The editor of The News today saluted veterans who won the Arctic Medal campaign in which the newspaper played a leading role.
Mark Waldron said: ‘Today is a momentous day for all those who have fought so hard to have the heroism of the Arctic Convoy veterans properly recognised. The feeling of joy is only tempered by the frustration that the right decision has taken so long to be made and the sadness that many who fought for justice are now not alive to see it happen.
‘The News has stood shoulder to shoulder with campaign leader Eddie Grenfell in the fight for this medal. There has been many a time when it seemed this day would never come but Eddie never gave up and we supported him whenever we could. For me it is a proud moment to be editor at The News, a paper which prides itself on its campaigning, on the day victory finally came.’
As part of its campaign, the newspaper exposed the weakness of arguments put forward by successive governments to thwart calls for a medal. The News also organised a petition signed by more than 40,000 people and arranged the protest march through London to Downing Street where the petition was delivered to the then Prime Minister Tony Blair.
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