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Medals

Smudger

master brummie
There was an item on tv yesterday where some chap is campaigning for all service personnel who served for more than 2 years to get some sort of medal. Load of old codswallop if you ask me. Medals should be given for bravery & a distinguished career. The only brave thing i ever did was to eat army grub!! ( actually it wasn`t too bad, especially the breakfast )
 
Smudger:

For those who served for two years or more, including National Service 'bods', there is already a medal available. Not a campaign medal but a commemorative medal. Also available, free of charge is the Veterans Badge. Which is free for all ex. service personal.

I agree with you though. Medals should be for bravery, although I can also say that I am proud to have my fathers campaign medals.

He also won the Military Medal for saving a comrade under fire, but never collected it. Had no interest in it. Always said that saving his friends life was reward enough.

Eddie
 
Smudger:

For those who served for two years or more, including National Service 'bods', there is already a medal available. Not a campaign medal but a commemorative medal. Also available, free of charge is the Veterans Badge. Which is free for all ex. service personal.

I agree with you though. Medals should be for bravery, although I can also say that I am proud to have my fathers campaign medals.

He also won the Military Medal for saving a comrade under fire, but never collected it. Had no interest in it. Always said that saving his friends life was reward enough.

Eddie

Eddie, that`s a nice story. Your Dad sounds like a modest chap, A bit like my b-i-law who won all sorts of medals in the Burma campaign but would never wear them or even talk about how he won them. They are the true hero`s. I served for 7 years including a tour on N/Ireland but never did anything `heroic` but would i have done if the situation arose? Who knows what we`re capable of if called upon.
 
Yes, I think medals are given to easily which devalues them. I have the campaign medal for Malaya (with clasp) yet have never been to Malaya, I was based 15 months in RAF Seletar Singapore (with my Wife which shows how safe it was). Apparently if you served in Singapore for more than 24 hours you where given the Malayan campaign medal which was an insult for the soldiers fighting terrorists in Malaya and I repeat devalues the Medal. I was in the RAF for 8 years and don't expect (or want) a medal for it. Incidently found out the medal is solid silver. Eric
 
Smudger:

For those who served for two years or more, including National Service 'bods', there is already a medal available. Not a campaign medal but a commemorative medal. Also available, free of charge is the Veterans Badge. Which is free for all ex. service personal.

I agree with you though. Medals should be for bravery, although I can also say that I am proud to have my fathers campaign medals.

He also won the Military Medal for saving a comrade under fire, but never collected it. Had no interest in it. Always said that saving his friends life was reward enough.

Eddie
Some interesting views on medals. I have never been in the forces but do collect medals mainly from the first war. As you would imagine there is a criteria for a medal to be issued, some get them for doing very little service and hit the qualifying period and others get exactly the same for doing a lot more so things may seem unfair. My father did National service and was not entitled to anything although in Later life he did get his commemorative medal and have to say he was very proud of it.
I have also read of many brave acts where no medal was awarded and that seems unfair. Eddie your comments interest me as you comment about your fathers medals. The military medal was much rarer in the second war than the first and until recently (perhaps still the case) you can still apply for them as the next of kin. About 6 -7 years ago I applied for my grandfathers as next of kin and they were given to me. It was only a couple of years ago that the government issued a medal for those involved in convoy duties 70 years after the war and there are differing views on that.

Looking at the American services they appear to get far more medals than the British looking at the amount of ribbons on their chests so that would suggest they are easier to qualify for.

Steve R
 
My late Wife was left her Uncles WW1 MM and she passed it on to his Regiment (forgot which one, think The Warwicks) ) who put it in their museum. I still have their letter of thanks and appreciation somewhere. Eric
 
Dad, MM News 002.jpg
Steve R: I have never had any desire to claim my Fathers medal, and will not. It was his wish that he was not interested, and I have always respected that wish.

As already stated, I have his campaign medals which were sent to him, and such was his lack of interest in them that they are still in the original small box that they were sent in. The ribbons still with the original creases in them. I was proud of my father. He was a military man through and through, and was, pre war a Territorial, serving with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was at Dunkirk, and later, at D Day. His real love was the comradeship of his pals, and that was all that he was interested in. Medals meant nothing to him, in spite of my dear old Grand Mothers words!

Eddie.
 
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