A LUDGERSHALL Arctic convoy veteran joined former colleagues from across the south-west at County Hall in Trowbridge last Friday to receive a medal from a representative of the Russian Embassy.
The veterans were honoured by Russia at a special ceremony to recognise their bravery during the Second World War.
The Russian Embassy invited local residents who had already received the Arctic Convoy Star Medal from the Ministry of Defence to receive the Ushakov Medal, a Russian military honour.
Ludgershall’s Ken Beard said: “I undertook three convoys to Russia and at the time we didn’t fully understand how dangerous or how important it was. To us it was just another job.
“Nobody really appreciated just how dangerous it was to sail those seas, especially in July when there is 24 hours of daylight and we were vulnerable to attack at any time.”
The journey to Russia was described by Winston Churchill as “the worst journey in the world."
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