In WW2 my paternal grandfather served in the Merchant Navy, then the Royal Navy, then Royal Navy seconded to the Merchant Navy as Engineer and Chief Engineer. He sailed multiple times to Russia in Merchant Ships and their Royal Navy Escorts.
He never learned to swim, deliberately, so if torpedoed he would not panic to save himself from certain drowning, being in the depth of the vessels.
He began the war in a reserved occupation, but soon joined the Auxiliary Fire Service in Liverpool, mainly in the docklands I believe, but joined his first ship as soon as the worst of the bombing was over.
He carried out his duties and went from a Merchant seamen to Able Seaman RN, then commissioned as an officer.
The Russian convoys were said to be Hell on earth, and some of the most dangerous runs, they were to help not only the Russians beat the fascists, a cause we were allied to Russia to do, but to keep the Russian people alive. Something the Russians never forgot.
He also served in the Atlantic and Pacific, even Malaysia and New Guinea.
I never met my Granddad as he moved to New Guinea and Australia after the war, and died in Brisbane in 1979. My dad left Australia when he was 17 and worked he way back to the UK.
I did speak to him on the phone though, and was and am very proud to be his grandson.
He never considered the Russian people as his enemy, he had true respect for them, and saw many as friends.
I too respect the people of Russia, they are not now, nor in my humble view have ever been my enemy.
Yes Putin is a dangerous sociopathic meglomaniac, as is Trump and sadly Starmer (thpugh without the might to back it up). It seems to be requisite of being the leader of a capitalist country in the 21st Century.
Starmer seems intent on taking us to war with Russia, no doubt at the bequest or rather demands of his Mossad Zionist paymasters.
Putin if pushed could easily react with force that would ensure we never rattled another sabre, ever again.
Starmer is not the “mouse that roared” he is is the germ that could easily wipe out Britain, all its sill flags and history.
But truky don’t think Farage, Robinson, Hopkins or any other of the right are a better choice, for they too are owned, funded and controlled by Israel and Mossad.
Again Russia is not my enemy. My only enemies are the genocidal and hate mongers that the 21st Century seems to cherish and nurture.
It seems we the people never learn our history lessons.
Jonesy.
Jonesy, simply a human 