Another Walt? and a Chief Constable at that!
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
megan. That's a bit off topic and unnecessary. Free speech is all very well, but you need to justify what you say. No, I'm not going to buy the book/
if you've received a medal from anyone (and accepted it ) it's yours. You and only you know if it was deserved or came up with the rations.
Put all my stuff in a box when I left - quite happy to just wear a poppy on Remembrance Sunday.
agree - never thought I was in enough ‘danger ‘
Put all my stuff in a box when I left - quite happy to just wear a poppy on Remembrance Sunday.
agree - never thought I was in enough ‘danger ‘
Last edited by mahogany bob; 15th Dec 2023 at 08:38.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Mine likewise are "I was there" medals. (GSM plus UN). I wear them at BoB and remembrance services, more as a show of solidarity/support than anything else.
I reckon the danger is greater when driving on UK roads than anything in my military service.
I reckon the danger is greater when driving on UK roads than anything in my military service.
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I have never worn my GSM since I left and doubt I ever will again. Mine is proudly on display at the bottom of a drawer somewhere in an old Marks and Sparks plastic pen box.
Err, a lot of virtue signalling going on here perhaps? When else would you wear your medals in retirement other than on occasions such as Remembrance Services? if you're serving you'll have to wear the ribbons anyway, and the medals themselves when so ordered (as a fellow cadet at RAFC found to his cost when his Coronation Medal was a constant excuse for attracting yet another charge; tarnish, dust, finger prints, whatever came to mind). Aversion to ever wearing them in retirement rather smacks of Donkey Jackets at the Cenotaph or Lounge Suits at a Guildhall banquet. If it is called for wear them, if not don't. Anyway, how else will anyone ever know I was awarded a GSM as a Cold War Warrior?
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The only thing the GSM ever did for me was when the squadron's boss used to do uniform inspections prior to parades etc and the "Ohhh you have a medal, you're on it" 
Medals bar the long service gong were rarer than hen's teeth in the rest of the RAF, but at Odiham they were as common as muck, so once posted away from Odiham you became liable for any bloody parade.
.
To keep Beagle 'appy
Medals bar the long service gong were rarer than hen's teeth in the rest of the RAF, but at Odiham they were as common as muck, so once posted away from Odiham you became liable for any bloody parade.
.
To keep Beagle 'appy
Last edited by NutLoose; 15th Dec 2023 at 15:20.
Doesn't take away from the established achievements of the man.
The squadron's who? Or what? Or are you exhibiting apostrophic abuse yet again and actually meant the pural of squadron?
It's hen's teeth, by the way, not hens teeth!
It's hen's teeth, by the way, not hens teeth!
The family of the only aircrew fatality (I believe) on 72 Squadron Wessex during Op BANNER, presented his GSM (NI) to the squadron, where, framed, it hung in the Crewroom, just outside the Crewman Leader’s office.
And when the squadron was disbanded in 2002, the framed medal was gifted to the Select Vestry of St Catherine’s Parish Church - the Church of Ireland church, ‘inside the wire’ on the way to ‘C’ Site (I think!!!). Consequently, the Select Vestry, in agreement with the Congregation and the Squadron Execs, hung the medal in pride of place beneath the ‘old’ 72 Squadron Standard that had been laid up in St Catherine’s in the late 1990s.
Now, whether you decide to wear your GSMs etc, or leave them gathering dust in a drawer, is obviously a personal choice. But there are families of at least 1400 British military personnel, and families of 319 RUC members who would cherish the opportunity to see their loved ones wearing their GSM (or other medals), with pride!
And when the squadron was disbanded in 2002, the framed medal was gifted to the Select Vestry of St Catherine’s Parish Church - the Church of Ireland church, ‘inside the wire’ on the way to ‘C’ Site (I think!!!). Consequently, the Select Vestry, in agreement with the Congregation and the Squadron Execs, hung the medal in pride of place beneath the ‘old’ 72 Squadron Standard that had been laid up in St Catherine’s in the late 1990s.
Now, whether you decide to wear your GSMs etc, or leave them gathering dust in a drawer, is obviously a personal choice. But there are families of at least 1400 British military personnel, and families of 319 RUC members who would cherish the opportunity to see their loved ones wearing their GSM (or other medals), with pride!
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Chugalug
Aversion to ever wearing them in retirement rather smacks of Donkey Jackets at the Cenotaph or Lounge Suits at a Guildhall banquet. If it is called for wear them, if not don't.
hmmm not sure about that ?
what really bugs me is all those dignitaries - including the royals with assorted hangers on - all wearing a chest full of medals which they clearly haven’t deserved .
