Merchant Navy veteran John O’Keefe has finally received the Arctic Star, more than 70 years after his Second World War service on the legendary cruelling convoys that took vital supplies to Russia.

The ceremony took place at Marlborough Conservative Club on Thursday when the chairman of the Royal Naval Association David Hicks piped the 90-year-old in to be presented with the Arctic Star by MP Claire Perry.

He said: “I was very honoured to receive the Star, after so many years it finally arrived; we’ve been waiting long enough.

“I’m very honoured to think all these people come here for me, most of them I know.

“I don’t tell people about it because I’ve forgotten, but I was one of nine on the ship who had to steer and do watch-keep duties for German U-boats.”

Mr O’Keefe, of St Martin’s, joined the Merchant Navy when he was 16 and served on nine ships during his six years of wartime service. He went back to sea again in 1970 before retiring in 1986.

Described by Winston Churchill as the worst journey in the world, the Arctic convoy ships of the Royal and Merchant Navies made many treacherous voyages in sub-zero temperatures and mountainous seas to get supplies to Russia.

Mr O’Keefe is one of only 200 surviving veterans of the Arctic convoys and all those who took part are widely recognised as helping Russia’s war effort and significantly shortening the Second World War.

Mrs Perry said: “I always feel completely unworthy of making these presentations but it’s a great, great hounour to present the Arctic Start to Mr O’Keefe.

“I had the great pleasure of presenting these to other constituents at Trowbridge a few weeks ago and that ceremony really brought home the sacrifice that was made by the people who served in the most appalling conditions.

“Myself and other MPs had campaigned hard to get this medal awarded, we thought it was a great injustice that no decoration had been given for that sacrifice and we were really thrilled when the Ministry of Defence stopped mucking about with precedent and all that nonsense and finally allowed us to recognise those who served with such honour and such enormous impact.”