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Arctic Convoys veteran slams minister

Dec 11 2011 by Sarah Scott, Sunday Sun

A NORTH veteran has branded comments by a Tory MP - saying Arctic Convoy heroes should not be given medals - as "disgusting".

Winston Churchill described the Arctic Convoys as the “worst journey in the world”, but Andrew Robathan angered North veterans fighting for recognition by saying Britain only awarded medals for “risk and rigour”.

The MP for South Leicestershire and Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare & Veterans, told a House of Commons debate that if Britain awarded a separate Arctic Star it would be the same as the proliferation of medals seen in authoritarian regimes.

He compared handing out more medals to the high number of honours dished out to Soviet generals and Colonel Gaddafi’s henchmen.

Jimmy Harris, one of the few remaining Arctic Convoy veterans from the North East, said: “It is disgusting to be used in the same breath.”

The 89-year-old from South Shields added: “If there had not been Arctic Convoys there would not have been a Great Britain left. It was because they attacked Russia that they lost the war.

“The Russians appreciated it, they have a massive structure for the British and American seamen. We had medals off the Russians but we have had nothing off the British.