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Make it Six Campaign Medals:
The Arctic Star

Bill served around the world during the Second World War and received five campaign medals, the 1939-1945 Star with Battle of Britain clasp, Aircrew Europe Star with Atlantic clasp, Africa Star with North Africa 1942-43 clasp, Burma Star with Pacific clasp and the Italy Star. The maximum number of Campaign Stars any one person can receive is six. It should be noted that all those that received a campaign medal, also received the War Medal. This is the one seen in the picture below with the three bronze oak leaves (which denote each of Bill’s Mention in Despatches).

The Arctic Star was instituted by the United Kingdom on 19 December 2012 for award to British and Commonwealth service personnel who served north of 66° 32’ North Latitude. Primarily to recognize those who served on the convoys and the extreme conditions they faced. The medal was the end result of a 16-year-long campaign by Commander Eddie Grenfell, Lieutenant Commander Dick Dykes and Merchant Navy veteran Jock Dempster. It is the first British medal to be issued using a dead Monarchs effigy or cypher. There have been criticisms because of this and for other reasons. You can read more about the Arctic Star on its Wikipedia page.

Picture of an Arctic Star medal

Picture of an Arctic Star medal

The medal is awarded for any length of operational service north of the Arctic Circle, for the qualifying period of service of 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945 (the duration of the war). Fleet Air Arm personnel who do not qualify by sea service may qualify under the criteria applicable to Royal Air Force personnel. Which is, Air crew of the Air Forces if they landed north of the Arctic Circle or served in the air over this area.

Bill and 801(FF) sdn., flying from HMS Furious, carried out an attack at Tormso, Norway in the Arctic circle on October 16, 1940 (this according to research revealed by Dr Peter Lawson in his, Firsts and Foremost: The Story of Bill Martyn). From Bill’s log book we know that on April 3, 1944 he was on fighter patrol over the home fleet (from HMS Furious) for the attack in Alten Fjord on the battleship Tirpitz. Though Alten Fjord is in the Arctic circle I am not sure where the fleet was positioned. His log book contains entries for Operation Brawn (again from Furious) off Alten fjord on May 15, 1944. On May 18th he had an interception off Alten Fjord. And on July 16th at 0040, his log book reads ‘Operation Mascot’. On July 19th at 1600 it reads ‘Arctic Patrol’. It is worth noting that during all these ops of 1944, Bill was operating Seafire #858. You can find these entries in Bill’s log book.

As we can see from the above, Bill Martyn qualifies for the Arctic Star. At the time of writing, the family have not yet applied for the medal, but will be.

The order of wear means that the Arctic Star will go between the 1939-1945 Star and the Aircrew Europe Star.

Picture of Bill's medals

Picture of Bill’s medals

I look forward to seeing them after they are remounted.

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