Awarding the QCVS

[Icarus's Daughter]

A slightly dumb question, but what sort of things would lead to the award of a QCVS? My father was awarded one in 1965, and because he never spoke about it or played it down if we asked what it was, we always thought that it was the equivalent of being picked to play for the 1st XV although I now think that it may be a little more than that...:confused:

I've been in touch with the Medals Office at RAF Innsworth, and they are trying to find a reference number so that I can then visit the National Archives to search for the citation but in the meantime, I wondered what sort of reasons lead to them being given?

[Pontius Navigator]

I am not sure but in your father's case if may have been QCVS (in the Air).

You say he was the copilot but a QCVS suggests he may have been something more senior such as a checking pilot. Many Victor crew in 1965 at Marham would have been ex-Valiant aircrew. He may have been involved in the Nuclear Weapons tests.

Humphrey Wynn's book The RAF strategic nuclear deterrent forces : their origins, roles and deployment, 1946-1969 : a documentary history

might hold a clue.

[Exrigger]

It stands for the Queens Commendation for Valuable Service (UK)

and here is a list of some recipients:

6
Sergeant Richard Graham SQUIRES
Royal Marines 7
Warrant Officer Class 1 Robert Ramsay ALEXANDER
The Royal Logistic Corps8
Warrant Officer Class 2 Michael John BROWN
Corps of Royal Engineers9
Warrant Officer Class 1 Mark Ian CHESTNUTT
The Royal Irish Regiment 10
Colour Sergeant Lawrence Joseph DALLAS
The Parachute Regiment QCVS11
Warrant Officer Class 2 Malcolm William MACARTHUR
The Royal Logistic Corps12
Corporal Andrew George Nelson MARSHALL
The Royal Irish Regiment13
Staff Sergeant Garry George PENN
The Royal Logistic Corps Now retired14
Captain Neil Howard REEDE (563170)
The Royal Logistic Corps 15
Lieutenant Colonel Harry Edward SHIELDS MBE (515784)
The Light Infantry16
Major Giles Matthew TIMMS (539722)
The Parachute Regiment17
A8424091 Sergeant Andrew Christopher BURNLEY
Royal Air ForceFORMER YUGOSLAVIAQCVS18
Lieutenant Commander Douglas James Keith ALLEN
Royal Navy19
24753819 Warrant Officer Class 2 Andrew BUTCHER
Grenadier Guards20
Lieutenant Colonel Gary Colin DEAKIN (520624)
The King’s Regiment21
24631992 Warrant Officer Class 1 Robert Gavin Alistair JOHNSTON The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders22
24824158 Sergeant Bruce James MURRAY
Royal Regiment of Artillery

[cobaltfrog]

Not a Dumb Question at all. It is a Level Four award for work in an operational theatre. Level one being VC/GC, Level Two CGC, Level Three DSC, MC, DFC/AFC and Level four MiD/QCVS/QCBA. Generally people who are awarded Level Four awards are written up for a Level Three award. That said QCVS have also been given for narrowly missing an MBE in an operational honours list (not the same as the Birthday and New Years honours Lists, which are for merit NOT operational achievement (although some services blur that issue sometimes!)

Difficult to say what is a benchmark criteria really. I say that because it is now harder to get a DFC than it was at the start of 2003. I do not take anything away from those who have received them in 2003, but fact of life is that in Afghanistan now, life is DFC' able on a more than average basis!

[Icarus's Daughter]

At the time he was flying PR9s with 39 Squadron at RAF Luqa - in 1965 surely that wouldn't have been classed as 'operational theatre' or would it?

[GasFitter]

Not a Dumb Question at all. That said QCVS have also been given for narrowly missing an MBE in an operational honours list (not the same as the Birthday and New Years honours Lists, which are for merit NOT operational achievement (although some services blur that issue sometimes!)


From my experience, I completely concur. Those under my Command who have been written up for MBEs and just missed out, received a QCVS.

[Pontius Navigator]

ID, as a PR Canberra driver they did a number of sneaky things but before that he may well have been involved in the nuclear test programme flying thorough the Mushroom cloud and then rushing the smaples back to UK.

What was he doing about 1956?

[Background Noise]

Are you sure it was just QCVS - I think that is the modern/current incarnation. Previously they were slightly different - they were not just for ops as they appear to be now. A Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air was a bronze oakleaf, similar to the modern MiD, worn on the medal ribbon of the campaign, if appropriate, or on its own. A QCVSA could be awarded for a specific act or for more general commendable service. It would have been 'gazetted' in the London Gazette - it would be worth researching it further with them - I think they have a research capability (for a fee). The air historical branch should be able to help too - they may still be at Bentley Priory (?) but that is in the process of closing. Have a look at these links, the defence site only lists current awards unfortunately.
Honours page (http://www.operations.mod.uk/honours/honours.htm)
Gazette info (http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/serviceusertypedetail.aspx?serviceusertypedocid=1143686)

[Icarus's Daughter]

What was he doing about 1956?

He didn't join until 1957 and he stayed on at RAF Linton on Ouse to instruct after he gained his wings, so 39 Sqn was his first posting 'proper'

oh, and it is a QCVS (in the Air) I was just being lazy :rolleyes:

[4Greens]

I was at Linton learning to fly in 1959, he might have instructed me!

[Tigs2]

A sound post by Cobaltfrog. I had a particularly tough aircraft emergency and was written up for an AFC (I only found that out a year after the award), I was awarded the QCVSA therebye just missing out. Do you still have your dads flying logbook? If so look through averything from 6- 8 months prior to the award, there may be a clue. If I had anything eventful I would always write a comment in my log book, which he may also have done in his

[petermcleland]

The Bronze Oak Leaf for a QCFVSA is to be worn directly on the coat and not on a campaign medal ribbon...If worn on a campaign medal it signifies a "Mention in dispatches". Most people who have a QCFVSA wear the oak leaf on an piece of plain ribbon of the same colour as the coat and then it can be placed at the end of a strip bar of awards. If nothing else to be worn then directly on the coat. The Oak Leaf when delivered is very slightly larger than the MID leaf and it has two bendable spikes behind it to push through the coat. I got mine for teaching people to shoot Air to Air and a couple of seasons of Formation Aerobatic displays. As someone said...The award is promulgated in the London Gazette and in my case this was 9th June 1955...It was signed by De L Isle and Dudley, Secretary of State for Air.

The same award can be made to a civilian flight crew and the badge is a silver shield shaped device.

[trap one]

Post the amalgamation of honours the QCVS was no longer awarded for Air or otherwise although the QCVS for bravery remained. The Oakleaf became silver (and slightly smaller) to show the difference between the QCVS and the MID. As I was informed the new QCVS would be worn on the campaign ribbon for the conflict it was awarded in. But if awarded on its own it would be worn on a blue ribbon in the full group of medals.

As 1 of 3 recipients of the QCVS from Kosovo from the same crew, 2 of us were told to wear it on the campaign medal ribbon, the 3rd who was posted was told to wear it on the plain blue ribbon.

I can also confirm that the original nominations were in 2 cases were for higher awards, but were down graded to the QCVS.
Mine unfortunately was signed by Buffoon.

[peterperfect]

trap one

Deepest Sympathy, trouble is I've got John Nott's signature on mine.....in my trap one to be spookily precise !!!.

pp

[trap one]

(Thread creep I know) But have to say that there hasn't been Sec Def in my time that I would look back and say that I was honoured to have his signature on my certificate. Mind you apart from HM who would sign, after all the Sec Def's are politicians:rolleyes:.

[pontifex]

Got one under John Knott and one under Roy Mason. Guess which one I value?