A TALL ship's captain from Weymouth has returned from London where he was awarded the Merchant Navy Medal.

Paul Compton, who is also vice-commodore of the Royal Dorset Yacht Club, was awarded the medal for his services to youth sail training and to the Weymouth, Portland and District Merchant Navy Association branch, of which he is chairman and a founding member.

Compton was accompanied by his wife Suzy and daughters Lucy and Alice to receive his medal from Admiral the Right Honourable Lord West of Spithead at Trinity House.

The Merchant Navy Medal is given to honour meritorious service within the Merchant Navy and was first awarded in 2005. There are only up to twenty 20 recipients of the medal annually.

Compton said: “To me, it represents a combination of a lifetime in sail training and what a privilege it has been to serve my country and young people.”

When asked why he chose sail training and youth development over a career in the commercial Merchant Navy, Compton’s answer was simple. He said: “It has provided substantial job satisfaction for me. The end product is the development of young people who go on to do great things. One ex-trainee is now the scientific adviseor to the Prime Minister.”

During his career, Compton has sailed around the world visiting almost every corner of the globe. He has worked on board the sail training vessels Tenacious, Lord Nelson, Royalist and Astrid, and is currently a serving Captain on Pelican, Weymouth’s own tall ship.

Compton has always felt a strong loyalty towards the Merchant Navy, which Sir Winston Churchill famously referred to as the “fourth service”.

He is currently behind a campaign to erect a memorial to personnel from the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets who have served our country. It is hoped that this will be placederected on the Esplanade in Weymouth towards the end of next year.