Oldest person to receive a medal for military service
According to Official Guinness Records,
Commander William Leslie King (UK), the oldest surviving British Royal Naval submarine commander and the last to have served for the entire Second World War, received the Arctic Emblem from the Ministry of Defence at the age of 96 years on the quarterdeck of HMS Belfast in London, UK on 10 October 2006. The medal, introduced on 7 March 2005, is given in recognition to sailors who served in the Arctic convoys supplying vital aid to the Soviet Union between 1941 and 1945. It was Commander King's seventh decoration for service in WW2. The UK government, mindful that those who served in the Arctic regions were often subjected to especially dangerous circumstances, including extreme weather conditions and determined resistance from German forces, decided that the service given and the conditions undergone by the Arctic veterans warranted tangible recognition in the form of something that can be worn. As a result, on 7 March 2005 the UK Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, announced the introduction of a new Arctic Emblem that can be worn as a unique,recognised addition to medals.