Extracts from a national Newspaper on the first recipients receiving the ARCTIC STAR
David Cameron today hailed the first recipients of the Arctic Star medal as a ‘group of heroes’ and presented them with the newly-created award at a special 10 Downing Street ceremony.
The Prime Minister told the Second World War veterans that it was the proudest day of his job but admitted he was ‘sorry that it has taken 70 years to get to here and to say thank you’.
There are lots of extraordinary people I have met in this room in the last three years and lots of events I have been very proud to hold. But I can’t think of a group of people that I am more proud to have in Number 10 Downing Street’
Prime Minister David Cameron
At long, long last the Prime Minister has announced that an Arctic Convoy Star Medal (Arctic Star) has been recommended by Sir John Holmes who headed the Committee looking into medals. Making the announcement, David Cameron told MPs: “Sir John has recommended, and I fully agree, that there will be an Arctic Convoy Star medal. I am very pleased that somEdite of the brave men of the Arctic convoy will get the recognition they so richly deserve for the very difficult work they did.”
The decision to award the decorations was made last December following a review by the former diplomat Sir John Holmes, who was asked by the prime minister to review the rules on military medals.
He concluded the Arctic veterans, who supplied Russia with vital fuel, food and munitions during the war, should have their own medal to mark “the very difficult work they did”.
This disgraceful oversight is corrected at last.
Also on the subject of Arctic convoys members maybe interested in the events at Loch Ewe. Please follow the link. http://www.russianarcticconvoymuseum.co.uk/wp/lochewe/6th-10th-may-2013-wwii-arctic-convoy-week-at-loch-ewe/