British author of the book about the Arctic Convoys delivered a lecture to MASU students
- 13.09.2019
2470
The British writer John Chuter, son of a participant of the Arctic convoys, met with students at Murmansk Arctic State University.
«There are still many unknown pages in the history of the Arctic convoys. New archival data is constantly being added, and contacts with scientists and amateur historians, including foreign ones, allow us to introduce new materials and documents into the scientific circulation. Our guest today is actually engaged in raising a whole layer of the history of the Arctic Convoys», says Maria Ilyicheva, Associate Professor at MASU Department of History and Law.
John Chuter is a retired Royal Navy officer, historian, and writer. His father John Chuter took part in campaigns QP-13, PQ-15 and SC-97. John Chuter Jr. is writing a biographical book about one of the episodes of the Arctic convoys history — sailing of the «Capira» steamship in 1942.
«I started my work in 2000. When my father died, I got some of his documents. Then I studied the archives in the UK, USA, Canada, information online resources. It was very interesting and very difficult to translate Russian documents. It was also interesting to understand what had happened in Murmansk, and what local people thought about the events related to the Arctic Convoys», said John Chuter.
John Chuter came to Murmansk specifically to meet with students. For some of them, the topic of the Arctic convoys is a sphere of not only general but also scientific interest.
«I am writing a thesis on the history of the Arctic convoys. I am going to focus on the medical provision of foreign sailors. During the war, there was a hospital for them where school N1 is now located. The chef from the Arctic Hotel was specially invited there to cook national cuisine. For example, he made English dishes for the English, and so on», said Daniil Drobot, a 5th-year student in Pedagogical Education (History and Law).
The book of John Chuter «Unfortunate Occurrences and Knavish Tricks: The last voyage of the SS Capira,» will be published in one year. At the meeting with the author, Maria Ilyicheva expressed hope that the current visit of the British historian was only the beginning of his cooperation with the University.