It is with great sadness that we learnt of the departure of another dear member of our community – a Second World War veteran, Frederick Vic Bashford of Ramsey, Cambridgeshire. We first met in 2016 when, together with other Arctic Convoy veterans, Vic was visiting IWM Duxford, and shared memories of his war experiences. Mr Bashford was a member of the Royal Air Force Association (RAFA).

Victor featured in our VE-75 presentation in May 2020 (p. 6) and in the brochure Remembering the Second World War in November 2020 (p. 8).

Frederick (Vic) Bashford was born in Portsmouth on 28 December 1920 into a family of a Naval officer, Frederick Victor Bashford (1897-1977). He was the eldest of three children.
Vic volunteered for service with the Royal Air Force in December 1938, trained as an electrical fitter and was deployed to France in December 1939. He was based at RAF Kenley at the time of the Battle of Britain. Vic was involved in operation Force Benedict, a secret mission to protect the northern Russian port of Murmansk, which was a crucial lifeline to the Soviets.

The first 39 aircraft, of the nearly 3,000 Hurricanes supplied, were transported in August 1941 by the Aircraft Carrier HMS Argos and the RMS Llanstephan Castle in the first Arctic Convoy between the UK and Russia. This was known as Operation Dervish.

Vic was posted to the Middle East from late 1942 – to Egypt, Palestine, Iraq and Greece – until he was demobilised in January 1946.

Vic shared his thoughts: “We left Russia at the end of November 1941, and my trip home was aboard HMS Kenya, with a captain who enjoyed giving the Germans a bloody nose… instead of a straight passage as escort to the returning convoy (QP3), we spent some exhilarating moments bombarding the German coastal installations at Vardo… Never a dull moment! That’s why I joined the RAF – for a quiet life!… that convoy experience is the part of my life that is truly unforgettable.”

For his service, Vic was awarded the 1939-1945 Star (the highest British Military honour for the RAF in WWII), the Arctic Star and the Africa Star, the War Medal 1939-45, the Defence Medal and, later, also the Medal of Ushakov, the highest Russian Naval award. After the end of the Cold War, Vic visited Russia on a couple of occasions. He returned to Russia in 2016 to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the Operation Dervish convoy and was overwhelmed by the reception given by the Russian people.

Vic, who celebrated his 102^nd birthday last December, passed away peacefully at home on 18 April 2023. He was a knowledgeable engineer and a man of great wit with an excellent sense of humour. He also loved sports: as a young man he played cricket and, later in life, he took up golf. He is survived by his three children, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts are with Vic’s children, Cylla, Andrea and Anthony, and their families.

You can read Vic Bashford’s memories of No. 615 Squadron (recorded in 2020) and watch his interview “Dealings with Russians” on Memorial Marathon. World War II Veterans Stories.

Страница памяти Фредерика (Вика) Башфорда (1920 – 2023)

С огромным прискорбием было встречено нами известие о кончине ветерана Второй мировой войны и уважаемого члена нашего сообщества Фредерика Вика Башфорда.
Мы познакомились с Виком в мае 2016 году в Имперском военном музее в Даксфорде, где…….. вместе с группой ветеранов Арктического конвоя и делился своими воспоминаниями о войне.

Мистер Башфорд был членом Ассоциации Королевских военно-воздушных сил (RAFA).

Вы можете увидеть страницу Вика в презентации VE-75, созданной в мае 2020 года (стр. 6), и в брошюре «Вспоминая Вторую мировую войну», вышедшей в ноябре 2020 года (стр. 8).

Фредерик (Вик) Башфорд родился в семье офицера военно-морского флота Фредерика Виктора Башфорда (1897 – 1977) 28 декабря 1920 в Портсмуте. Он был старшим из трёх детей.

Вик работал в Королевских военно-воздушных силах на добровольных началах в декабре 1938 года. Он проходил обучение на электрослесаря(электрика?) и был отправлен во Францию в декабре 1939 года. Вик служил в авиации во время Битвы за Британию и принимал участие в операции Force Benedict, секретной миссии, направленной на защиту северного российского порта Мурманск, критически важного для снабжения СССР в то время.
Первые 39 самолетов Hurricane из почти 3000 поставленных были отправлены в августе 1941 года с помощью авианосца HMS Argus и корабля RMS Llanstephan Castle в ходе первого Арктического конвоя между Великобританией и Россией в рамках операции известной под названием «Дервиш».

С конца 1942 года Вик служил на Ближнем Востоке: в Египте, Палестине, Ираке и Греции – вплоть до своей демобилизации в январе 1946 года.

Вик так делился своими воспоминаниями: «Мы покинули Россию в ноябре 1941 года, и путь домой проходил на борту HMS Kenya с капитаном, который любил позлить немцев, вместо того чтобы идти обратно прямым курсом, мы проводили поистине волнующие моменты, обстреливая немецкие береговые укрепления в финском Вардо… Скучать было некогда! Вот почему я пошёл в авиацию – за тихой жизнью! Тот конвой стал поистине незабываемым моментом в моей жизни».

