Mr Siddall, 90, of Bell Block, said that when his Arctic Star arrived in the mail it brought back stark memories of a time in his life that he found difficult to forget. The father of four has also received four medals from Russia recognising his service in the Arctic. The first was presented to him by the Russian ambassador to New Zealand at a ceremony at the New Plymouth Returned Services Association in 1989. The British have also awarded him the Africa Star and the Atlantic Star medals.He said he wore his medals when attending Anzac Day commemorations but rules dictated that he could not wear his Russian and British medals at the same time. The end of World War II marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Siddalls’ lives. They married in 1949 and emigrated to New Zealand six years later. They started out in Dunedin where Mr Siddall worked as a builder, but the winters there put them off so they made the move to Taranaki. The New Zealand Defence Force doesn’t hold figures on the British-awarded Arctic Star holders who reside here, but it has received 15 applications to date from New Zealand citizens who believe they are eligible for the award.
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