Royal UK Navy patrol vessel HMS Mersey has arrived in North Shields where the Commanding Officer has presented a 90-year-old former sailor with an Arctic Star medal.
The Fishery Protection vessel will be in the area for a short visit before sailing for another operational period – the three FPS ships are among the busiest in the Fleet and spend up to 300 days a year at sea.
Earlier Friday 27 June her Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander David Gillett presented Jimmy Newlands of Newcastle-upon-Tyne with the Arctic Star for his contribution during the Russian Arctic Convoys in World War II.
HMS Mersey will remain in the Port of Tyne until Saturday morning. She is one of a trio of River-class patrol ships built to safeguard the fishing stocks in UK.
[mappress] Press Release, June 30, 2014; Image: UK Navy