Twenty Ushakov medals arrive in London, awaiting their twenty hero recipients

TWENTY USHAKOV MEDALS ARRIVE IN LONDON, AWAITING THEIR TWENTY HERO RECIPIENTS

Following the presidential decree, signed by the Russian President on 10 March 2014, listing nearly 3000 names of British veterans due to receive the Russian state award of the Ushakov medal, the first group of twenty British veterans of the Arctic Convoys will be receiving their medals on board HMS Belfast, on Friday 9 May 2014.

“Twenty Ushakov medals have been assigned to the veterans, having already arrived from Moscow and are being kept in the Russian Embassy awaiting the awards ceremony on board HMS Belfast” – said the organiser of Victory Day celebrations in London, Yevgeniy Kasevin.

On Friday 9 May 2014, a commemorative ceremony will be held on board HMS Belfast to mark the 69th Anniversary of Victory in the Second World War and the Arctic Convoys (1941-1945).

During the ceremony, twenty British veterans will be awarded the Russian State Naval award for bravery – the Medal of Ushakov. They are: Alan Florence, Albert Foulser, Anthony Snelling, Arthur Hutton, Arthur Lauricks, Arthur Waddington, Austin Byrne, Charles Erswell, Cyril Banks, David Kennedy, Ernest Davies, Ernest Kennedy, Frank Bond, Fred Udell, Gordon Long, Harry Card, James Pitts, John Hirst, Leslie Perks, Stanley Ballard.

James Pitts, who proudly and solemnly presented hisArctic Star medal to the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow in November last year, has been looking forward to the moment when he could “proudly fill the empty spot on his chest with the Ushakov Medal.”

The hero veterans of the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy will reunite with their Russian Navy shipmates on board HMS Belfast to celebrate their joint Victory and to commemorate their absent friends.

The ceremony will be attended by distinguished guests, including the former head of the British armed forces Lord David Richards and Minister of State for Justice and Civil Liberties Rt. Hon Simon Hughes MP.

The traditional Pusser’s Rum ‘Up Spirits!’ and Russian Standard Vodka ‘To Victory!’ toasts will follow the minute’s silence with cannon salutes in honour of the Arctic Convoy heroes.

A variety performance by British and Russian musicians commemorating the extraordinary contribution made by British and Russian sailors in the treacherous conditions of the Arctic Convoys 1941-1945 will be held on Friday 9 May 2014, at 18:30 in The Hay’s Galleria, London SE1 2HD.

Yevgeniy Kasevin, founder of Victory Day London, said – “The Arctic Convoys added a glorious chapter to the history of the Second World War – an ordeal filled with selfless courage and, unfortunately, still wrapped in a veil of oblivion. We urge a remembrance of the important historical role of the Arctic Convoys, so that the present and future generations will know about the joint struggle of Soviet and British people against fascism. We must remember the courage and the heroism of our ancestors.”

Victory Day London event is held in partnership with VTB Capital, Petropavlovsk Pl c and SCF Sovcomflot.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04