"It's only a flesh wound..."

[Two's in]

Absolutely fantastic story of bravery and courage amongst the many from the Sandpit, after Fusilier Damien Hields takes on 150 Taliban and wins.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3511901.ece

Best quotes;

“They started it. We were going to finish it.”
"It was just a flesh wound really...
"There were so many holes in it, it was like a teabag.

Worst reminder that heroes can't buck the system;

Hields was awarded not only the Military Cross, the third highest award for gallantry, but also the Nato Meritorious Service Medal for his actions, which were part of a Nato operation. However, he will not be allowed to wear the Nato award because army rules do not permit soldiers to wear non-British medals

[parabellum]

"he will not be allowed to wear the Nato award because army rules do not permit soldiers to wear non-British medals"

Are you sure about that Two's In?

I remember serving with a chap who had done five years in the Legion and was awarded one of the top two French awards, he wore the medal ribbon on the right side and on special days the gong around his neck. I was under the impression that campaign medals were not allowed but gallantry ones were, worn on the right side only:confused:

[Archimedes]

Won't it be that he can't wear two awards given for the same act of gallantry, with the UK honour taking precedence, rather than a blanket prohibition of wearing foreign medals?

[Brian Abraham]

See the girls are in there again up to their ears. Well done lass.

Hields was dragged out of the Taliban fire and back about 20 yards where Lance-Corporal Carley Williams, the female medic attached to the troops, had dashed through enemy fire to set up a first aid position.

“The lads were screaming at me to get into cover,” said Williams, 23, from Llanelli. They saw one round actually pass between my legs.” She was awarded the Joint Commanders’ Commendation for her bravery.

During Vietnam service the RAAF were permitted to wear awarded foreign decorations, but not the RAN. Don't know about the Army. You get them, you wear them I say.

[Tigs2]

To be honest, the story at the top sounds like VC stuff!

[L J R]

Have to agree with Brian (Post 4). Wear the medal, and let come sneebling F/SGT or WOFF tell you to get it off. Continue to wear it and get charged. Then go thru the entire court martial process and enjoy the press release...


..Well done chaps and chappesses...

[A2QFI]

I was given a 'foreign' award and got a letter from Buckingham Palace, giving me permission to wear it.

[BEagle]

Most of us were given foreign medals for GW1 which came with a shabby scrap of paper from some faceless person at Binnsworth telling us we weren't allowed to wear them.....

[Pontius Navigator]

I think Archimedes has it right.

My grandfather had the MC and, in his own words, the French gave me one too. It was undoubtedly for a similar but not the same action. It was a Croix de Guerre avec palms.

[Lingo Dan]

The CDS wears two medals for service in Dhofar in the 70's; and I know several others who wore Omani medals from that campaign while still serving in the UK military.

A colleague at Aldergrove (circa 1982/83), who had been decorated by the Sultan of Brunei, had his award pinned on his chest by the AOC - one AVM Bair..w. I suspect he wouldn't have done so had wearing foreign medals been "illegal".

[Whenurhappy]

Well done all those who got Gallantry awards (including my boss in KAF:ok:).

The matter of 'foreign' awards is that they require the approval of the Sovereign before they can be worn, as she alone has the authority to award (and remove) honours and awards. In practice the Honours and Awards Committee would make a recommendation, which has happened fro the Croix de Guerre and others. Part of the problem is that 'foreign' including IDO medals (eg NATO) often have a different criteria (read lower) for the award and there is a concern that this might dilute the gallant efforts of others.

It is clear that approval for some campaign and other medals has been driven by political expediency (eg Sultan of Oman and Sultan of Brunei awards) but just becasue there is fighting, it does not automatically mean that a medal will be awarded.

Herewith a précis of JSP 761: Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces:


The decision to introduce a new United Kingdom campaign award does not depend on any formal declaration of hostilities but is based largely upon evidence of the degree of danger to life and limb and the rigours, inter alia, of terrain and climate. These may have a bearing on the decision to award a specific campaign medal rather than the Operational Service Medal (OSM) though the numbers of troops engaged and nature of the campaign will also be taken into account. The qualifying period for medals varies and the proposed period for a new award will take particular account of the rigours of the campaign. It is now by no means automatic that a medal will be granted simply if shots are fired or casualties sustained.

In HM Forces, with the exception for long service medals for enlisted personnel, medals are not awarded as a ‘record of service’. Campaign awards are granted for active service thus generally preclude personnel employed outwith of specific operations, irrespective of their location in the same theatre. As an example, Service attachés/advisors, legation support staff, members of short-term and in-country training teams do not normally qualify for campaign medals, however they remain eligible for State Honours, awards, and commendations. Armed Forces Operational Gallantry awards can also be made in absence of a Campaign award or OSM for the operation.

Well, that's clear then!

WP

[SPIT]

Please correct me if I am wrong ?? but wern't a lot of servicemen and women in WW2 awarded foreign and british medals for the same action and they were allowed to wear their foreign medals alongside the british ones ???:confused::confused:

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

Well done Fusilier Hields!:D

Sounds like a well deserved award - glad you're on my side!

Dunc:ok:

[C130 Techie]

let come sneebling F/SGT or WOFF tell you to get it off.

I can tell you that there is at least one, and hopefully many, F/SGT or WOFF (that would be Flt Sgt (FS) or WO?) who would be totally happy for it to be worn.

If it has been earned, as it certainly has in this case, then it should be respected.

[neilmac]

I have never had any probs wearing my UN Medal from Sarajevo in 95, against my Telic one?

NM

[Whenurhappy]

The UN Medal for service in BiH was approved, as were the three NATO medals for Former Yugoslavia, Kosovo and FYROM. No equivalent UK campaign medals were issued. By comparison, the OSM is awarded (with clasp) for Afghanistan; the NATO ISAF medal cannot be worn as well.

[Greenleader]

IMHO - Medals for gallantry are the only ones worth wearing. Well done to the lads and lasses who have earned these - wear them with pride.