Wearing your Father's/Grandfathers medals

[stevfire2]

i"ll make do with my "veterans" badge.
however i am more than happy to see my eldest wear my dads medals, and the youngest , her great grandads. without them, those awards would probably not see the light of day again. it makes me proud that they show respect to those no longer here to wear them themselves.
steve

[Doodlebug]

I've good memories of my father and his old friend sitting around the fire in southern Africa in the seventies in companionable silence, my father with his pipe, his friend smoking a cigarette, both staring into the flames, whilst the dogs and I gradually dozed off on an old blanket. Times weren't the easiest, they both worked hard to put food on the table and what time they had to spend together was treasured and carefully allocated: travels in the bush with the family, etc. As veterans they never went to any remembrances of any sort, neither man had the time or the remotest inclination. My father's friend passed away quite a few years ago, my father himself went recently. Both were very much in the thick of it back then, as officers. Both spent the entire war engaged in combat duty. Both were decorated accordingly. My father's friend, an englishman, my father, german.

Neither would have wanted their sons or grandsons to wear their medals, I know this for a fact. They'd want us to sit by the fire and have a quiet whisky in their memory, not parade their gongs.

I think I'll have me a nice whisky now.

[chippy63]

Anything that fosters the younger generation's interest in the achievements and sacrifices made is surely to be encouraged. My son was fascinated by Dad's campaign stars from his convoy service in the Fleet Air Arm, and went on to do an impressive school project on carrier power.
Incidentally, the jobsworths at MoD/FO are blocking the Russians' offer of the Ushakov medal to the Arctic convoy vets, even though the USA, Canada, Oz and NZ have allowed their eligible folk to accept it. To say nothing of Cameron reneging on a promise made in opposition to award an Arctic Star.

[Tankertrashnav]

(thanks to TTN for the steer on where to get them mounted)

No problem peppermint jam glad to be of assistance.

I am well aware that this forum must not be used for business enterprises or personal profit, so can I assure everyone that I have absolutely no financial interest in the following recommendation.

If any member is having trouble getting medals mounted, or remounted, if they PM me I can steer them in the direction of a contact who will do a good job quickly and at a reasonable cost. I know there are firms who are virtually household names who do this, but to be honest a lot of them charge an arm and a leg for what is a fairly simple job, so I will be very pleased to help anyone who wants a good job doing quickly and reasonably.

[Tankertrashnav]

Incidentally, the jobsworths at MoD/FO are blocking the Russians' offer of the Ushakov medal to the Arctic convoy vets,

This is an old problem. At the end of WW2 the Soviets handed out a number of very high awards to British personnel of all ranks. Most notable was the award of Order of Victory, a splendid bauble made of diamond studded platinum, to Field Marshal Montgomery. Four RAF aircrew, three officers and a flight sergeant from 151 Wing in North Russia, received the Order of Lenin, whilst both Air Chief Marshal Sir Geoffrey Tuttle and Diesel Greaser C.Irvine, MN, received the Order of the Patriotic War (second class). Needless to say, however, permission was never granted for the wear of any of these Soviet awards, whereas those from France, the USA and other allies were of course allowed to be worn.

[charliegolf]

Much like the 'which side do males or females wear their poppy' question. Lots of opinions, but nothing 'official'. What will there be next, a Facebook group outing Walt relatives FFS!!!

Funnily enough, I attended my church on Sunday, knowing it would be nobbling cold inside. Wore my poppy in the middle on my jumper so's not to crush it with my coat. 56 years and I find out I'm AC/DC!

Medals: too many people with too much time on their hands if they're sweating it. Not many under 18 Walts about, I sense, so let it go.

CG (GSM NI, no Bar)

[faarn]

Pontius Navigator:

Once went to a German Remembrance, same day as ours, at Oldenburgh, that was hugely attended by locals and allied airmen too.

The Germans don't actually have a remembrance day in the same way as we do. They do however hold a national day of mourning or Volkstrauertag, this is usually observed two Sundays before the first Sunday of Advent so often coincides with ours.

They do however celebrate their Fastnachts on 11 November at 11:11. This is the start of their "fifth season" and lasts until Ash Wednesday. It is a day of celebration with carnivals, singing, dancing and the like. To the layman it could seem disrespectful but was in fact in existence long before the end of WWI.

