Russia repays war debt to HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast was part of the Arctic convoys that kept Russia supplied and able to fight with the Allies during the Second World War.

Now Russia is repaying its debt by funding the restoration of the ship and honouring its surviving veteran sailors.

A ceremony tomorrow will be held on board the ship, now an Imperial War Museum piece moored in the Thames, to mark the 65th anniversary of the end of the war. Commemorative medals will be presented to 14 men and Russian firms are expected to confirm they will fund the £500,000 replacement of Belfast's two badly-eroded masts.

HMS Belfast is known as the "last witness" to the events that saw 40 convoys sail to the Russian port of Murmansk, supplying munitions, tanks and aircraft. Of the 811 ships that took part, 68 were sunk.

She was also part of a convoy to destroy the Nazi battle cruiser Scharnhorst and led the sea attack during the Normandy landings in 1944.

One Belfast veteran, William Light, 85, who was born in Highbury, said he was honoured to receive a medal. "I'm glad we did it. We saved the lives of people who had no chance without our help."