Airline pilots wearing medal ribbons on tunic
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Agreed about "insignificant" ribbons. I've got a couple of GSM bars "I was there medals", but in 28 years of airline flying never thought for a moment of wearing them. They come out, rather reluctantly, twice a yea.r BoB services and Remembrance, even if only to identify me as a "Cold War Warrior"
Gentleman Aviator
Bit like putting MBE on your Business Card
Avoid imitations
Originally Posted by Herod
Agreed about "insignificant" ribbons. I've got a couple of GSM bars "I was there medals", but in 28 years of airline flying never thought for a moment of wearing them. They come out, rather reluctantly, twice a yea.r BoB services and Remembrance, even if only to identify me as a "Cold War Warrior"
" other stuff connected with that era and with stuff like ammonites, painted eggs and assorted minor silverware. "
GOD! I have to ask - what DID you do in the RAF to amass that collection??? Must have been ultra - top secret!!!
GOD! I have to ask - what DID you do in the RAF to amass that collection??? Must have been ultra - top secret!!!
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Like you, ShyTorque, the important awards are on display. Over sixty medals; but they are all for running. You get one for completing the event, not for winning it. The civvy equivalent of the GSM I suppose "I was there".
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I began my commercial flying career as a 250 hr sprog second officer in BEA back in the late 60's. A majority of the training captains at that time were ex WW2 military and most wore a row of medal ribbons next to their uniform wings. It was the same in BOAC, so it must have been airline policy in the UK at the time for such decorations to be worn. It certainly impressed me, and no doubt the passengers as well. Many also sported a silver badge called the 'Queens Commendation for Valuable Services in the Air'. I believe that this was awarded for 25 years of airline service or for some other extraordinary airborne achievement. Almost to a man, these very distinguished gentlemen failed to reveal what they had been through, to earn those decorations. One only came to know, from crew room chat, about their wartime exploits. They, and any one who has ever put their life on the line in the service of their country, surely deserved to be recognised for the risk, bravery and service required, when in airline uniform.
The wearing of medal ribbons with civil airline uniform did seem to fade away as the WW2 veterans retired, but I feel that veterans of more recent conflicts deserve the same recognition. And no, I was never in the military.
The wearing of medal ribbons with civil airline uniform did seem to fade away as the WW2 veterans retired, but I feel that veterans of more recent conflicts deserve the same recognition. And no, I was never in the military.
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This thread immediately put me in mind of the character played by James Robertson-Justice in the film Out of the Clouds - from which this still shows his ribbons, including a DFC.
777fly, I joined BOAC in 1962 and can confirm that it was the same there. There were very many ex RAF pilots in BOAC, including some who had done outstanding things. Many also wore Pathfinder wings. It was normal in those times, and very few talked about what they had done. Brave men, all.
" They, and any one who has ever put their life on the line in the service of their country, surely deserved to be recognised for the risk, bravery and service required, when in airline uniform."
They deserved to be recognised but it must be their choice -. If they don't want to wear the ribbons or talk about the past that's their choice - they earned it
They deserved to be recognised but it must be their choice -. If they don't want to wear the ribbons or talk about the past that's their choice - they earned it
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
An airline pilot's uniform is part of a civilian organisation. No connection with the military. Is there a difference between that and say a supermarket worker? Or are we saying they should wear medals because they are pilots?
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
No, I'm not saying that at all. They were civilian pilots fulfilling a military role. That was an oddball situation. There were very few of them, and they certainly won't be flying in airline uniform today.
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Like Triple 7 , joined BEA early '70s , ex cadet . We were a civilian uniformed service , and uniform standards booklet had medal requirements written in . Seem to remember some cabin crew wore them as well .
Up until recently Merchant Air Services were represented at the Cenotaph , often medal ribbon wearing . Not dissimilar to Police , Fire , Merchant Marine , London Transport etc. And most of their representatives are medal ribbon wearing in uniform on Remembrance Day .
Can't remember if Scoutmasters 60 + years ago had ribbons up ?
rgds condor.
Up until recently Merchant Air Services were represented at the Cenotaph , often medal ribbon wearing . Not dissimilar to Police , Fire , Merchant Marine , London Transport etc. And most of their representatives are medal ribbon wearing in uniform on Remembrance Day .
Can't remember if Scoutmasters 60 + years ago had ribbons up ?
rgds condor.
I worked for a while in an outfit where EVERY pilot over a certain age had served in WW2
They never talked about it - maybe over a beer someone would bring up an old story , or a base, or (more likely) some "character" from the past but it took years to piece together their service - everything from BoB Blenheim's to Tempests & Mosquito. No-one ever, ever, ever wore a medal
They never talked about it - maybe over a beer someone would bring up an old story , or a base, or (more likely) some "character" from the past but it took years to piece together their service - everything from BoB Blenheim's to Tempests & Mosquito. No-one ever, ever, ever wore a medal
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It was perfectly normal for uniformed personnel to wear their medal ribbons, whether they were airline pilots, policemen, merchant navy officers etc., just check out some old movies. I always think that the uniform of, say, the captain of the Queen Mary 2 looks a little bare compared with the captains of the original Queen Mary and Queen Eiizabeth.
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Rig Air-Air Anglia circa 1970. From left Jim Crampton (Joint MD) - RAF Wellington Captain and POW. Dougie Brown- RAF Master Pilot. Brian Sharman - RAF Fighter Pilot post-war. Gerry Fawke RAF Pathfinder (617 Squadron) and Wilbur Wright (Joint MD) RAF Engineer. Wartime exploits rarely if ever mentioned. All sadly departed now. Perhaps not untypical of civil aircrew composition particularly in smaller firms post-war.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 11th May 2022 at 12:14. Reason: Addit