It seems the Germans find any excuse for a party!

Back on topic, I wouldn't have a problem with the wearing of a relative's medals but I wouldn't really want my family wearing mine.

[Pontius Navigator]

Originally Posted by peppermint_jam

the Burma Star wasn't a medal commonly awarded I'm led to believe.

Surprising. I would have thought the numbers would have been comparable to, say, North Africa or even Italy. My old man had the Burma Star with Pacific Clasp. The former probably when he was sunk by the Japanese in 1942. I know he went to the Pacific in 1945 just a week after VJ-day but not sure when he got the Pacific Clasp.

[Pontius Navigator]

Originally Posted by faarn

Back on topic, I wouldn't have a problem with the wearing of a relative's medals but I wouldn't really want my family wearing mine.

I am not surprised. But then you wouldn't know would you?

[faarn]

I guess not! Still I'd prefer that than their getting their own.

[Collapsar]

Relatives medals

I briefly considered wearing my grandfather's and father's medals (on the right of my No 1 SD) last Sunday but as the earliest of my grandfather's medals is "South Africa", the oldest clasp is for "Cape Colony" and The Queen depicted on the obverse is not our current queen, I rather thought it would raise eyebrows and invite accusations of walting from those who know no better. (His other medals are "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred").

[A2QFI]

Medal cleaning and re-mounting

TTN - thanks for the information. I was unable to send you a PM as your in-box is full and not accepting!

[Tankertrashnav]

Thanks - I've remedied that now

[peppermint_jam]

@Pontius, I meant that it was rare to be awarded to a woman, but it didn't come across in my post!. Suspect seat to keyboard interface needs a forward assist...

[Tankertrashnav]

Very scarce to a woman. There were loads of ATS, etc, in India but they didn't qualify for the Burma Star unless they served in Burma, Bengal or Assam. I've seen lots of Burma Star groups over the years, but none to a woman to the best of my recollection.

[A2QFI]

I have been contacted by TTN's man of medals. Estimate £30 to clean and remount and perhaps supply new ribbons for 4 medals and 4 miniatures, sounds good to me.

[Nugget90]

Wearing Father's Medals - With Pride

I'm a former RAF pilot who served on exchange with the Royal Australian Air Force at the time of the conflict in Vietnam, and I still have close ties with my former Australian buddies: we flew 'A' Model Hercules all around the Commonwealth of Australia and the Pacific Rim.

In 2008 I joined them in Sydney for the Dawn Service and ANZAC Day Parade, where I wore with great pride my father's decoration (a DSO) and war medals - on my right lapel. On my left lapel I wore my RAAF flying badge (that had been presented to me in 1965, copying my Australian colleagues who do this when on parades such as these), my UK Veteran's badge and, of course, sprig of rosemary.

I now join with the Australian contingent in ANZAC day parades before the Cenotaph in London and afterwards the Service in Westminster Abbey. For those who haven't been there, I have to say that it is intensely moving, with the national flags of the UK, of Australia, of New Zealand and of Turkey laid before the altar. However, when on parade on the 25th of April I wear only those insignia that relate to ANZAC forces.

For Remembrance Sunday, displaying my father's medals attracts interest from many fellow church goers simply because not many people in rural areas have medals to display. The sight of medals does much to link the present with the past, and this I am convinced is really important for preserving remembrance into the future.

So, for anyone who feels in the slightest bit apprehensive about wearing your father's or grandfather's medals on Remembrance occasions, please do so: others will share in your pride.

[unclenelli]

I may also be wrong here too....

There is a limit on how far back you can go. You can wear your grandfathers medals if you were born before his death (and great-, great-great-, providing all intermediaries are deceased)

Otherwise you could have Walts pitching up with Chelmsford 123, Hastings 1066 medals etc.


Anecdotal:
I did once hear of an airman asking the SWO if he could wear his grand-father's medals at a Remembrance Parade. Permission was duly granted, so SAC Schmidt (can you guess it.......)




















turned up wearing an Iron Cross.
SWO apoplectic, passing FL300 and climbing!

[Blacksheep]

Good for SAC Schmit.

Dad's crew association were in contact with the survivors of one of the U-Boats they sank and regularly exchanged news. Some of them managed a reunion in Hamburg. The lesson of war is that it really isn't worth fighting and killing over mere politics.