Readers blast war medal decision (From York Press)

Readers blast war medal decision

9:18am Monday 22nd October 2012 in News

Bill Sunderland

PRESS readers have blasted the Government’s decision to block Russian plans to award a special medal to Arctic convoy veteran Bill Sunderland.

The newspaper reported on Saturday how Mr Sunderland, 86, of Foxwood Lane, and fellow veterans would be unable to receive the Ushakov Medal in recognition of their “outstanding contribution to the allied co-operation” during the Second World War.

The Foreign Office said the rules on the acceptance of foreign awards meant it could not be accepted.

But online readers were furious at the Government’s stance. One said: “It’s absolutely shameful that paper-pushers and box-tickers at the Foreign Office are denying him the honour that is rightfully his, and that he earned so courageously.”

Another said: “They should stick some of these civil servants in a rowing boat and leave it in the North Atlantic for a spell in winter!”

A third said: “What a ridiculous ruling from the foreign office. Should be ashamed.”

Another reader said: “Mr Sunderland, you and your former colleagues have my sincere thanks for what you did and the conditions you endured. You have my deepest respect. To the un-named F.O. spokesman... hang your head in shame.”

A fifth reader said: “How dare these time wasting, expense fiddling wasters dare deny these heros a medal, they have forgotten who pays their wages.”