I thought the story of the little armed trawler with his three ships in tow would have made a damned good film... It shows though in his award that he deserved higher, but for the disobeying of orders.
As for the Costal Command cover, that would appear to have been a suicide mission at that range and how would you maintain it? It's alright sticking 500 bombers over a distant target at a given time, but maintaining an air presence over hostile territory so far north for a sustained period would be impossible.