It was a poignant ceremony which commemorated a sailor who fought for his country with distinction during the Second World war.
And Dundee man Patrick Keenan Stewart – who was known by his shipmates simply as PK – would doubtless have been proud that it took place on HMS Unicorn in his home city.
The family of the late Royal Navy veteran, who won recognition during his involvement in the conflict from 1941 to 1945, decided to hand over his honours to staff at the naval museum, which had such a strong connection with the able seaman who served both in treacherous waters during the conflict and with the Royal Navy Reserve in Dundee.
All in all, Mr Stewart, who died in 1992, spent 28 years in the service after joining up as a 20-year-old in 1941.
He was given the 1939-45 star, the Africa star, Burma star and Italy star and a service medal and a long service medal.
And, according to his family, he both loved working with his colleagues at sea and helping others on the Unicorn – the vessel which is nearly 200 years old and is one of the world’s most remarkable historic ships, preserved as a museum and visitor attraction in Dundee’s Victoria Dock.
They told the Courier: “We are all proud of his service and feel that his medals should be on display in a place where he spent many happy times with his shipmates rather than in a cupboard at home
“We were all very proud of our grandfather, he was great fun to be around when we were all growing up and he always had a story to tell us.
“He had a big heart and would do his best to help anybody who needed it”
He became a well-known character on HMS Unicorn, which played an important role in both the First and the Second World war, acting as a recruiting station and naval headquarters for the Tay region.
From 1874 to 1968, the vessel spent almost 100 years in the service of the Royal Naval Reserves and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves – and Mr Stewart was one of the men who performed a valuable role in war and in peace time.
Matthew Bellhouse Moran, the manager of the HMS Unicorn museum, said: “Patrick Keenan Stewart was born in 1921 in Dundee, brought up as a hand hackler to work in the mills, and then he signed up for the Royal Navy in 1941 and served as an able seaman, later serving on HMS Unicorn in the RNVR.
“We are delighted to receive his medals from his surviving son and grandchildren, who represent the living connections that still exist in Dundee between HMS Unicorn and the people who served on her in her active service days.
“We are always delighted to accept artefacts and papers connected to people’s working lives on board Scotland’s oldest ship.
“They allow us to preserve its history for the future and better tell her story through displays and exhibitions, as we gear up to significant anniversaries.”
These include the 200th anniversary of the laying of the keel in 1922, 150 years since the ship first arrived in Dundee in 1873, and 200 years since its original launch at Chatham in 1824.
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