Second World War veteran gets medal after 71 years

The 92-year-old formed part of the infamous Arctic Convoys, which were described by Sir Winston Churchill as 'the worst journey in the world'.

Mr Nock was on board HMS Cotton and his main job was to keep the vessel's diesel engines running smoothly.

The 92-year-old was part of the infamous Arctic convoys, ensuring the diesel engines on HMS Cotton ran smoothly as it journeyed through treacherous conditions.

It has taken decades, but now Mr Nock has finally been presented with a richly-deserved medal in acknowledgement of his heroism.

It is always good to see our military heroes being honoured. Arctic convoy veterans have campaigned hard to get an official medal to recognise their efforts.

But in Mr Nock's case the medal award had an extra touch of class.

He was unable to make it to London for the presentation of the Ushakov medal, which recognises courage and bravery in naval theatres.

So a Russian ambassador made the trip to his Stourbridge home to hand it over personally.

It does however, bring up the wider issue of delays in honouring those brave souls that served our country.

Last year it emerged that dozens of veterans had died before receiving the Legion of Honour medal due to its distribution being held up due to red tape.

During a four year campaign the Navy delivered supplies to the Soviet Union, fighting off Nazi attacks in sub-zero conditions.

After surviving the mission he was posted to the Pacific Ocean and was still at sea when the rest of the world was celebrating VE and then VJ Day.

Seventy-one years after sailing in the Arctic, Mr Nock has finally been presented with a medal in recognition of his heroic acts. He was unable to make it to London for the main presentation so instead a Russian ambassador made the trip to his home in Wollaston, Stourbridge, to personally hand him the Ushakov Medal.

"Let's be honest, we didn't get our medals by chance but it's something I am very proud of," he said.

"At first, like most veterans after the war, I tended to throw my medals in the draw and forget about them."

Mr Nock, who has a son, Martin, was first called up to the Navy in August 1943 having just turned 18.

After training he eventually boarded HMS Cotton as part of the 19th Escort Group at Liverpool and joined the Arctic convoys, working as a stoker and engineer.

Sadly, many did not make it back and Mr Nock saw first hand the sinking of HMS Goodall, which formed part of his fleet. The sinking claimed 98 lives after it was hit by a torpedo in the Kola Inlet on April 19, 1945.

Between 1941 and 1945 at total of 78 convoys risked attacks from Nazi U-boats and aircraft.

"Sometimes when you were out on deck these waves would come in and you couldn't see the top of them," said Mr Nock.

"I would just be praying it didn't hit the boat.

"The longest hunt we were ever part of saw us at our action stations for more than 36 hours straight.

"When we got back to England most were preparing for the D-Day landings but I sent to North Shields and eventually ended up on a ship called heading for the Pacific.

"We were part of a fleet of three ships, which were capable of making aeroplane parts."

Arctic convoy veterans have been campaigning for three years to get an official medal to recognise their efforts.

Mr Nock, who worked as a plumber and pipe fitter after leaving the Navy, said politics had continually got in the way.

"It's all been about politics because veterans from Australia, New Zealand and America have always had theirs," he said.

"Eventually President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Downing Street said we could all have them. That was about three years ago and we're all starting to get them now."