Arctic veterans to receive their Russian medals

Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Government was making an exception which will allow the seamen from the navy and merchant navy to accept the Ushakov medal which had been awarded to them by the Russians.

Earlier this year ministers also began awarding Arctic convoy veterans with a British service medal for their role ensuring supplies reached Russia as it fought Nazi Germany on the eastern front – a route which Winston Churchill said was the “worst journey in the world.”

Announcing that the Ushakov medal could now be accepted, Mr Hague said he was making an exception to British rules which say foreign medals should only be awarded for a service done in the past five years and that people cannot receive a foreign award for a service that has already been recognised by a British medal.