SCOTTISH survivors and victims of the worst maritime disaster in British history are to be honoured with a medal in a victory for war veterans backed by The Scotsman.
Some 4,000 soldiers and sailors, including 400 Scots, died when the Lancastria was sunk by the Nazis on 17 June, 1940 while evacuating service personnel from France two weeks after Dunkirk.
However, fearing for morale, the then prime minister Win
ston Churchill slapped a "D-notice" on the tragedy banning any news of the sinking.
It was not until recently that the full horror of the bombing by German Junkers JU 88 emerged.
Backed by The Scotsman, the families of victims and survivors began a new battle, to create a commemorative medal in honour of the victims.
Yesterday, that battle was finally won when the communities minister Stewart Maxwell agreed that survivors and relatives of victims would receive either an official or a commemorative medal.
He has already approached the Ministry of Defence with the request for an official award and for the wreck of the Lancastria to become a war grave.
However, if this is refused, he promised that the Scottish survivors or victims and their families will receive a commemorative medal, within the powers of the Scottish Parliament to give.
"I can confirm today that, in light of the unique scale and enormity of this disaster, this government will act to put right years of neglect and lack of recognition by providing a commemorative medal for each Scot who gave the ultimate sacrifice in this tragedy," he said.
If a commemorative medal is issued, it will be only the second time this has been done. The first was when the initial 129 MSPs in the Scottish Parliament were given such an award.
Mr Maxwell added: "The Scottish Government firmly believes that every Scot who has given of the ultimate sacrifice in defence of their nation, and the courage and valour of those Scots who have fought, and still fight today, to defend our values and our democracy should be appropriately recognised and commemorated."
Fiona Symon, whose father, Private Andrew Turnbull Richardson, was killed in the disaster, has campaigned for a commemorative medal as chairwoman of the Lancastria Association of Scotland.
"Why should my father's life and the lives of those who died with him be mis-valued against others who are remembered and honoured for their part in the war?" she asked.
Mrs Symon, 67, said she just wants her six grandchildren to know the bravery of their great-grandfather.
"All my life I have wanted to do something about it and it is only now I have been given the opportunity and it means a great deal to me," she said.
"It would be nice to be able to set the record straight."
As the first newspaper to report the disaster, The Scotsman backed Mrs Symon and other relatives of victims and survivors of the Lancastria in their campaign.
Mark Hirst, whose grandfather Walter survived, but like everyone else was sworn to secrecy under the threat of a court martial, said survivors should not only be awarded a medal for being there, but for keeping silent.
"Those who took part in this forgotten event deserve a level of official recognition," he added.
Holyrood's powerful public petitions committee also looked at the issue.
Christine Grahame, the SNP MSP for the South of Scotland, had tears in her eyes at the victory of the campaign.
"Why should it matter to the few survivors in Scotland - some seven in all, and their families? Well simply, it does," she said.
CAMPAIGN AIMS TO COMMEMORATE TRAGEDY
THE sinking of the Lancastria, built on the Clyde and captained by a Scot, on 17 June, 1940 was the worst single loss of life in British maritime history.
However, fearing the disaster would damage morale, the then prime minister Winston Churchill slapped on an order preventing reporting of the sinking being published for 100 years.
The Scotsman was the first and only paper to defy the "D-notice" to reveal the tragedy, which led to 4,000 deaths including those of 400 Scots. We reported the heroism of those on board a ship that was carrying infantry units such as the Fife and Forth Yeomanry attached to the 51st Highland Division, the 6th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the King's Own Borderers.
Today, we have not forgotten the victims or their relatives. The Scotsman Campaign, Lancastria: We Will Remember Them, is calling for a commemorative medal to be commissioned to go to each survivor of the tragedy or to the families of each survivor and victim.