За свою службу Вик был награжден 1939-1945 Star Medal WW2 (Высшей военной наградой Британии в авиации), Arctic Star и Africa Star, 1939-45 War Medal WW2 British Campaign, Defence Medal, а позже также медалью Ушакова, высшей наградой ВМФ России. По окончании «холодной войны» Вик не раз посещал Россию.

В 2016 году он побывал в Россию, где принял участие в праздновании 75-ой годовщины операции «Дервиш», и был приятно поражён приёмом, оказанным ему местными людьми.

Вик, который отметил свой 102-ой день рождения в декабре 2022, умер 18 апреля 2023 года. Вик был знающим инженером, человеком удивительного остроумия и чувства юмора. Он любил спорт – в молодом возрасте играл в крикет, а в более зрелом увлёкся гольфом. Он оставил троих детей, двух внуков и трёх правнуков. Нам всем будем очень его не хватать.

Наши глубочайшие соболезнования его детям, Силле, Андреа и Энтони, а также их семьям.
Вы можете почитать воспоминания Вика Башфорда об эскадрилье № 615 (записанные в 2020 году) и посмотреть его интервью на Марафоне памяти «Истории ветеранов Второй мировой войны».

It is with great sadness that we heard of the departure of a dear member of our community – Baden Hall, a Second World War veteran, who visited us in Cambridge several times over the past decade.

Baden took part in the “Evening of History and Memories” at Churchill college in 2015, where he shared memories of his wartime experiences together with other Arctic Convoy veterans. He met with a group of veterans from Russia during their visit to Cambridge in May of 2016, and was one of four veterans interviewed by local students in 2017 as a part of The Arctic Convoy’s documentary filming project. We also had the pleasure of Baden and Eunice Hall’s company at the CamRuSS 20^th anniversary concert The Splendour of Russian Music in Cambridge in October 2019. Baden also featured in our VE-75 presentation in May 2020 (page 5) and in the brochure Remembering the Second World War in November 2020 (page 7) 

* * *

Baden was born on 1^st June, 1925 in Deanshanger, Northamptonshire, the eldest of four children. He attended the local school until he was 14, found a job as a gardener in the next village, and, at the age of 15, took up an apprenticeship at Wolverton Carriage Works working on a variety of trains including the Royal Train.
He was called up when he was 18. He famously said to the recruiting officer at the desk “I don’t want to join the Army, I want to join the Navy” to which came the very blunt reply “Get in there!”. So Baden was enlisted in the Royal Navy and received his basic training in Phywelli, Wales. His first posting was at Portsmouth Barracks, which served as a hoofing post, until a permanent place was found. He was there for only six weeks and was then sent to a seamanship training course on HMS Revenge in Faslane, Scotland. After completing it, he was sent to Southampton to join HMS Zodiac, a Z-class Royal Naval destroyer which took part in the Russian Arctic convoys during WW2. This ship became his home for the next 3 ½ years. They sailed either from Loch Ewe or Scapa Flow out into the North Sea, to make their way to Murmansk, Arkhangelsk (Archangel), and Polyarny in the north of Russia. The purpose of these convoys was to transport goods in merchant ships to Russia which were protected from enemy attacks by Royal Navy boats during the perilous journey. Each convoy took 10 days, weather permitting, and then spent 10 days in Russia before making the homeward voyage, bringing the now empty merchant ships back home. Baden spent VE-Day in Denmark and received many awards for his service.

Baden left the Navy in November 1946, and returned to complete his apprenticeship at the Wolverton Carriage Works. Not long after this, he met a young girl called Eunice at a dance one evening and, after 10 happy years of courtship, they got married at Holy Trinity Church in Bedford on 5^th April 1958. Baden and Eunice celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary in 2018.

After several years working at the Carriage Works, Baden took up employment at Vauxhall Motors in Luton, where he remained until his retirement at the age of 55. He returned to his favourite pastime, gardening and doing odd jobs, usually for ladies who lived on their own, and made many good friends over this time.

In recent years, Baden joined the Kennington Russian Arctic Convoy Club and, with his wife Eunice, went to Russia on many occasions (at least four!), visiting St Petersburg, Murmansk and Archangel. Baden was awarded the Medal of Ushakov along with other Arctic Convoy veterans. He loved making annual trips to London on Remembrance Sunday and joining in with thousands of other veterans in the march past the Cenotaph. Baden also enjoyed attending the Royal British Legion meetings. His lifetime’s hobby was music, so he spent many happy hours in the Corn Exchange at concerts. He was a man of great wit and artistic talent, and his cross-stitching embroidery pictures won awards. He liked to laugh, have a joke and enjoy life.

