A Second World War veteran has had cause for a double celebration after receiving a service medal on his birthday.
Fred Terretta, of Manor Road in Ickleford, was awarded the Arctic Star medal at a ceremony held in London on Thursday – the day he turned 92.
The accolade from the Russian Embassy is in recognition of his time spent in the Royal Navy.
Speaking about his service, the father-of-two said: “When I first joined when I was 19 and was trained in the high speed Morse code in Gibraltar and then became a navy officer. As an officer I was based in Belfast and was sent off to northern Russia to hunt for submarines and offer close support to our allies.
“We were effectively dropping underwater bombs and you would feel the explosion shaking the entire ship. It was concerning and upsetting.”
Mr Terretta, who still plays golf three times a week at Letchworth Golf Club, was joined by his wife and twin daughters at the ceremony, and said receiving the medal was an honour.
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