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Post Info TOPIC: Arctic Convoy veterans' medals


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Arctic Convoy veterans' medals
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A HAMPSHIRE MP has asked the prime minister to support a campaign for naval veterans.

Caroline Dinenage, asked during Prime Minister's Questions if the PM would lend his weight to a campaign for Arctic Convoy Veterans of World War Two to be awarded an official campaign medal.

The Conservative MP for Gosport said: This is a project that I have supported since 2003, when I first met the amazing Eddie Grenfell. "The incredibly brave men of the Arctic Convoys sailed through a gauntlet of Nazi air, submarine and battleship attack in subzero conditions to keep the Soviet Union supplied in the Second World War.

Portsmouth based, 90 year old veteran of the Arctic Campaign, Mr Grenfell was among only a few to survive the sinking of the Empire Lawrence, a catapult aircraft merchant ship.

The convoys were a vital supply line for the Russian forces between 1941 and 1945, transporting by sea provisions and weapons to help them prolong their fight against the Nazis.

Ms Dinenage said: The small band of surviving veterans are now in their 80s and 90s; their numbers grow fewer as every year passes I have already written to the Defence Minister, Andrew Robathan on this subject and later today I will be asking the Prime Minister to ask for his support. "This matter should be dealt with quickly so that as many brave veterans as possible can finally receive the medal, and the recognition, that they deserve.

In response to her question, David Cameron, said: They served in incredibly hard conditions.

It would be good if we could do something to recognise what has been done.


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To late for some no

Bill Short "Crossed the Bar" 29/12/10.

Bill spent four days in an open boat in temperatures of 10. after his ship the SS Induna was sunk in 1942. After being rescued warm water had to be siphoned into his stomach as ice crystals had formed. He then had both legs amputated without anaesthetic due to frostbite. At the time he was just 22 years old.
 
Cargo ship Induna, 5,086grt, (Maclay & McIntyre) loaded with war materials and cased petrol at New York for the Russian port of Murmansk left Sydney, Cape Breton in the 35 ship Convoy SC-63 on the 3rd January 1942. 10 days out the after being hampered by severe storm, which forced ten ships to return to port, the Induna left the convoy and set course for Iceland where the ship would join up with the 21 ship Convoy PQ-13, sailing from Reykjavik on the 20th March. Three days later as the temperature dropped the convoy encountered a full arctic gale and during the evening of the 25th March, the Induna became detached from the convoy and as daylight approached, the ship was sailing all alone. Later on during the day, the ship encountered several more ships from the scattered remnants of PQ-13. By the 28th March, the weather subsided and apart from the occasional snow squall, the weather remained fairly clear. By the evening, the Induna had entered an ice field and took the escort vessel HMS Silja in tow who was running short of fuel as well as taking onboard sixteen survivors picked up from the SS Ballot by the escort ship. By the 29th, the weather once again blew up and the towline to the escort vessel parted and the Induna lost touch with the ship and had no choice to battle onto Murmansk. On the morning of the 30th March in rough seas North-East of the Kola Inlet a torpedo from U-376 detonated in number five hold containing the cased petrol and blew up setting the ship ablaze. The order to abandon ship was given and the lifeboats were launched as the ship settled by the stern. U-376 then fired a second torpedo which detonated in number 4 hold and the ship started to sink stern first with the bow rising high into the air the ship plummeted to the depths in position 70 55N 37 18N. The two lifeboats became separated and for four days, the survivors battled the seas in temperatures as low as 10 degrees, a number dying along the way and their bodies being committed to the deep. Finally, a Russian minesweeper found both lifeboats and the men finally arrived at Murmansk on the 3rd April where a number of men died from severe frostbite. Other survivors had to have limbs amputated without anaesthetic including a 15 year old boy rating 
 
Fair winds and calm seas Bill.


