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Thread: Arctic Medal

  1. #1
    Roger419
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    Default Arctic Medal

    Hi, My late father-in-law has a number of WWII medals but not the Arctic Medal. Yet, according to his Certificate of Service, he served aboard HMS Halcyon from January 1943 until cessation, during which time Halcyon went inside the Arctic Circle on minesweeping duties. However, under the column "Name of Ship (Tenders to be Inserted in Brackets) his Certificate reads "Boscawen (Halcyon)". Now HMS Boscawen was a stone frigate - a training establishment, so what exactly does this entry mean? I'd like to be sure he served aboard Halcyon before my wife applies retrospectively for a medal to which he may not have been entitled. Can anyone advise me?

  2. #2
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    I don't know about the actual terms of qualification for the Arctic Medal, but on smaller ships such as minesweepers the men were 'carried' on a the books of a larger vessel for the purposes of pay etc. It therefore looks as if he was borne on the Books of HMS Boscawen - even if she was a stone frigate - but served on HMS Halcyon. If I were your wife I would apply.

    Martin

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    I know next to nothing about medals. Can you please confirm exactly which medal you're talking about. I can't find a reference to an Arctic Medal in WW2 but I'm probably looking in the wrong place.

  4. #4
    gasser
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    Could this be what Roger is referring to???...https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and...-in-production

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    Perhaps.

    The Arctic Star is a different kettle of fish from the Arctic Medal.

  6. #6

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    The Arctic Star is a retrospective award, coming nearly seventy years after the end of World War II.
    With regard to the service record - the name in brackets, in this case HALCYON, is the seagoing ship.

    Regards
    Hugh

  7. #7
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    My father served on HMS Belfast during the Arctic convoys in WWII. My brother applied for the Arctic Emblem issued in about 2006, and more recently the Arctic Star medal. The emblem is in the form of a pin, enamelled white star with red in the centre. The emblem and medal were awarded to anyone who served and were in action north of the Arctic circle. To apply you need a copy of the service record and proof you are next of kin (if serviceman is no longer alive).
    I have his collection of photos on board at the time, ship laden with ice, awful conditions. He remembered the screams of "enemy" young men dying in the frigid waters, they could not pick them up. He did not talk about it much, wanted to forget it.

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