My father (almost 85 now) lied about his age in 38 and joined a merchant ship (Euphorbia) that ran guns to the Spanish Government in the Spanish Civil War.
I believe they were the first British merchantmen to be bombed (Barcelona Harbour) by the German Condor Legion.
http://lacucaracha.info/scw/diary/1938/may/index.htm
He made numerous trips to Dunkirk evacuating Allied troops and was aboard the last ship to leave Marseille before it fell, taking off some French Admiral (the Royal Navy left 24 hours earlier).
He was in the only convoy to sail to Murmansk without an escort (these were held back for duty in Operation Torch).
12 or 13 ships set out and only 4 or 5 returned (thankfully he was on one of the survivors).
For this he received the princely bonus of £50 and was honoured/rewarded approx 20 years ago by the Russian Ambassador in London who presented those still living with a medal.
It is only in the past 5 years or so the feat of these brave seamen was recognised by the British government who gave them a crappy little lapel type enamelled badge.
On D-Day his ship beached at Courseulles-sur-Mer to offload heavy vehicles at Juno Beach in support of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade about 2 hours after the initial landing.
My father was luckier than a lot of our loved ones......especially when compared with his own father (my grandfather) who sailed as a 2nd engineer and whose ship went missing without trace whilst carrying every seamans favourite carge....Ammunition.