ERNEST EDWARD NELSON
Born : 29th May 1924 in Warrington
Father & Mother : Frederick & Susan Nelson
Married : Married Constance Brookes
Mr Ernie Nelson of Hartford, Northwich is beng presented with a Russian Arctic Convoy Emblem.
At the end of the second world war no medals were awarded for the Russian Arctic convoys, which was one of the most brutal campaigns of the war. The cold war had begun and a political decision was made not to award campaign medals, as Russia was seen as an enemy.
Winston Churchill described the Russian convoys as the 'worst journey in the World'. The convoys at the time were known as suicide runs, suffering German submarine and air attacks in appalling sub-zero weather conditions often as low as minus 30, to provide munitions and vital supplies to Russia who were fighting the Nazis.
The government has now put a sixty year wrong finally right by awarding Arctic Star Emblems to veterans of the Russian Arctic Convoys campaign.
Ernie was a wireless operator on HMS Scourge, an S Type destroyer and part of 23rd destroyer flotilla. He went on 12 convoys in two years and was one of the senior Arctic Convoys veterans to survive the second world war.The Scourge was later described in Royal Navy News as an extremely lucky ship.
It was rare for veterans having completed such a high number of Russian Arctic convoys. Such was the horrendous and perilous arctic conditions just six crews of the 670 ships sailed had more than six months continuous service.
The first time Ernie went into the Arctic was on an Atlantic convoy. The Scourge had escorted Winston Churchill to America for the meeting with President Rooseavelt. On the way back from America, the Scourge was on an Atlantic convoy from Newfoundland to Kola inlet (Russia). The Scourge escorted Winston Churchill several times including the D Day landings.
Ernie was on a convoy JW55B that led to the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst with the loss of over 2000 lives on Boxing Day 1943. The battle of North Cape was the last time in history capital battleships met in combat. The Scourge brought back to England the bodies of the HMS Norfolk killed in the battle.
In addition to the 12 Britain and Russian and one Atlantic to Russia, Ernie went several more times in the Arctic. These include several flotilla and Arctic returns with no merchant ships, carrier attacks on the North Norwegian town of Bodo, seperate carrier and submarine attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz and rescue of the stranded British submarine Stubborn rescue.
The battle hardened Russian convoy experiance of the Scourge led to a key role at the front on the D Day invasion. Six destroyers of the 23rd destroyer flotilla escorted the minesweepers to clear two passable channels, signalling and escorted the battleships into their bombardment positions and repelled the German naval threats from Le Havre. The flotilla suffered heavy loses during D Day with two out of six ships, the Svenner and Swift sunk.
The following two incidents taken from The Scourge's log appeared many times in D Day books and the Royal Navy magazine.
23.05 June 6th 1944. Two bombs from a German Junkers 88 fell too close for comfort, just missing the ships stern. The Ship shuddered.
23.33 June 6th 1944. German Junkers 88 dropped a stick of six bombs, three bombs fell on each side of the ship and the ships bridge and personnel got extremely wet, somehow the ship had turned and survived in the middle of the six bomb stick. Ernie at was the time of the incedent was three decks below the bridge and directly in the middle of the stick. If the bombs were 5 or 10 metres either way and hit the ship his chances of survival would of been very slim. The Scourges luck had held.
After D Day Ernie was expecting leave to visit his family in Rudheath, unfortunatly he had to go back on the Russian Convoys and they were under heavy attack as the German's had strengthened Norway expecting an invasion.
Scourges last act of the war was one of the two destroyers at the front of the surrender of the German battle fleet at Copenhagen, Denmark.
After the war no medals were awarded for the Russian Convoys, however the Scourges captain Ian Balfour was awarded the distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in September 1945. This was awarded to Ian and the ship for continual bravery on the Russian Arctic Convoys and is the second highest award for bravery next to the Victoria Cross. Ernie was on the Scourge for the full two years. The last time Ernie saw the Captain was approxiamately seven years ago, two years before his death.
Ernie went on to serve nearly 12 years in the Royal Navy and saw action throughout the World. He was awarded a personalised named Palestine War Silver Medal.
Centre Juno Beach / Juno Beach Centre
21 May 2016 at 16:11
We had the honour of welcoming Ernest Edward Nelson, a veteran of the Royal Navy, today with a group from Leger Holidays. In June 1944, Ernest was a wireless telegraph operator aboard HMS Scourge, participating in fire support missions on Juno and Omaha beach. He was 20 years old. Here he is today, with our guide Colin, in front of the monument on Juno dedicated to his comrades of the Royal Canadian Navy who lost their lives or went missing during Operation Overlord. Thank you for your service, Ernest, and thanks to your brothers in arms.
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Northwich Guardian, 8th May 2020
Hartford war hero Ernie Nelson describes his VE Day in Copenhagen
ROYAL Navy veteran Ernie Nelson, from Hartford, was a wireless telegraphist on HMS Scourge in the Second World War and was part of the 23rd Destroyer Flotilla.
Ernie's son David recalls how his dad, now 95, described the scene on VE Day – 75 years ago today.
HMS Scourge was just finishing a Russian Arctic convoy when Ernie's crew received an urgent message saying the war in Europe had ended.
They were ordered to go with another destroyer to Copenhagen, Denmark, to accept the surrender of the German naval base.
When they neared the German naval base entrance, HMS Scourge was at battle stations and the crew were all nervous in case they were sunk.
As they entered the harbour they found the German fleet had left and there was only one warship left, which surrendered straight away.
HMS Scourge docked at the naval base, and Ernie recalls how all the local people came out cheering his crew.
They had two days ashore celebrating and seeing the sights, like visiting the Tivoli Gardens Funfair.
Ernie, who lived in Rudheath at the time of the Second World War, describes how the Danish people made the crew very welcome.
The Danish Government were so pleased that they took the names and addresses of all the crew of both ships and sent a big food parcel to all their families back home.
Although Ernie didn't get home to enjoy the food parcel his family certainly did.
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CONSTANCE BROOKES
Northwich Guardian, Wednesday 17th February 2016
CONSTANCE NELSON
Constance ‘Connie’ Nelson nee Brookes on 6th February 2016 died peacefully at home with her family at Hartford after a long illness and formally of Lostock Green. Connie aged 92, the devoted wife of Ernie, much loved Mother of Susan and David, mother in law to Roger and Jean and adored grandma of David, Sarah and Natalie. Funeral service and committal at Vale Royal crematorium on Tuesday 23rd February at 11:30am.
