Code breakers still wait for medals

No one from the Enigma team was awarded medals

A Nottingham MP is urging the prime minister to speed up a review of war veterans who failed to receive campaign medals.

Nottingham North MP Graham Allen has pressed Tony Blair at prime minister's question time about the war time heros who are still waiting for medals after almost 60 years.

Syd Haynes, 78, from, Bilborough in Nottingham, worked as a wireless operator in Sri Lanka decoding Japanese signals during the Second World War, but has never been honoured for his service.

"We were the intercept station and Winston Churchill said our jobs shortened the war by two years," Mr Haynes said.

Rules and regulations

"But, when Clement Atlee and the war chiefs met, they decided that Ceylon was a non-operational area.

"I am bitter - to be quite honest - I feel I am entitled to it."

I think the politicians need to show some justice and humanity so these people are justly recognised

MP Graham Allen

"I have written to the Navy and the Air force and I always get the same reply: It was decided in 1946 and that is the end of it."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the honours and decorations committee does reconsider cases if there is evidence the government had not considered it properly the first time.

He said medals were not given to any members of the Enigma code-breaking team.

The Enigma team, based in Bletchley Park, broke German military codes during World War Two.

Prisoners of war

Mr Allen said code breakers like Syd and people who served on Arctic convoys and in the Suez campaign, as well as prisoners of war, deserve to be recognised.

He said:"You know these men worked hard and sacrificed for us to give us our freedom.

"It is to do with the rules that were drawn up in 1947 - we now need a bit of humanity.

"The officials can hide behind the rules and regulations, but I think the politicians need to show some justice and humanity so these people are justly recognised."

The prime minister said he will consider the matter.