Survivors from HMS Edinburgh gathered out in a snaow-covered field in North Russia and held an auction to help the relatives of their comrades, lost when the cruiser was sunk defending a convoy.

Auctioneer and buyers were all petty officers and ratings.What was their auction?Just the little personal possesions saved by men who had lostmost of their kit when the ship went down.

A packet of 20 cigarettes. It fetched £10
A petty officer paid £2 for a match to light a cigarrete he had bought for £2.

Fought U Boats

One man gave £1 for a shirt. Another paid £1 to see the buyer strip in the snow and put on the shirt. A third gave another £1 for beig allowed to place a chilly hand on the shirt buyer's back.

These men have come home. they told me yesterday the story of the auction.

For three days, early in May, they had fought U-boats and dive-bombers. their first thought when they landed in Russia was for the families of their lost comrades.

They spoke warmly of the kindness of the Russains, who gave the clothes to replace the kit they had lost.

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