Marlborough’s 90-year-old wartime sailor hero finally receives his Arctic Convoy Star medal

John O’Keefe, Marlborough’s own surviving 90-year-old hero of World War II, who lives in the St Martins area of the town,  added another medal to his proud chest at the town’s Conservative Club when he was presented with the Arctic Convoy Star today (Thursday).

He is one of only 200 surviving veterans of the terrifying Arctic convoys that faced not only sub-zero conditions but also German warplanes and U-boats on their missions to supply the Soviet Union as part of the war effort.

Prime minister Winston Churchill called it “the worst journey in the world”, and, in presenting John with his medal and a certificate, Devizes MP Claire Perry declared: “I really feel unworthy to do this.”

She added: “For me this is a great, great honour, an extraordinary occasion.  I have also had the great pleasure of presenting these medals to six other constituents at Trowbridge a few weeks ago.

“That event brought home to me the sacrifice of those who served in the most appalling conditions.  So it is a great privilege to recognise another example of all the courage and sacrifice which so many underwent.”

Mrs Perry recalled how MPs had fought for years for some recognition of those who served in the Arctic convoys which enabled Russia to maintain the Eastern Front against Germany, the Russians in fact having commemorated their bravery years ago.

“Other MPs campaigned hard to get this medal awarded,” she told members of Marlborough’s Royal Naval Association, formed in 1987, who were present at the Conservative Club, which is the association’s home base.

David Hicks, the association’s 71-year-old chairman, introduced Mrs Perry to his colleagues, now reduced from 38 to only 12 colleagues.

And she declared: “We were really thrilled when the MoD stopped mucking about with precedents and all that nonsense and finally allowed us to recognise those who served with such honour and with such enormous impact in supplying the Eastern Front during those very dark days of World War II.”

Mr O’Keefe, a former Marlborough Town Crier, was piped aboard for the auspicious ceremony, donned his naval cap and when the ceremony was complete toasted those present with a nip of 109 per cent proof original British Navy rum.

It almost brought tears to his eyes remembering his naval service from the age of 16 – he was born in The Parade, Marlborough – which included just one Arctic convoy trip, at the end of 1941.

“The ship I was serving on was an old one and it didn’t have much heating in it,” he recalled.  “I was just an ordinary seaman, one of only nine of us who had to steer the ship and do watch-keep duties for U-boats.

“Fortunately, we didn’t see any on that trip.  And it was so cold up there in the Arctic that I had to cry out of doing more.”

Records, however, show that he served in nine ships during his wartime service, including one that chased the Graf Spee, the German pocket battleship, that had sunk British ships before, in damaged condition, was scuttled in Montevideo harbour, Argentina, in 1940.

“I did serve on a sister ship that went after the Graf Spee,” said John.  “We lost a few but got away in the dark.  She lasted 20 minutes in the end…finished gone forever.”

After six years war service, John went back to sea again in 1970 before finally coming ashore in 1986. “I served on the QE2 for 14 years and did 14 bloody world cruises,” he revealed.  “I was on all of them. So I’ve been to most places.”

He lost is wife two years ago and a son earlier on.  “I look after myself nowadays the best I can,” he said.  “But I’ve got a daughter, Angela, and she is here today to see me presented with my Convoy Star.”