Russian officials visited Skelmorlie last month to make a special presentation to a veteran from the Arctic Convoys during World War II.

The honour was bestowed on Mr Henry Tibbles who sadly was not, due to the age, able to attend the major ceremony in Glasgow.

Four major Ushakov Medal presentation ceremonies were held across Scotland by the Consulate General of Russia in Edinburgh just days before the Remembrance Sunday to enable most of the veterans to wear their medals at the Parades on Remembrance Sunday.

Representatives from the Consulate General of Russia visited Henry, aged in his early 90s, at his house in Shore Road, Skelmorlie, to present Russia’s Ushakov Medal personally.

The medal was awarded to the veterans of the Arctic Convoys for personal courage and valour shown during World War II while participating in the Arctic Convoys.

A total of 214 medals were awarded across Scotland, with more than 3000 veterans receiving this medal in the United Kingdom.

For Scotland this story is particularly important as many convoys sailed from Loch Ewe while naval escorts were sailing from Scapa Flow. There are now Arctic Convoys memorials at both locations where Russian Consulate General lays wreaths annually; Russian Arctic Convoys Museum was also opened recently in Inverasdale on the shores of Loch Ewe.

During the Convoys (1941-1945) British Merchant Navy along with Russian, American, Norwegian, Dutch and other merchant fleets was delivering important supplies to the Soviet Union and to the United Kingdom, mainly between ports of Scotland, Iceland and Northern Russia. The escort was provided by the Russian Navy, the Royal Navy, and other allied navies.

In total, 78 Convoys sailed to and from Russia between August 1941 and 1945.

The Arctic Convoys were called ‘the worst journey in the world’ by Winston Churchill. They were extremely difficult natural conditions of Circumpolar navigation combined with sophisticated and determined efforts of the German Navy and Air Forces.

Supplies were also brought from Russia to the United Kingdom to assist British war economy.

The Ushakov Medal is named after Russia’s most acclaimed navy commander Fyodor Ushakov, and is a State Military Award of the Russian Federation that was originally established in 1944, during World War II, especially for those who demonstrated courage and prowess in sea warfare. Eighteenth century’s Russian Hero Admiral Ushakov never lost a battle and was proclaimed Patron Saint of the Russian Navy.