JPL Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Just came across this new item which seems to indicate that the British government may institute an Arctic Convoy Medal: Here is the link to the article: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Canadian+sailors+finally+medals+Second+World+service/4117063/story.html Jean-Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Typically British - always too late. This medal should have been issued in 1945 - as the article says - now, hardly anyone is left. The big question will be - is it to be made retrospective for all who served in that area but, have now died ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Here is the latest on this topic: In opposition, the Tories pledged to introduce an Arctic Medal if they won power. And in January this year, Mr Cameron indicated his continued support by telling MPs that the sailors who served on the Arctic Convoys had ‘missed out’. ‘Many of them are coming to the end of their lives and it would be good if we could do something more to recognise what they have done,’ he said. However, in a letter to the Leader of the Commons, Sir George Young – a long-time supporter of the Arctic heroes’ 15-year battle – Mr Cameron now says the sailors have already been recognised with a medal for the separate naval campaign in the Atlantic. He writes: ‘It is clear that the Atlantic Star Medal that was extended to those who served in the Arctic specified the convoys in its qualifying criteria. Those who took part in the Arctic Convoys have therefore been recognised and received this medal as a mark of the nation’s gratitude.’ Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2061135/Betrayal-Arctic-heroes-PM-accused-breaking-pledge-medal-war-convoy-sailors.html#ixzz1ddVCio29 Jean-Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKeating Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) Such a backsliding weasel! Not even a compromise in the form of, say, an ARCTIC CONVOYS bar to The Atlantic Star. But then, what can one expect of someone presiding over the most destructive maladministration of the armed forces since "Options For Change"? He is clearly too dense to grasp the notion of Winning Hearts and Minds through belated and thereby cheap gestures like this, which would offset some of the negative fallout from sending P45s to veterans and their commanders before they have even shaken the dust of Mesopotamia and Afghanistan from their boots and uniforms. [Note for foreign friends: the P45 is the document you are handed when fired or made redundant in the UK] PK Edited November 14, 2011 by PKeating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I fully agree with you Prosper - they have no sense of proportion - and certainly not of gratitude. Jean-Paul - thankyou for letting us know the outcome. Mervyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 The controversy continues on this subject. Russia's ambassador to Britain has attached the government for not awarding an Arctic Medal, and the British Defence Minister has not helped the situation by some of his comments on the subject lately. Read the complete article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075305/Fury-Russians-medal-snub-Arctic-heroes.html Jean-Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 (edited) Here is the latest on this topic: David Cameron has announced a new review of the rules on military decorations, a move that raised hopes of a change of heart on a specific honour for veterans of the Arctic supply mission to Russia. Campaigners for the recognition of Bomber Command veterans and those who served on several other unrecognised operations and campaigns will also be able to submit evidence to the review. The Prime Minister said has asked Sir John Holmes, a former British ambassador to Paris, to consider the “rules and principles governing the award of military campaign medals”. Significantly, the review will be able to consider previous campaigns and decisions, as well as the rules that should cover future campaigns. Sir John will not make recommendations on specific campaigns or honours, but the retrospective aspect of his remit has raised hopes that his conclusions could pave the way for a change on honouring the Arctic veterans Read the complete news story: http://www.telegraph...for-review.html Jean-Paul Edited May 4, 2012 by JPL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted October 18, 2012 Author Share Posted October 18, 2012 (edited) Here is the latest on this topic: The British Arctic convoy heroes who risked their lives to help transport crucial supplies to Russia during World War II have been told they cannot accept a medal for valour from Russia. The Russian Embassy wrote to survivors of the notoriously perilous sea campaign - who saw 3,000 of their comrades killed - to inform them it intended to award them with the Medal of Ushakov as a symbol of the country's gratitude. But the Foreign Office has blocked the Russian's government's plans to honour Britain's Arctic heroes, because it said it would break rules surrounding the acceptance of medals. Russia has already awarded the Ushakov medal to veterans from Australia, Canada and the U.S. for their role in the Arctic convoys, which ferried vital supplies and munitions to the Soviet Union to help fight off the advance of Hitler between 1941 and 1945. Read the complete news article: http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml View a video on this topic here: http://rt.com/politics/uk-ww2-medals-veterans-165/ Jean-Paul Edited October 18, 2012 by JPL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddywhack Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 im sorry but how can a goverment tell ex service some 70 years after ww2 that they cannot accept the valour medals from another country!its not like there in the service!can the goverment actualy stop them being awarded say if they were posted to the vets addresses or if they went to russia and were awarded there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 Arctic convoy medal decision due this year A decision on whether veterans of World War II's Arctic convoy ships can receive