Thousands of British and Allied men and women died in the convoys, which under heavy German bombardment and through appalling weather escorted supplies to Russia, to help the Red Army fight Hitler on the Eastern front.

British veterans were greeted in Archangel as returning heroes. Wreaths and parades commemorated the Allied effort

Russian navy sailors rehearse for a ceremony to remember what was lost: 18 warships, 87 merchant ships and 3,000 British lives

British and Russian veterans toast with vodka. Some vets are angry the government has not rewarded them with medals.

Robert Robertson, left, and Raymond Ball. Most convoy veterans were in their teens in the war and are in their 70s and 80s

William Lowes cries at a party on warship HMS Campbeltown, which took most of British veterans to Russia

Veterans Keith Reith, left, and William Lowes with HMS Campbeltown - "luxury" compared to how they travelled in WWII - behind

The British effort supplied about a quarter of all war materials used by the Soviet Union during WWII

Percy Price, left, embraces Russian veteran Nikolai Chikharev. Russia calls the convoys a "northern saga of heroism"

The original convoy: Dangerous mission under constant bombardment and appalling weather conditions