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To Hell And Back: The Arctic Convoys Of WWII Provided Lifeline To Soviet Union, But Extracted At Terrible Cost

A British wartime poster about the Arctic convoys

Winston Churchill called it the worst journey in the world. To the sailors who served aboard the Arctic Convoys in the Second World War, Churchills remarks certainly wouldnt have seemed to be an understatement. As war raged across the Pacific, Africa, and Europe, the frozen expanses of the Arctic Sea did not remain untouched. Here, the battle between Nazi Germany and the Allied powers continued as a cat-and-mouse game the Germans fighting to prevent supplies getting through to the Soviet Union, and the Allies desperately sending equipment in the hope this could help the Russians keep the Nazis at bay long enough for a second front to be launched.

The stage for this battle was set in the summer of 1941, when Hitler tore up the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that had forged an uneasy peace between the two European powers. As war began, a surprised Soviet Union found itself on the backfoot trying to stem the Nazi advance. The Wehrmacht forged on ahead towards capturing large swathes of territory, setting alarm bells ringing in the Allied nations.

Russia was what lay between Germany and Britain. The Russians had long demonstrated courage and resilience in the face of adversity. But even the toughest needed guns to fight against the implacable German advance. If the Soviet Union were to fall, German forces, with the added advantage of unfettered access to Soviet mineral reserves and territorial depth, would be free to defend against any Allied excursion from the west.

In July 1941, the Allies, mindful of the consequences that would ensue should German forces be freed from the Eastern Front, gave the go-ahead to the convoys a decision was taken at the highest levels that the Soviet Union could not be allowed to fall. The first, codenamed Dervish, set off from Iceland on 21 August 1941, arriving in Archangel 10 days later. This precursor to the later series of convoys comprised six merchant ships and a fleet oiler escorted by three destroyers, three minesweepers, and three anti-submarine warfare vessels. At the same time, a superannuated carrier, the HMS Argus re-commissioned just prior to the war, delivered a cargo of Hurricane fighters to Murmansk.

The success of this ad-hoc convoy led the Royal Navy to draw up a formal series of convoys that would deliver supplies to the Soviet Union, allowing the Russians to keep up their resistance to the German war machine.

The first of the outbound convoys, PQ1, set off from Iceland on 29 September. At around the same time, the first of the inbound convoys, QP1, departed from Murmansk. The initial PQ/QP series ran till 1942, when in December, the second series, JW (outbound to Russia), and RA (inbound from Russia) were kicked off. The inbound and outbound convoys were timed to run almost simultaneously, allowing the inbound ships to return with the heavy escorts, while the outbound vessels continued to their destination under cover of the close-in escorts.

Over the course of four years, these convoys sailing from Hvalfjord, Liverpool, Loch Ewe, Oban, and Clyde set off for various locations in the Soviet Union Murmansk, Archangel, and the Kola Inlet eventually delivering over four million tonnes of supplies including thousands of aircraft, tanks, and trucks.

But while the convoys may have been a godsend for the Russians, they were a hellish experience for the men fated to serve aboard them. In the nearly four years the Arctic Convoys were staged, the Allies lost 16 warships and 85 merchantmen. While it may not seem that much a paltry 5% loss rate given the widespread slaughter that took place in the Second World War, it must be kept in mind that over 5,000 sailors went down with their vessels.

It was convoy PQ 17 that suffered the worst of the German attacks. The Hvalfjord-Archangel mission was detected by German ships, which, through a series of hit-and-run attacks, succeeded in drawing off most of the naval escorts, leaving the convoy bare. PQ17 was ordered to disperse, and bereft of naval cover, the merchantmen were easy pickings for the Kriegsmarine. Of the 35 ships that had set off from Iceland on 27 June 1942, just 11 made it to Russia the Allies losing 24 vessels and almost 200 sailors in return for German losses of just five aircraft.

The PQ17 disaster, which resulted in much soul-searching in the London Admiralty over the viability of the Arctic Convoys, also led to the introduction of tighter escort rings and the suspension of new missions till the long daylight hours of the Arctic region receded. Interestingly, the PQ17 tragedy has also entered popular culture. Thriller writer Alistair Maclean (who himself served in this theatre) is said to have based his first book, HMS Ulysses, on the travails endured by those fated to be a part of PQ17.