a bravery medal from Russia is set to be made by the end of this year, it has been announced. Merchant ship convoys with escorts from the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and US Navy, resupplied the Soviet Union between 1941 and 1945. To date, veterans of the convoys have not received a campaign medal for escorting the supply ships, but have qualified for the Atlantic Star. Russia is now offering the Ushakov medal for bravery at sea to more than 800 surviving UK Arctic Convoy veterans, but the government is refusing to allow the veterans to receive the medal citing a rule blocking awards from foreign governments for actions which took place more than five years ago. Arctic Convoy veterans, from Australia, Canadia, New Zealand and the USA have all been allowed to receive the Ushakov medal. Foreign Office minister Mark Simmonds said that only the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals could suggest an exception to the rules "We very much appreciate the Russian government's wish to recognise the brave and valuable service of the Arctic Convoy veterans. In light of this, in 1994 an exception to the five year rule was made to allow Arctic Convoy veterans to receive the Russian 40th Anniversary of Victory Medal," he said. "When this exception was made, it was intended, and announced, that no further exceptions would be made. Therefore, there are no plans to seek an additional exception to the rules to give permission for the Ushakov medal to be accepted for the same service." Earlier this month the Russian embassy said that its official request to award the medal in May 2012 had been rebuffed. In a statement, the embassy said it felt "profound regret" that it was not able to honour British veterans for their "courage and sacrifice" "It does not diminish in any way our gratitude to them for their fighting for the common cause of defeating Nazism and delivering Europe and the whole of mankind from this existential threat," the embassy said in a statement. Andrew Murrison, Minister for International Security Strategy, said he recognised that the Arctic had been a "particularly unpleasant" theatre during World War II and added that the Prime Minister had commissioned a further "re-examination" of the rules, including for Arctic Convoy veterans, by Sir John Holmes. The results of the review are expected by the end of the year. Read the article: http://www.defencemanagement.com/news_story.asp?id=21290 Jean-Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Strong Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Since Canadians are allowed, how do you apply for it. The Russian Medal that is.... Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 Hi Larry, The only suggestion I have is to contact the Russian Embassy in Ottawa: http://www.rusembassy.ca/ Jean-Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Strong Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Hello Jean-Paul Many thanks for the link. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyFCO Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Since Canadians are allowed, how do you apply for it. The Russian Medal that is.... Larry I don't believe there's anything to apply for. The decision of who-got-what was made off of old award lists of artcic convoy participants. You might be able to petition the Russian Embassy, but the Ukaz has already awarded the decoration to a list of recipients by name. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Strong Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 K thanks for that. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 VETERANS of one of the harshest and most important campaigns of the Second World War are to finally get full recognition today for their their bravery after a seven-decade wait, with the creation of an official Arctic campaign medal. The government will announce today that the men who took part in the Russian Convoys are to be awarded a campaign medal after fighting for formal recognition since the mid-1990s in a determined campaign supported by The News. At Prime Minister’s Question Time today, David Cameron will announce that he has recommended the Honours & Decorations Committee proceed with awarding the Arctic Convoy Medal, subject to approval by the Queen. Read the complete news item: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/arctic-medal-campaign-is-won-1-4600240 Jean-Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddywhack Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 great news and a long fought battle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Here's the report from the Washington Post. Who's going to be the first to post an image? Hugh Britain announces medal for veterans of treacherous World War II Arctic convoys By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, December 19, 12:38 PM LONDON — Britain says it will award a medal to veterans of the Arctic convoys that brought essential supplies to besieged Russia during World War II. Veterans have battled for decades for a campaign medal for the convoys, which braved icy weather, rough seas and attacks from German ships, U-boats and planes. Almost 3,000 British and American sailors died during the dangerous journeys from Britain to the northwestern coast of the Soviet Union between 1941 and 1945. Prime Minister David Cameron announced Wednesday that the Arctic Convoy Star would give veterans “the recognition they so richly deserve for the very dangerous work they did.” Cameron also announced a special Royal Air Force clasp for the crews of Bomber Command, whose veterans have long complained of unequal treatment to members of Fighter Command. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul R Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I am bummed to see that it took so long, but am glad to see it. These guys lived a hard life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Strong Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 I hope it will be awarded to members who have passed on in between the end of the war and now....... Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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