I’m assuming you have other medals as well as those 2? Otherwise you’re being seen off a little. I just recently had 4 full size and 4 miniatures mounted for a bit less than that.

I'm reminded of the quote by Hamish Mahaddie the pathfinder.

He went to Buck House and was wearing the ribbons IIRC of a DSO, DFC and a foreign award and this at the stage of the last unpleasantness before campaign medals were generally in issue. Afterwards, he and others adjourned for some refreshment and he was asked by a lady what the medals were, he was wearing. He claims to have replied: "I've no idea madam, they were on the uniform when I bought it".

As to the cost of medal mounting, one needs to compare the exceptionally smart arrangement of medals 'court mounted' against the scruffy 'loose mounted'. Even a single medal mounted in the former style shows a pride in appearance, whereas the latter (and occasionally seen in the wrong sequence 'cause it was left to 'er in doors to add them to a bar obtained on eBay) suggests a certain disinterest and lack of pride - rant over!

I am well past my three score and ten but still taking the shilling on certain occasions. However, I have no expectation of anything further to be added and so am unlikely to need to spend anything on mounting - mind you, the cost of Brasso's creeping up!!!

Old Duffer

Not quite (unless there are different rules between Services). Regular service counts towards the award of the VRSM at half rate to a maximum of five years provided none of that time counts towards another award, in other words 5 years gives 2.5 years credit meaning a further 7.5 years to qualify. A pure reservist needs 9 out of 10 bounty earning years to qualify, I'm not certain how it affects those that are mix 'n match. NRPS and FTRS have some very complicated rules, one I'm aware of (Army) that catches some out is they have to complete Level 3 MATTs to be classed as efficient. The cries of "I'm exempt all that stuff" turns and bites......

Sorry, yes they are in addition to the 6 I already have.


Going to look like this soon if they keep giving them away!


http://www.polarimagazine.com/wp-con...1/11/Kenny.jpg

I was told by my Sqn Boss that our illustrious Station Commander had marked down my final report to almost zero because he was of the opinion that I was being disloyal to the service by taking my option to leave at my 38/16 point. Definitely no medal for me. He also unecessarily tried to delay my timely departure from the service, which almost cost me the civilian job I had been offered. Meanwhile, he was clearing his own desk to take up a plum overseas posting.

ST - now I have my Service records I find the same happened to me, not at local level but up the Group and MOD chain because I took Phase 1 redundancy in 1993

My last MoD ACR was nailed down by ACAS (Lord Tim) with the telling sentence "... it appears that he will move to civilian life as soon as a job worthy of his perception of his own qualities becomes available." Miaow!!

Re court mounting versus traditional "swing" mounting. There is absolutely no reason why a swing mounted group should look scruffy if it is done properly. This was the standard form of mounting up until recent times. Originally court mounting tended to be restricted to cavalry and other mounted units to prevent damage to the medals as they clashed against each other, and of course as the name implies it was required for court dress.

Personally I prefer to see properly swing mounted groups to court mounting, but I acknowledge that court mounting is now required in a lot of the military - not sure what the rules are in the RAF.

Anyway, I wont be getting my solitary GSM for South Arabia court mounted!

My great-grandfather's Khedive's Star has a soldered hook on the back, presumably attached to a becket on his uniform, to prevent the monstrously heavy item crashing about unfettered!

Wouldn't have made one iota of difference. Regimental entry* (in black, red is a commendation) or higher (Courts Martial) or a recordable civilian offence (drink driving for starters) preclude an award. A bad OJAR etc has no bearing.
*Other entries are available depending on service.

I may be wrong but I don't think RN/RM ever court mount.

So with 13 years Regular RAF commissioned service 1980-1993, and 8 years TA service before that and Towers + 4 years in the 60s I still don't qualify - bah, humbug.....Still, save pinholes in my jacket!

It's a ruff world out there (71 to 10) - no Silver Jubilee medal; no Diamond Jubilee medal; no LS&GC medal (with ? clasps).

But I remain hopeful, maybe I'll get a Platinum Jubilee medal for services rendered? If not, surely I'll qualify for a RAF Centenary medal (?) - I should have gone for that extension offer?!*

Sloppy Link
 

Just looking through google Images and I find there are plenty examples of both for the RN.

Aaron.

The Khedive's Star was issued with the British Egypt campaign medal. I have seen Egypt Medals which have been pretty well wrecked from continual contact with the star, and in the medal world it is quite normal to see Egypt medal offered for sale "with usual contact marks". Any which have survived unscathed usually attract a premium.