Considered by many to be Macleans finest work, HMS Ulysses paints a grim picture as the crew of the Ulysses battle fierce storms, German attacks, poor morale, and Admiralty indifference in what is ultimately a futile effort.

It was indeed a tough task; accounts of those who survived make for harrowing reading. Waves high as cliffs, fires, water freezing on the decks, and temperatures so low that skin could be stripped off from contact with bare metal were commonplace. Living conditions, never the easiest on a ship, were horrendous in these sub-zero temperatures. Amplifying these difficulties were the obsolescence of several of the ships that served here, and the young ages of the sailors some of the merchant mariners were as young as 14.

To add to this was the constant danger posed by the Kriegsmarine. The Germans had come to realise the significance of the convoys and they threw everything they could at them. However, while they seemed to be gaining the upper hand, Allied advances in the then-revolutionary technology of radar and direction-finding soon reversed this trend. The bad weather also constricted the U-boat wolfpacks, while the Allies success in cracking the Enigma machines also proved invaluable. Nevertheless, the Germans were able to extract a heavy price from the sailors aboard the convoys.

Surprisingly, the Arctic Convoys have been relegated to being a footnote in the history of the Second World War. But their importance to the war effort cannot be minimised it wasnt just the supply of weaponry to the Russians that was vital. The Kriegsmarine found itself tied up in the Arctic Sea, with the battleship Tirpitz cornered (and eventually sunk) in the Norwegian fjords. This focus on the Arctic also helped divert attention from the Atlantic, where the US was sending immense quantities of men and equipment to the British Isles. But perhaps, most importantly, the success of the convoys boosted the Russians morale during the early days of the war and dealt a psychological blow to the German high command, which feared that the Allies could attempt a major invasion from the north.

Seventy years have passed since Dervish, and few of the veterans of the Arctic Convoys remain, but finally, the sacrifices made by those who served in this theatre of war have received some recognition. Russia has instituted a commemorative medal, while the UK has the Arctic Emblem. However, efforts to have a special campaign medal in the UK have come to nought. One can only hope that the British government decides in its favour while there still are veterans left to honour.

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Arctic convoy veterans to be awarded special honour

A SECOND World War hero who fought in the Arctic convoy campaign has welcomed news of a dedicated medal for veterans.

But he has vowed to fight on for the right to be awarded a Russian honour which the government says he can not have.

The Bolton News reported in October how Westhoughton pensioner David Tonge, aged 87, had been denied a Ushakov Medal for his service on the Arctic convoys.

At the age of only 17 Mr Tonge served aboard the destroyer HMS Venus, helping to keep open seaborne supply routes between the west and the USSR in sub-zero temperatures while coming under constant aircraft and U-boat attack.

But Russias decision to honour him was blocked by the Foreign Office, because campaign veterans had not served Russia in the last five years, and they had also received a medal from Britain the Atlantic Star for services at sea.

Although the government is yet to backtrack on that decision, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that following a review of medals by British diplomat Sir John Holmes, a dedicated Arctic convoy honour would be awarded in the new year, something which Mr Tonge and veterans had campaigned for for decades.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron said: More details will come from the Ministry of Defence in the new year, including how veterans can apply, but I am very pleased to tell the house that Sir John has recommended, and I fully agree, that there should be an Arctic Convoy Star medal.

I am very pleased that some of the brave men of the Arctic convoys will get the recognition they so richly deserve for the very dangerous work they did.

Mr Tonge said: Its good news this has been going on for 20 or 30 years.

But I still want the Russian medal. The Russians have always been very grateful for what we did and I dont see why we cant have it.

Bolton North East MP David Crausby, who has campaigned for the creation of an Arctic convoy medal, said: I very much welcome the decision.

