Arctic Convoy Medal for Easebourne veteran

Tony Fairminer, who has lived in Canada Grove, Easebourne, for the last 45 years with his wife, and is a great-grandfather, first volunteered for the navy when he was 18 years old.

“I went in at 18 and came back a man,” he said.

He will receive the medal in recognition of the service he and hundreds of others provided in transferring supplies to and from the former Soviet Union during the second world war.

During his time in the navy, from 1942, he saw action as a gunner in numerous places, including the Bay of Biscay, the Normandy landings at D-Day, and of course the convoy missions.

He was born in Aldershot, and lived in southeast London before volunteering.

Before and after his time in the navy, he worked for a shipping agency.

He was not conscripted as he had a reserved occupation, but said he signed up as soon as he turned 18.

Now 88, Tony celebrates his 89th birthday on March 11.

He is yet to be told when he will receive the medal.