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Portsmouth veteran given first Arctic Star medal Convoy veterans given first Arctic Star medals
(35 minutes later)
A campaigner who fought for recognition for Arctic convoy veterans has become the first recipient of a new medal. Forty veterans of the World War II Arctic convoys have become the first recipients of a new medal.
Commander Eddie Grenfell, 93, was given the Arctic Star at a special ceremony in Portsmouth earlier. Prime Minister David Cameron hailed the men as a "group of heroes", as he presented them with the newly-created Arctic Star.
Other veterans then received medals from the prime minister in London. Mr Grenfell was too ill to travel.
The Arctic convoys, reportedly called the "worst journey in the world" by Winston Churchill, took supplies to the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945.The Arctic convoys, reportedly called the "worst journey in the world" by Winston Churchill, took supplies to the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945.
Convoy veterans were previously eligible for the Atlantic Star but Mr Grenfell campaigned for 16 years for a specific Arctic medal, and its creation was announced by David Cameron in December. More than 3,000 men died while on the convoys.
Mr Grenfell said he felt wonderful to receive the medal and said it would be "churlish to ignore" the part played by Mr Cameron. Cdr Eddie Grenfell, 93, was given his Arctic Star at a special ceremony in Portsmouth earlier as he was too ill to travel to the ceremony at Number 10 Downing Street.
He added: "It is just sad that so many of my comrades are no longer with us to receive their medals today." Convoy veterans were previously eligible for the Atlantic Star but Cdr Grenfell campaigned for 16 years for a specific Arctic medal. Its creation was announced by David Cameron in December.
More than 3,000 men died on the convoys. The 93-year-old said it felt wonderful to receive the medal and that it would be "churlish to ignore" the part played by Mr Cameron in its creation.
Presenting the medals, the prime minister said: "I can't think of a prouder day that I have had in this job or a group of people I am more honoured to share it with.
"I am only sorry that it has taken 70 years to get to here and to say thank you."
Frank Bond, 89, from Eltham in south east London, said: "It's the culmination of 72 years since I first went on the Russian convoy, to recognise not what I did but what the sailors who gave their lives did.
"I am not a hero, I am a survivor but the guys who went up there, they really had it rough and a lot of them didn't come back."