Post by Administrator on May 9, 2020 20:50:43 GMT
Vic Davies: Merchant Navy.
A few years ago, he received the ‘Russian Ushakov Bravery Medal’ when two Russian third secretaries from the Russian Embassy and their families came to his home in Garth Maesteg to present it to him.
Richard Victor Davies (born July 5, 1918), will be 102 in June of this year. At 96 the Arctic Convoy veteran was visited in his Maesteg home by two dignitaries from the Russian Embassy. Almost seven decades after he served his country on what Winston Churchill later described as the “most dangerous journey in the world”, Maesteg veteran Vic Davies was finally honoured with the Ushakov medal.
He spent seven gruelling months at sea, enduring horrific conditions in inadequate clothing while helping to protect Russia as part of the Arctic Convoys of World War Two.
After near 70 years, the then 96-year-old was visited at his home by two dignitaries from the Russian Embassy and presented with his long-awaited medal by Third Secretary Pavel Kozlov for the personal courage and bravery he displayed in action.
The officials brought with them their wives and children, who played in the unassuming great-great-grandfather’s front room while he recalled the horror and heroism of 14 years spent with the Merchant Navy.
After recalling being mistaken for “Yanks” by his own British comrades after Canadian troops took pity on the freezing men and provided them with Canadian clothing Mr Davies spoke of his pride at being awarded the Ushakov by the grateful Russians.
Desperate to travel the world, proud 14-year-old Caerau youngster Vic enlisted for “boy service” with the Royal Navy as soon as he was old enough, later fulfilling his dream of becoming a merchant seaman when he came of age.
Years spent at sea in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans earned him an impressive haul of 12 medals and this most recent came decades after he spent months on end in the freezing Arctic refuelling the fleet of constantly-targeted destroyers and cruisers.
He also served a brief six-month stint with the Army until he was returned to the Merchant Navy “because their ships were being sunk left, right and centre”.
His years of serving Queen and country were not only punctuated by the deaths of comrades but also loved ones, including his brother and brother-in-law.
At 14 years old, Victor joined the Royal Navy’s training ship the Warspite and after training joined the Merchant Navy in order to see the world. When WWII broke out he had joined the army (as an anti-aircraft gunner) only to be told after six months that he had to go back to the Merchant Navy because so many of its men had been killed in the war.
He served in the Pacific, the Atlantic, also the Arctic convoys delivering supplies to the Soviet Union. He was there from September to April, seven months of freezing hell.
He was on the Polish ship ‘Krakow’ which helped in the liberation of Europe.
His ship was alongside Lord Louis Mountbatten’s when they liberated Hong Kong; they then went on to Singapore. He was at sea for a year after the war had ended.
Despite serving the whole war at sea and experiencing many tragedies, including the death of his brother, he survived the onslaught of war and instantly found work in Caerau Colliery when he was demobbed. Unfortunately, the colliery was more dangerous than the war and within a few months he had broken his back in an accident.
However, Victor refused to give in and decided that he was going to marry one of the nurses. Eirlys Ray Davies, the nurse who cared for him, said ‘yes’ and they were married on November 29, 1947. That was 70 years ago and they are still both together and living in their own home in Maesteg.
He was also awarded a number of medals for his duties in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. In 1938, Queen Mary visited the family home during a royal visit to Maesteg. And as said Victor has also received a visit from the Russian envoy to honour him for his service during the war.
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A few years ago, he received the ‘Russian Ushakov Bravery Medal’ when two Russian third secretaries from the Russian Embassy and their families came to his home in Garth Maesteg to present it to him.
Richard Victor Davies (born July 5, 1918), will be 102 in June of this year. At 96 the Arctic Convoy veteran was visited in his Maesteg home by two dignitaries from the Russian Embassy. Almost seven decades after he served his country on what Winston Churchill later described as the “most dangerous journey in the world”, Maesteg veteran Vic Davies was finally honoured with the Ushakov medal.
He spent seven gruelling months at sea, enduring horrific conditions in inadequate clothing while helping to protect Russia as part of the Arctic Convoys of World War Two.
After near 70 years, the then 96-year-old was visited at his home by two dignitaries from the Russian Embassy and presented with his long-awaited medal by Third Secretary Pavel Kozlov for the personal courage and bravery he displayed in action.
The officials brought with them their wives and children, who played in the unassuming great-great-grandfather’s front room while he recalled the horror and heroism of 14 years spent with the Merchant Navy.
After recalling being mistaken for “Yanks” by his own British comrades after Canadian troops took pity on the freezing men and provided them with Canadian clothing Mr Davies spoke of his pride at being awarded the Ushakov by the grateful Russians.
Desperate to travel the world, proud 14-year-old Caerau youngster Vic enlisted for “boy service” with the Royal Navy as soon as he was old enough, later fulfilling his dream of becoming a merchant seaman when he came of age.
Years spent at sea in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans earned him an impressive haul of 12 medals and this most recent came decades after he spent months on end in the freezing Arctic refuelling the fleet of constantly-targeted destroyers and cruisers.
He also served a brief six-month stint with the Army until he was returned to the Merchant Navy “because their ships were being sunk left, right and centre”.
His years of serving Queen and country were not only punctuated by the deaths of comrades but also loved ones, including his brother and brother-in-law.
At 14 years old, Victor joined the Royal Navy’s training ship the Warspite and after training joined the Merchant Navy in order to see the world. When WWII broke out he had joined the army (as an anti-aircraft gunner) only to be told after six months that he had to go back to the Merchant Navy because so many of its men had been killed in the war.
He served in the Pacific, the Atlantic, also the Arctic convoys delivering supplies to the Soviet Union. He was there from September to April, seven months of freezing hell.
He was on the Polish ship ‘Krakow’ which helped in the liberation of Europe.
His ship was alongside Lord Louis Mountbatten’s when they liberated Hong Kong; they then went on to Singapore. He was at sea for a year after the war had ended.
Despite serving the whole war at sea and experiencing many tragedies, including the death of his brother, he survived the onslaught of war and instantly found work in Caerau Colliery when he was demobbed. Unfortunately, the colliery was more dangerous than the war and within a few months he had broken his back in an accident.
However, Victor refused to give in and decided that he was going to marry one of the nurses. Eirlys Ray Davies, the nurse who cared for him, said ‘yes’ and they were married on November 29, 1947. That was 70 years ago and they are still both together and living in their own home in Maesteg.
He was also awarded a number of medals for his duties in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. In 1938, Queen Mary visited the family home during a royal visit to Maesteg. And as said Victor has also received a visit from the Russian envoy to honour him for his service during the war.
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