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Harry Harding, Survivor, Salisbury: “The medal from the Scottish government is the first acknowledgement we have had and I'll wear it with pride with my other campaign medals.”
Reg Brown, Survivor, Coventry: "The medal is gorgeous. It's a shame it has taken so long to acknowledge the tragedy.”
Louise O'Hare, Hove, East Sussex: "I was in Scotland to accept a medal for my friend who's father died on the Lancastria 68 years ago. When is our English Government going to acknowledge this tragedy? When is it going to right the wrong and give families the closure that they have never have."
Lillian John, from Middlesborough, widow of survivor Ernest John: “The disaster upset him [Ernest John] so much that he didn’t claim any of his war medals for years. My children have written to the Ministry of Defence but got nothing, so when the Scottish Government did this, we sent off Ernest’s service record. It shows how important this was to him, to try and get recognition for what happened on the Lancastria. He didn’t talk much about the Lancastria, he felt the survivors had been very badly done to. That’s been righted now."
Robert Cruikshank from Linlithgow, grandson of victim Alexander Cruikshank: "I have been disgusted with the Westminster Government. They have refused even to acknowledge the ship as an official war grave but I am extremely proud of the Scottish Government. It shows the compassion and humanity of Scots people. My family have had to bear this over the decades, but now there is some closure. My father was only 12 when his dad was killed and it hurt so much he would hardly ever talk about it. He had to leave school early and get a job. He did a building job when he could have done a whole lot more with his life."
Fiona Symon from Kinross, daughter of victims Andrew Richardson: "The medal is a tangible acknowledgement of the sacrifice of the victims and endurance of the survivors. Despite the passage of 67 years since the loss of the Lancastria the pain and heartache of families is still very real and was made worse by the official cover up and lack of recognition. The Scottish Government has moved to address that and I do hope now that the British Government will follow the lead taken here and ensure UK-wide recognition for all those who were aboard the Lancastria that day."
Bill Hughes, Lancastria survivor and former crewman from Liverpool: "I am delighted that the Scottish Government has extended this recognition and I think its a real pity the British Government has not followed suit."
Ernie Archibald from Aberdeenshire, son of survivor Ernest Archibald: "“This [Lancastria medal] ceremony will honour not only the Scots but people from all over the UK. First Minister Alex Salmond will be at the ceremony so we’re all very much looking forward to it. The whole family are thrilled with it. The medal will mean so much to so many people.”
Walter Rushton, survivor from Layton: "It's the only recognition that's been given. I'm right pleased with it. It's taken a Scotsman all this time to do anything for us. It's getting forgotten. A lot of the survivors have passed on and the younger end don't know a lot about it, unless grandparents have told them. It's one of those things that's there and it won't go away."
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