A year-long campaign has resulted in hard-earned war medals finally being sent to forces veterans.

The Leicester Mercury’s battle for recognition for the RAF and naval veterans who defended Crete means medals are now being sent to 60 old servicemen.

They had been promised after the end of the Second World War by the Greek government but it took 59 years – and some help from the Mercury – to secure them.

Mercury editor Nick Carter wrote to the Greek government to ask the defence minister for a quick resolution to the situation.

The campaigning paid off after help was secured from the Greek Embassy in London, a petition, and despite red-tape delays in Greece.

The 20 soldiers and 40 seamen were among 42,000 stationed on Crete, an island Hitler saw as having tremendous strategic importance.

But they were overwhelmed by air attacks and then overwhelming enemy ground troops as waves of reinforcements were brought in to secure the island for the Germans.

They were evacuated after little more than a week, to the safety of Egypt, and 4,000 men from both sides were killed during the battles that raged in the land and sea battles around Crete.

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