British Sailors With Umalatovas and an M.B.E.

[CtahhR]

Here is a rather strange scene, Some old British sea-dogs with a nice selection of British, Soviet. Russian and "Permanent Bureau Of The Congress Of People's Deputies" (C/O S. Umalatova) awards - Including an M.B.E.! It looks to me that the Medal "For The Defence Of The Soviet Trans-Arctic" is an "Umalatova" "awarded" rather than Soviet issued award. In all my encounters with British conveyors of materiel to Murmansk and Archangel I have never found anything other than the standard Soviet military version of medals being presented. It's also strange to see the chap in dark glasses wearing the "900 Days 900 Nights Resident Of The Blockade Of Leningrad" "Medal".