A KINSON man says he has waited ‘a long time’ to receive the Arctic Star medal he earned more than 70 years ago.

Don Kenneth Locke, 88, worked on the HMS Belfast for four years after putting himself forward at a Royal Navy recruitment office in Southampton, aged 17.

Now, his courage and bravery during his time serving on the Arctic Convoys, which saw more than 3,000 sailors lose their lives between 1941 and 1945, has been acknowledged through the Arctic Star medal.

It is believed there are just 200 living recipients in the country for the award and Don says while it has been a long time coming, he was glad to finally receive it.

He added: “I’ve also got the Burma and Atlantic medals, and travelled all over the world during my time in the Navy, before I was demobbed in 1947 when I married my wife. In Bournemouth, there wasn’t much happening at the time, so I went to the Naval recruitment office and volunteered myself for it, because I knew that I would get called up anyway. My dad nearly went mad about it at first, but my parents soon got used to the idea and accepted it.

“I picked up the HMS Belfast in Plymouth in 1942, and I also boarded the HMS Nelson to travel to Japan, after they declared peace. Whilst in Iceland, I got frostbite, as it was so cold outside, and we lost a lot of people over that time.”

Don is now waiting to hear whether those who served on the Arctic Convoys will also receive the medals which Russia wanted to present to them.