Work is almost complete on a permanent memorial to all who sailed in the Arctic Convoys in WWII.

An unveiling ceremony will be held in Lyness starting at 12 midday on August 22 beside the Interpretation Centre.

The memorial has been jointly funded by the Orkney Islands Council, the Government of the Autonomous Province of Ugra in Russia and Russian Hour Television.

The memorial and ceremony has been arranged by a small working group made up of representatives from the Royal British Legions of Kirkwall and Stromness, the Orkney Islands Council, various other armed and civilian services and a representative of Russian Hour Television and the Government of Ugra. The group is under the chairmanship of the Lord Lieutenant Tony Trickett.

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Special ferry services are being arranged from Houton for folk to be able to attend the ceremony. There will be two additional return sailings to Lyness, on top of the normal commercial run of the MV Hoy Head. Travel on the additional services on board the MV Thorsvoe will be free of charge, but priority for vehicle spaces will be given to Blue Badge holders.

Just under 3,000 British Seamen were killed during the convoys as part of missions to transport crucial supplies and munitions to Russia during their struggle to hold off Adolf Hitler on the Eastern Front, and more than 100 ships were sunk. Scapa Flow was used by the Home Fleet as a base for protecting the convoys.

(GK/JM)