Baden, who celebrated his 97^th birthday last June and was looking forward to celebrating his 65^th wedding anniversary with Eunice in April this year, passed away in Bedford hospital on Tuesday, 21 March. His funeral took place on 12 April and it was attended by family, friends and members of the local chapter of the Royal British Legion, Clapham, Bedford chapter.

He had a long and wonderfully fulfilling life, and he will be missed immensely by his family, but his spirit will live on in the wonderful memories that they hold dear. He is survived by his wife Eunice, daughter Alison, son-in-law Chris, granddaughters Hannah and Emily. Our thoughts are with Eunice, his widow, and the family.

Dear Baden, rest in peace now that you have crossed the bar.

On 25 February Cambridge4Ukraine organises March of Solidarity with Ukraine “March4Ukraine” that will start at 13:40 at Hills Road War Memorial and will continue to King’s Parade till 16:00.

On 26 February, 14:00-15:00, local Russian-speaking volunteers are organising an anti-war protest at King’s Parade in Cambridge, CB2 1ST.

Later on that day, at 16:00 there will be a special service “Prayer for Ukraine” at Great St Mary’s, The University Church, Cambridge. Join the events to support Ukraine, Ukrainians, global peace, and democracy. 

On 16 February we talked about grants for initiatives supporting Ukrainian refugees. Please find useful links below:

• South Cambridgeshire District Council grants for up to £300
• presentation slides from South Cambridgeshire District Council
• Cambridge City Council grants for up to £5,000
• presentations slides from Cambridge City Council
• Cambridge City Council budget table template

Please join our next CamRuSS for Ukraine volunteer group online meeting that will take place on Saturday, 25 February 2023 at 17:00. Registration is open here.

On 16 March from 12:30 to 13:30 we will hold an online meeting with Attorney Andriy Koval, head of the Legal Center that regularly and successfully assists its clients in all visa and immigration matters and categories of British and European immigration law. Participation is free, registration is open here. Andrey will talk about the possibilities of switching from a Ukrainian sponsored visa to other types of visas. Please send your questions in advance – follow the link to fill out this form.

On Saturday, 17 December 2022 a Graduation Day of the Ukrainian students of free English language classes run by our small local charity, The Cambridge Russian-Speaking Society (CamRuSS), with support from the South Cambridgeshire District Council, took place at St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church in Cambridge.

CamRuSS volunteers launched this project in April this year – when the first Ukrainians fleeing the war started arriving in Cambridge. Over 30 volunteers, who came from Norway, Canada, USA, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, as well as native British, were involved. During April-July CamRuSS delivered English classes to 90 students, which were supported by over 20 teachers and assistants.

From September Tanya Yurasova and her colleague Alla Viktorova have been managing the second ESOL course for Ukrainians launched with the support of South Cambridgeshire District Council. Over 90 students aged between 18 to 70 years old, all from diverse backgrounds – a 70-year-old university teacher from Kharkiv and an 18-year-old university student from Kyiv, a doctor, an architect, a bookkeeper and even a choir conductor – have been learning English in Cambridge to help them cope more easily with life in the UK.

To support Ukrainians further, CamRuSS held fortnightly information sessions on vital topics, such as education in the UK, banking and finance, driving and cycling, access to the NHS, job search and careers, access to benefits and food banks. A telephone support service in Russian and English was run by 18 volunteers.

“I am very grateful to CamRuSS for the precious help they provide to people who come from Ukraine. It is hard to imagine how we would have been able to cope with everyday issues that are part of normal life to a local resident”, says one of the Ukrainians who has recently moved to Cambridge.

Cambridgeshire residents and organisations came together to offer their expertise and help. St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church and Jesus College generously provided venues for the classes in central Cambridge over a period of three months. They became refuge hubs for new arrivals. Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum, Cambridge Sustainable Food and Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign shared information on accessing free food and daily essentials in Cambridge. The National Careers Service offered advice on the job market in the UK, The Scott Polar Research Institute offered free tours of its Museum, Churchill College Chapel hosted two fundraising events.

Tanya Yurasova, a licensed Cambridge tourist guide, offered free guided tours of Cambridge to Ukrainians and their hosts from early spring. Mark Thompson kindly allowed Ukrainian students of English access to his specialist online language course to encourage independent learning and help them improve their English skills needed for professional employment.

CamRuSS worked with Jesus College, enabling them to employ Ukrainians as support staff. To acknowledge this generous effort, the Master of Jesus College, Sonita Alleyne, hosted a dinner for the CamRuSS volunteers in September 2022. The College chef developed a special menu for this memorable occasion.

The Ukrainian crisis brought together people from different countries and cultural backgrounds living in the UK– where humanism and empathy are at the core of the country’s multicultural identity. “In my experience of living almost 20 years in the UK, this is an unprecedented case of people coming together in their joint effort to help new community members”, says Ksenia Afonina, CamRuSS Chair of Trustees.

We are grateful to Cambridge News, who published our press release on 14 December 2022. You may view the article here.