大象传媒

This certificate (Russian Language), signed by the Russian President M Gorbachov and the WW2 medal issued by the Soviet authorities was awarded to the Officers and men of the Royal and Merchant navies who sailed on the Russian convoys taking was material and aviation spirit to Northern Russia during WW2.

The vessel I sailed on as a Radio Officer was the MV British Respect, an oil tanker, belonging to BP carrying aviation spirit to the White Sea port of Molotosk (Archangel). We needed the service of an ice-breaker to make the sea passage in the White Sea which was frozen over.

We were given the sum of about 拢30 in Russian crrrency by the Russian Authorities to spend, but there was very little to buy other than vodka and propoganda material. They also laid on Russian folk dances for us by a group of Russian Dancers. It was obvious that the living conditions of the Russian people were very poor indeed and overall we were glad to leave the place.

The wording on the certificate shown above reads...

FRONT COVER:
United Soviet Socialist Republics USSR
The Certificate of Universary Medal "40 Years of Victory in the Second World War 1941 - 1945"

INSIDE (not shown):
"40 years of victory in the second world war 1941 - 1945"
To participant of the War

Certificate
Mr W Waugh
Is granted by The Universary Medal "40 Years of Victory in the Second World War 1941 - 1945"
President of the Soviet Union
M Gorbachov
31 July 1991

To date, our service has never been recognised by the British Government.

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