Comment posted Sign the petition for Arctic Convoy veterans to be awarded a proper service medal by capt. d. c. mc nab.
Look up convoy PQ17 and it’s fate on the internet.
This was the lot of the merchant seamen on the run to Murmansk.
To deny them a medal is a sad commentary on the attitude of the authorities to their sacrifice.
Recent comments by capt. d. c. mc nab
- Argyll and the Isles Secrets Collection: The Brainport Alignment
I was brought up in the area – Tullochgorm to be exact – and Brainport was within easy strolling distance. It was the place we used to go “dookin’” and little did we suspect the ancient connections.
The path along the shore from Woodhouse was a popular Sabbath afternoon’s walk, and wild strawberries could be picked at the Black Quarry which was en route. It was near the Black Quarry that the body of Murdy Fletcher was found in the mid thirties. He had earned the Military Cross in WW1 and was a fisherman on one of the boats out of Minard.(It may have been a suicide.)
On the southerly arm of Brainport lay the wreck of the “Lily” -an outdated fishing smack which had a folding propeller, so she was obviously from the sailing era. The remains are possibly still there if one cares to look.
The area between Brainport and the “Castle Avenue” was known as “The Pheasantry”, no doubt where “the toffs” came to shoot pheasants in the early days of the Castle. Up till the mid nineteen hundreds the castle was the the balliewick of the Lloyd family, as was Braigh Bharr and Woodhouse.
It was a great place for any youngster to grow up and I still thank God for giving me the privilege of spending my childhood in the area.
Hope the above may be of interest.
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Great initiave, thanks for posting.
Here’s a wee reminder what happened during ww2 with the arctic convoys that left Loch Ewe: http://www.scotlandinfo.eu/wartime-loch-ewe
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I too would like to thank you.
I am the nephew of a merchant navy crewmen. His name is Douglas Wallace and he sailed to Russia during WW2. He was a teenage galley hand at that time and he suffered being torpedoed, bombed, strafed, and from having a ship break up under him because of the decrepitude of the vessel and horrendous sea conditions. On one trip to Russia his ship was sunk and he was rescued from the water more dead than alive. His clothing was so torn and soaked in oil that it was dumped, and he was reclothed by the crew of the vessel which rescued him. When he eventually reached home he reported to his employers to pick up his back pay. To his disgust, his pay packet was a bit “light” – because the shipping company had actually deducted the price of his lost uniform from his wages! Some things don’t change!
But whatever the dangers and hardships and privations he his shipmates suffered, the thing than really enraged him was the lack of official recognition from our government for the sacrifices they made. I stress OUR government. The Russians have been much more appreciative of their efforts.
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Look up convoy PQ17 and it’s fate on the internet.
This was the lot of the merchant seamen on the run to Murmansk.
To deny them a medal is a sad commentary on the attitude of the authorities to their sacrifice.
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Signed. with all respect
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My partner’s Father was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm during the war, mostly in Swordfish.
He was sunk in HMS Courageous, flew against the Dunkerque, part of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, and the Italian Fleet at Taranto, and off HMS Ark Royal in the sorties that crippled Bismarck.
As he said in his log book, which we still have, he was one of the few pilots to have made missions against three Capital ships.
I asked him before he died, full of years, whether he had any medals.
“Oh yes,” he replied, “they gave us something for being there.”
I asked had he still got it, but he had “lost” it.
He wouldn’t talk about his experiences.
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Greetings from Southampton, Hants. My dads brother was in the RN served on HMS Somali a Tribal class destroyer. The ship was sunk on its return from Russia in September 42. Needless to say he was lost with it, aged 21. I have signed this petition today (10/1/2012) when heard about it on our local radio station. Hope it achieves something.
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Atlantic Convoy veterans should also get a proper service medal. A lot of merchant seamen also lost their lives in the Atlantic.
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My mother and I would like to sign the petition however it is not accepting the catchpa – very frustrating. My father served in the Arctic Convoys and for this reason I wanted to sign it. It is an absolute disgrace that what these people went through remains unofficially recognised and I would like to give the campaign my utmost support.
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We’ve just checked it, Katharine and it’s working now,
The link takes you to a newspaper article which carries the link to the petition at its foot.
The petition will only accept one signature from each person.
Your and your mother’s support will be very valued.
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