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Arctic convoy medals and Bomber Command clasp to be issued within weeks
26 February 2013

Second World War veterans who served on the Arctic convoys and in Bomber Command will begin to receive their new awards within weeks, the government has announced.

Production of the Arctic Star and Bomber Command clasp is to begin within days, with up to 250,000 veterans and the families of those who have died expected to be eligible.

Living veterans and widows will be prioritised in receiving the new awards from as early as March. DefenceManagement.com understands that applications from other next of kin will be dealt with shortly afterwards.

Eligible veterans and next of kin are now being encouraged by the MoD to apply for the new awards. Information and an application form can be found on the www.veterans-uk.info website, or people can phone 08457 800 900.

The awards are being made in recognition of the unique contribution made by veterans in protecting Britain during World War II.

"All those who served our country in Bomber Command and on the Arctic convoys deserve nothing but the utmost respect and admiration from us," said defence minister Mark Francois. "That's why I am delighted that these special individuals will in the next few weeks begin to receive the Bomber Command clasp and Arctic Star that they have so long deserved.

"I am also pleased to announce that the families of those no longer alive will also be able to apply for these awards in recognition of their loved one's bravery."

Those eligible for the new Bomber Command clasp will have previously qualified for the 1939 to 1945 Star, to which the clasp will be affixed. It is also understood that there is an additional requirement to have flown at least one operational sortie as aircrew on a Bomber Command operational unit.

Those eligible for the new Arctic Star are all those who served for any length of time north of the Arctic Circle in World War II.

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Thank you for that Peter. I will be applying on behalf of my Dad, sunk twice, RN gunner on MN ships, Arctic Convoy WW2.

Bob



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Well deserved for any one who served their country. A long time overdue. I am proud to say my Dad has been given a plaque on the Wall of Rememberance at Centenial Park Cemetery. Unfortunately they only give those to the ones who have died from war related causes. About three and a half years ago, I laid it on thick in a letter to DVA so Dad would get a TPI pension. It is only because I did this that he got the plaque he well deserved. A shame we have to push to get what should be given without any hesitation. Personally, I think everyone who served should get one, or some sort of commendation while they are still alive so they know their efforts were appreciated. My Dad was proud to have served his country, even though he went AWOL, got locked up, sold the Colonel's jeep and he sold the Sydney Harbour Bridge to some Americans. A bit of a larakin, but a proud larakin.

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Denise, well said and I endorse you sentiments.



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The application form is attached please pass on to any shipmates that this may apply to.

Application form link

Eligibility form link


Subject: Arctic Star - details and eligibility
 
 
 
Shipmate colleagues,
 
Please find attached the application forms and eligibility criteria for the Arctic star.  Please pass urgently to all your branches and areas.  Chris please post to the website with the two forms, dont put behind the download password public area.
 
 
David Wright please note you are getting the same note as the National Council in recognition of your great work in this area.  The SPVA link is here:
 
 
 
The ministers statement was:
 
 
 
The Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans (MarkFrancois ):
I am pleased to be able to provide further details of the new Arctic Star and Bomber Command Clasp to the House today. This follows Sir John Holmes independent medal review and the announcement by the Prime Minister, on 19December 2012, that these awards should be made in recognition of the great bravery of those who contributed to two very significant campaigns of World War Two.
 
Since the Prime Ministers announcement, I have ensured that the necessary work on matters such as design, manufacture and eligibility criteria has been undertaken as quickly as possible in order to get medals and clasps to veterans and widows as soon as we can. We estimate that up to 120,000 veterans or next of kin could be eligible for the Arctic Star and 125,000 for the Bomber Command Clasp. Her Majesty The Queen has now approved designs for the new awards on the basis of recommendations made by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee. The design for the Arctic Star is based on the other World War Two Stars and the Bomber Command Clasp, to be worn on the ribbon of the 1939 to 1945 Star, follows the design of the Battle of Britain Clasp.
 
