A Second World War veteran will finally be honoured after 70 years with an Arctic Star Medal for his efforts helping transport supplies to Russia.
Second World War veteran Edward Billingham, aged 87, from Brewood, who will finally be awarded the Arctic Star Medal
Edward Billingham, from Brewood, was an air mechanic in the Royal Navy on board HMS Tracker and HMS Trumpeter between 1943 and 1945.
His job was to maintain the aircraft on the ships that protected the convoy of supplies between Loch Ewe in Scotland and Russia.
But despite his role in these heroic efforts, many of which were carried out while a teenager, this is the first time his contribution has been recognised by the British Government.
It was not until December last year that the Government finally announced that those who had taken part in the Arctic campaigns during the war would be honoured for their role, and the first medals were presented in March this year.
Edward Billingham, aged 18
This was despite Mr Billingham and his fellow servicemen involved in the operation having received four medals of recognition from Russia in that time.
However on Friday, the 87-year-old will be given the medal at the Sutton Coldfield home one of his comrades Arthur Howes by Conservative MP for the town Andrew Mitchell.
Mr Billingham said: “It is nice to be finally honoured by the British Government. It is 70 years in waiting and while I immensely proud I am also insulted it has taken this long.
“We have campaigned in the past and we have had the door slammed in our face.
“While this has gone on we’ve be presented with four medals by Russia. It’s an embarrassment to the British Government that it has taken 70 years to recognise good men – I feel more respected by the Russians.” The decision to reward those who had served in the Arctic Convoys during the war followed Sir John Holmes’s review into the rules and principles governing the award of military campaign medals, which was welcomed by the Prime Minister.
More than 3,000 British naval and merchant seaman died between 1941 and 1945 on the convoys, risking their lives braving sub-zero temperatures, ferocious seas and a gauntlet of German warplanes and U-boats.
The first of the new medals were presented by Prime Minister David Cameron during a ceremony at Downing Street in May. Mr Mitchell, MP for Sutton Coldfield, welcomed the Government’s decision to reward those that served on the Arctic Convoys. He said: “This will truly recognise the bravery displayed and the contribution that British veterans of the Arctic Convoys made in protecting Britain.
Mr Billingham was an air mechanic on board the HMS Tracker
“I have long been making representations on behalf of an elderly constituent and I am, therefore, delighted that in the next few weeks he will receive the Bomber Command clasp and Arctic Star that he has so long deserved.”
The Arctic Star is a medal awarded for any length of service by a member of the British Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy who served above the Arctic Circle during the Second World War.
The bronze medal is 40 mm high and 40 mm wide. The obverse has a centraldesign of the Royal Cypher of King George VI, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The Arctic Star’. The ribbon has colours representing the three Armed Services, red for the Merchant Navy, and a central white stripe, edged in black, representing the Arctic.
Comments for: “War veteran’s 70-year wait for medal honour”
PAUL MULLERY
June 26, 2013 9:34 am
An absolute disgrace how certain sections of the British armed forces were treated following the end of the war. The Artic convoy personnel were ignored and, as for Bomber Command, its treatment was abysmal. Bomber Command was positively discriminated against. Despite losing over 55,000 personnel it was treated like it was an embarrassment. Air Marshall Harris received no commendation and left for South Africa in disgust and who could blame him?
Congratulations to Mr Billingham on his well- deserved, albeit belated recognition which has finally been wrung out of mean-spirited governments of all parties. My wife’s uncle is still waiting for his Artic medal. Thank you for what you did for us, Mr Billingham, without your generation’s sacrifice we would either not be here or be speaking German. Some of us don’t forget.
of the Royal Cypher of King George VI, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The Arctic Star’. The ribbon has colours representing the three Armed Services, red for the Merchant Navy, and a central white stripe, edged in black, representing the Arctic.
Comments for: “War veteran’s 70-year wait for medal honour”
PAUL MULLERY
June 26, 2013 9:34 am
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