BIKER NEWS -- This exclusive and entirely heart-warming footage captures 'Hairy Biker' Si King's emotional reaction to b...
BIKER NEWS -- This exclusive and entirely heart-warming footage captures 'Hairy Biker' Si King's emotional reaction to being presented a medal for his father's service in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
Si's father Graham King took part in what Churchill called 'the worst journey in the world' as an Able Seaman on board HMS Sheffield.
His job was to protect merchant ships delivering vital supplies to our Russian allies and faced great danger in the form of harsh weather and the constant threat of German attack.
In total more than 3,000 allied seamen were killed during the convoys.
After a long campaign the government decided in 2012 to award veterans of the Arctic convoys with a medal called the Arctic Star in recognition of their service.
When the Ministry of Defence heard that Si was appearing on 'The People Remember', a BBC programme that will run in November, they agreed to surprise him with his late father's medal.
The segment of the episode shows Air Commodore Chris Bray telling Si: 'I'm here on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and the nation to present you with the Arctic Star for your father's service on the Arctic convoys.'
Holding back the tears, Si responds: 'That means a huge amount to my family, thank you. Well, you've succeeded in getting a huge lump in my throat… I'm incredibly touched.'
He later told presenters Sophie Raworth and Andy Torbet about his pride in his father's role on the Arctic convoys.
He said: 'I'm very proud of my dad and what he did - and all the men - they were an incredible breed.'
Si's father died when he was just eight years old, but as he would bring back exotic ingredients from his travels with the Royal Navy, he had a huge influence on his career.
Graham was also a biker and took on a new role as a dispatch rider for the Royal Navy, carrying packages between land bases after he was injured on the Arctic convoys.
'The People Remember' was filmed at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford in Cambridgeshire, formerly an important air base during the Battle of Britain.
The programmes honour people who've played a role in conflicts, both on the battlefield and on the home front.
Special guests include EastEnders actress June Brown, former 'Dragon's Den' businessman Duncan Bannatyne and broadcasters John Sergeant and Angela Rippon.
'The People Remember' will be shown from November 2 to November 6 at 9.15am on BBC One.
There will also be a compilation programme of highlights from the series, which will be shown on Remembrance Sunday.
This article was first published on 09:22 GMT, 31 October 2015
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