Russian ambassador and neutral Ireland

Irish contribution in second World War

Sir, – The Russian ambassador’s criticism of Ireland’s neutrality during the second World War (News, January 31st) is fair enough but Yury Filatov should also have mentioned the tens of thousands of Irish citizens who volunteered and fought for the allied cause. Among them were those who served on the perilous Arctic convoys of 1941-1942 at a time when Soviet Russia’s need for American, British and Canadian military supplies was at its greatest.

Last October I was in Murmansk attending a series of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of those convoys. On local war memorials to Allied personnel who died serving alongside their Soviet comrades were many Irish-sounding names. – Yours, etc,

GEOFFREY ROBERTS,

Emeritus Professor

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of History,

University College Cork.