Arctic Naval Convoy Campaign Hots Up

6.03.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 12th May 2004

This week the campaign to recognise the heroes of the Arctic convoy campaign in the Second World War reaches a peak with a march in London (on Saturday) to present a 40,000 signature petition to the Prime Minister.

Local resident Charles Carter is one of those who served on the naval convoys, which took huge losses, and fought in extreme conditions (-30 degrees centigrade). But despite the success of the campaign in keeping Russia supplied with weapons, food and fuel for the soviet army fighting the Nazis, the veterans have never been honoured by a campaign medal.

MP Vincent Cable is one of the many MPs who have been pressing the prime minister on a cross-party basis to overturn the decision of the Ministry of Defence not to recognise the campaign. The prime minister has agreed to review the claim but no decision has been made. Vincent Cable said: "these brave men made an enormous, unrecognised, contribution to the last war. The Russians have acknowledged their crucial role and Mr Putin has personally awarded a Russian medal to the surviving veterans. But, perhaps because there is a lingering, Cold War, embarrassment in government about having helped Stalin's Soviet Union the British government has never done so. I hope, at long last, that their contributions will be recognised.