriorated greatly. But despite this, there were more than once cases of sincere help to those in distress. So, Soviet fisherman during the Cold War rescued American pilots in an 8-point storm.