A Fife veteran, who braved what Sir Winston Churchill described as “the worst journey in the world”, has been honoured for his heroism.
Thomas Lawson, 88, from Kirkcaldy, received an Arctic Star medal for his service during the Second World War, risking his life repeatedly in order to keep Russian forces supplied on the Eastern Front.
He was presented with the medal by Captain Chris Smith, of the Royal Navy, at a care home in the town, a moment of immense pride for Mr Lawson and daughter Lynne.
She said: “We were told that sadly there are not many men left alive to receive the medal, so it was great to share it with dad.
“He served on four or five missions. It was a really bad time and a lot of people didn’t want to talk about it. But for him to receive the medal was very special.”
Serving on HMS Undaunted, Mr Lawson, a gunner, was one of around 66,000 sailors who risked their lives to help the Soviets fend off German advances by supplying them with arms and ammunition during the conflict.
More than 3,000 died on the missions, which saw crews navigate a gauntlet of German U-boats and planes and ice fields. The Arctic Star was only issued last year after a near 70-year campaign by veterans to have their service recognised.
Photo by David Wardle