Production of both awards is now getting under way and we should be in a position to present the first awards in a few weeks time. Both the Arctic Star and Bomber Command Clasp are available to veterans and to the next of kin of those who are deceased. Priority in issuing the awards will be given to veterans and widows. Other next of kin may also apply now but will have to wait slightly longer to receive their award.
 
The qualifying period for the Arctic Star is service of any length recognising the particular severity of the conditions experienced by those who served in the Arctic. Whilst the primary intent is to recognise those who served on the Arctic Convoys, eligibility is extended to include all who served north of the Arctic Circle in World War Two. Those eligible will include members of all three Services as well of course as the Merchant Navy who crewed the ships taking the vital supplies to Russia. The criteria for the Bomber Command Clasp requires prior qualification for the 1939 to 1945 Star, to which it will be affixed, with the additional requirement to have flown at least one operational sortie with a Bomber Command operational unit. A clasp was deemed more appropriate, by Sir John, in the case of Bomber Command as aircrew had already received either the Aircrew Europe Star or the France and Germany Star and another medal would have constituted double-medalling for the same service. Eligible veterans and next of kin are now encouraged to apply for the new awards and details, including an application form, can be found at www.veterans-uk.info or by telephoning the MOD Medal Office on 08457 800 900 (a local rate number).
 
Regards
 
Paul
 
Paul Quinn OBE
General Secretary
Royal Naval Association
023 9272 2983
Room 209 Semaphore Tower, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3LT
 
 


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To You All,
                To ALL "Arctic Convoy" veterans may I and my members congratulate you all for finally achieving recognition from our Government for the horrendous experiences you went through during the "Arctic Convoys". You all deserve full recognition, our own merchant seafarers and you, our naval colleagues, and it's a disgrace you have had to wait for 70 years to receive it.  Please see below my letter to the "Isle of Thanet Gazette" which I hope will be printed in it soon.  Congratulations.
Phil Hughes,  (Secretary)
Independent Vindicatrix of East Kent - M.N.



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Dear Sir/ Maam,

 

Please find attached details of the Battle of the Atlantic 70th Anniversary Commemorations. The event is being commemorated by both the Merchant Navy and the Royal Navy in celebrations across the country, particularly in Liverpool where the main event is taking place, however, I would, in particular, like to draw your attention to the Service of Commemoration at St Pauls Cathedral. The Service of Evensong promises to be a fitting tribute to those who served and those who lost their lives. I have included a ticket pro forma for you to book tickets for your organisation for St Pauls and we would appreciate it if you would complete the form and return it to us at your earliest convenience if you would like to attend. The Service of Commemoration is not limited to those who served during the Second World War.

 

If you would like more information about the significance of the event and its relevance to the maritime history of the Northern Atlantic during the Second World War, more details can be found through the Royal Navys website http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Special-Events/Battle-of-the-Atlantic , Battle of the Atlantic page.

 

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

 

With kind regards,

 

Jane Snoswell

 

 

J Snoswell I OC I Battle of the Atlantic 70th Anniversary Project Officer I Naval Regional Command Eastern England, HMS PRESIDENT, 72 St Katharine's Way, London, E1W 1UQ I Mil: 93645 7345 I Civ: 0207 481 7345 I Mob: 07778 353858 I E-Mail: NRCEE-SO1Projects@mod.uk

 mime.php?file=image001.jpg&cid=image001.jpg@01CE1BEB.3BCF29E0 

A nation still dependent on the sea



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Message from the MNA

We understand from the Ministry of Defence that application forms for the Russian Ushakov Medal will be sent out, in about 2 weeks, to surviving Arctic Star Medal holders and are to be returned to the Russian Embassy.

Regards

Tim Brant

National Secretary

Merchant Navy Association



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We have just received official word that Her Majesty the Queen has approved a national Merchant Navy Medal. 

 
The Shipping Minister is due to issue a statement tomorrow, Merchant Navy Day.  Further information regarding the medal will follow.
 
Regards,

Tim Brant
National Secretary
Merchant Navy Association

 



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