THE proud family of a former Poole Royal Marine have seen him honoured with an Arctic Star in recognition of his service on the treacherous Arctic convoys during the Second World War.

Nigel Pope collected the campaign medal on behalf of his late father Ernest Frank Pope, known as Brad, who served in the Royal Marines for 22 years, including at Hamworthy.

Brad, who grew up on the Isle of Wight, joined the Royal Marines Kings Squad aged 17 - passing out the day before war was declared.

He went on to serve on HMS Nelson as a gunner, and saw four years' active service during the war, including in North Africa, the Mediterranean, as well as the notoriously tough Arctic Convoys, protecting vital supply lines to Russia.

Nigel, 65, who applied for the Arctic Star posthumously following his father's death in 2006, was presented with it at a special reception in the Mayor's Parlour at Poole Civic Centre on Monday.

He said: "It was a moving moment. We are all very proud of him so this was an important day."

He said his father was a quiet man who didn't talk about his naval career unless asked, but he recalls photographs from his time serving north of the Arctic Circle, showing men chipping ice from the handrails of the ship. "That was salt water frozen solid - it was a harsh environment," he added. "When I think my dad was 21 when he did that."

For the last 18 months of the war Brad was a trainer at Eastney Barracks in Portsmouth. He married Edna in 1947 and went on to serve in Kent, Malta and Poole, and finally the Admiralty in London. After he was discharged in 1961 he spent the rest of his life in Broadstone, becoming a sales manager at Avon Tyres.

His granddaughter Hayley Broom told the Echo: "My sister Lucy and I have always been immensely proud of our grandad and his time in the Royal Marines, and although sadly he wasn’t here to see it himself we’re so pleased dad was able to receive the medal on his behalf. I know my grandparents will still have been looking down on us and toasting the occasion with a sherry and a whisky!"

Mayor of Poole, Cllr Ann Stribley, said: “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to service men and women, both past and present, for their dedication and courage shown while representing their country. It was an honour to be able to present Brad’s well deserved Arctic Star medal to his son Nigel. ”