This thread raised a question in my mind that has not yet been addressed but has now got me wondering. Like Basil I am an ex Cold War Warrior, and my solitary GSM got put away in a drawer in 1973 together with its miniature chum. It was much much later that I attended my first formal dinner of my Squadron Association, having been persuaded to do so by a fellow retiree. The present members of course attended in mess kit and were certainly wearing medals, some of them a lot of medals, TTN! Among them of course were female squadron members and one day they will be retirees, wearing civilian evening wear instead.
None of the ladies that attend our dinners wear medals on their dresses. Now that may well be because they have none to wear of course. My query is if they did would they wear them? That is the question I tried to raise in my previous post. I know that it is supposed to be a question of choice, but do the ladies see it that way, or do they feel that evening dresses and medals don't mix?
Do I wear my GSM at such do's? Well I didn't on that first evening but I do now. I feel that it tells the dramatic difference between my time and those who serve today. I'm proud of what we did, but I'm in awe of what has been done since by the men and women who took our place. I hope that when they in turn attend in civilian evening wear instead of uniform they too will wear their medals with pride, be they male or female.