In my book medals should be reserved for the real heroes ,service and civilian ,who put their lives in danger or performed remarkable service to the nation,sometimes many times over - and yet very often never received the recognition they deserved.
Aversion to ever wearing them in retirement rather smacks of Donkey Jackets at the Cenotaph or Lounge Suits at a Guildhall banquet. If it is called for wear them, if not don't.
hmmm not sure about that ?
what really bugs me is all those dignitaries - including the royals with assorted hangers on - all wearing a chest full of medals which they clearly haven’t deserved .
In my book medals should be reserved for the real heroes ,service and civilian ,who put their lives in danger or performed remarkable service to the nation,sometimes many times over - and yet very often never received the recognition they deserved.
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Or fancy dress as in the current Prince Edward who couldn't complete the course and quit wanting nothing to do with the military, but dresses up in his multitude of fancy dress outfits on every occasion having done sod all to earn them...
Chugalug
Aversion to ever wearing them in retirement rather smacks of Donkey Jackets at the Cenotaph or Lounge Suits at a Guildhall banquet. If it is called for wear them, if not don't.
hmmm not sure about that ?
what really bugs me is all those dignitaries - including the royals with assorted hangers on - all wearing a chest full of medals which they clearly haven’t deserved .
In my book medals should be reserved for the real heroes ,service and civilian ,who put their lives in danger or performed remarkable service to the nation, sometimes many times over - and yet very often never received the recognition they deserved.
Aversion to ever wearing them in retirement rather smacks of Donkey Jackets at the Cenotaph or Lounge Suits at a Guildhall banquet. If it is called for wear them, if not don't.
hmmm not sure about that ?
what really bugs me is all those dignitaries - including the royals with assorted hangers on - all wearing a chest full of medals which they clearly haven’t deserved .
In my book medals should be reserved for the real heroes ,service and civilian ,who put their lives in danger or performed remarkable service to the nation, sometimes many times over - and yet very often never received the recognition they deserved.
Last edited by Chugalug2; 15th Dec 2023 at 15:55. Reason: Words, dear boy, words.
Chugalug
The rest of us wear our humble GSMs, Campaign Medals, and the others that came up with the rations for their once a day outing, in the humble recognition and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
can’t quite understand the link that you are trying to make.
surely you can recognise those who made the ultimate sacrifice without wearing medals of questionable merit.
The rest of us wear our humble GSMs, Campaign Medals, and the others that came up with the rations for their once a day outing, in the humble recognition and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
can’t quite understand the link that you are trying to make.
surely you can recognise those who made the ultimate sacrifice without wearing medals of questionable merit.
It’s got damn all to do with ‘donkey jackets’. If people are no longer in the Services then they are quite at liberty to refrain from bringing out their awards if they have no wish to do so. My Grandfather gave me his Pip, Squeek and Wilfred to play with as a child, he never wore them - to me he was a hero having been gassed on the Somme but he put it behind him. I treasure his memory and wear a poppy in his honour but that’s it.
Chugalug
The rest of us wear our humble GSMs, Campaign Medals, and the others that came up with the rations for their once a day outing, in the humble recognition and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
can’t quite understand the link that you are trying to make.
surely you can recognise those who made the ultimate sacrifice without wearing medals of questionable merit.
The rest of us wear our humble GSMs, Campaign Medals, and the others that came up with the rations for their once a day outing, in the humble recognition and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
can’t quite understand the link that you are trying to make.
surely you can recognise those who made the ultimate sacrifice without wearing medals of questionable merit.
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The irony. Debating which choice is right when medals were often earned in the service of preserving that choice....
Like many here, I don't consider my own run-of-the mill medals particularly important. However don't forget that just as the medals of our ancestors (whilst usually having little monetary value) are of great value as a link to the history of our families, so our own medals will one day have the same importance to future generations. You'd probably never dream of boring your family with your exploits, but maybe think about putting a few lines about what job you did to earn them in that old box with your medals.
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I've never worn my GSM/NI; I certainly remember being presented with it by AVM Austin who knew enough to kindly say I'd definitely earned it, but I don't think I ever went on a parade after that and I left the RAF a couple of years afterwards. There were quite a few times in NI when I really did think I might not be coming home including my first day (and I'll say no more), but luckily, I did. I've attended quite a few formal remembrance occasions since but as far as I'm concerned, those occasions are to honour those who weren't so lucky - so my "gong" stays at home.
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