A FORMER Royal Navy sailor who helped protect Russian shipping convoys during the Second World War has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Vic Burgess, who came to live in Bolton in 1946, had a celebration at his home in Westhoughton to celebrate his birthday surrounded by family.

Mr Burgess, who was born in Sheerness and is a former pupil of Greenwich School, was awarded Ushakov medal by Russian President Vladimir Putin in October 2014 for his help in maintaining vital supply lines, during the invasion of the country by the Germans. The presentation took place at the Russian Embassy in London.

During the war he sailed on HMS Cumberland and was in Montevideo when the Graf Spee was sunk in 1939.

From 1941 until 1943 Cumberland served with the Home Fleet, where she was then tasked to escort the Arctic convoys including Russian ships

At the end of the war Vic was in Singapore when the Japanese surrendered.

After moving to Bolton, he met and married his wife Jean in August 1947.

The couple had two sons Eddie and Peter, four grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Jean died last year following a long illness but in their 70th year of marriage.

His son Eddie said: “My dad was a Spurs fan as a youngster but when he moved up to Bolton became a Wanderers fan and has had a season ticket for over 60 years.”

Vic who worked as a foreman for 35 years up to his retirement aged 65, for Warburtons Bakery, at Back oth Bank.

Eddie added: “He now has the distinction of drawing his pension for as long as he worked there!

“When George Warburton wanted to arrange a special train for staff to watch Wanderer’s FA Cup Final appearance at Wembley in 1958, Vic was the person he went to help arrange it.”

Vic’s Russian medal is named after an 18th century Admiral Fyodor Ushakov, who never lost a battle and proclaimed ‘patron saint’ of the Russian Navy.