I think you are correct Sloppy Link. I have often seen naval groups mounted swing style but with an extra length of black material behind the medals to protect them from contact with uniform buttons.

A work colleague of that time (same rank, same unit, same job) was eligible for redundancy, which he took and left in the same month that I did, in early 1994. He left the RAF a far richer man than I.

O-D, I am surprised at an old stager like yourself using chemicals .

The best thing for cleaning medals is the rubber on the end of a pencil. Pencil gives a good hand-hold and the rubber (eraser for the cousins) is small enough to get into the fiddly bits.

SL, I take it "OJAR" is an annual report of some sort? (I was RAF, we had ACRs = Annual Confidential Report).

But it seems that in any case I'm not eligible for any recognition of 18 years service due to the Cold War never happening...

Teeters,

When I mentioned Brazzo, I should have clarified that I had only heard from my man about the cost of the stuff increasing. I was issued with a tin of the stuff on enlistment as Aircraftman 2nd Class in 1963. Within days, bag of anodised buttons appeared (subsequently replaced at private expense by the high domed version) and, thereafter, I found little use for my button stick or the brazzo.

One now uses a cloth impregnated (in the nicest possible way) with some harmless stuff to clean the bling.

O-D

There’s an RAF 100 Medal? I’ve just paid £116 to have my 9 court mounted (full & minis) could do without another.....😂

Have just checked G-GF's Egypt 1882 with clasp Tel-el-Kebir ... looks pretty unmarked. Saved by the clip, and nice and smart, as one would have expected from a [then] Scots Guards Colour Sergeant.

Could this be him, in the top row of pictures? Those are the medals, anyway.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/53691420531325091/

Well done Wokka! :cool:
Any advance on nine?
Any North Koreans on the forum...?

Yep replaced the various Confidential Reports. Officers Joint Appraisal Report.

Drifting the Thread - as y'u do, I find that tomorrow, my RAFVR(T) commission becomes an RAF Air Cadets (RAFAC) commission. This includes a new set of rank slides with 'RAFAC' rather than gilt 'RAFVR(T)' pins and a set of gilt 'RAFAC' pins for my No: 1 (buy, borrow or steal for your No: 5). It will also affect my business cards, headed paper etc.

However, apparently I shall get a new commissioning parchment. This will be a struggle, as the wall of the downstairs loo is already covered with a variety of these for not just myself but the current Mrs O-D, together with a photo of the last flying machine with which she was involved and the last heavier than air machine, with its revolving telegraph pole, with which I was allowed to play before being sent to fluff duvets in some distant shed.

O-D

Whilst anodised buttons saved work they never looked as good, but why did we have high dome forced on us? Button holes were too small.

Yes, just received my tenth.
It’s going to cost me a fortune but at least I know it’s my last as I left 3 years ago, having just made the cut for the LG&GCM

You can't bank on it.

I'd been demobbed 51 years when the 'GSM Cyprus 1963-64' was invented!

It was my 1st!

Just been thinking. Do you remember the "Cold War' when we were all supposed to be risking annihilation on a daily basis. In general the campaign medal ribbons on our uniforms ranged from none to maybe two.

Then the wall came down, the USSR collapsed and all the other Eastern Bloc countries fell like ninepins. Peace broke out, with much talk of a "peace dividend". War would be no more, maybe it was the end of armed forces.

And now my son's group of 7 medals (served from 1992 - 2014) is nothing remarkable, and MG tells us he is up to 10.

Some peace!

TTN,

During the 50's and early 60's, anyone with more than the none to two, usually was wearing WWII medals.

Not uncommon with SNCO's and senior officers.

Our mutual former O.C. was the last Chief of the Air Staff to have a DFC from WWII. He might have been the last Chief of the Air Staff to have seen service in WWII.

My W.O. in the Akrotiri Electronics Centre in 62-4, went through N. Africa, Sicily and Italy. He claimed to have set up the 1st communications on Sicily and had strong regards for one of the Guards regiments. After he started setting up his equipment, the Germans counter attacked and got too close for comfort, then a squad/company/battalion of foot guards apparently saw off the threat. He didn't let us make jokes about 'pongo's' and 'brown jobs', he said they have their uses.

A good friend of mine [same age group] retired as an RAF Regt gp capt with ... nothing.

He told me he was either not "there" long enough, or on the wrong dates, or never got sent in the first place. He didn't even manage an NI GSM, which must have been unusual for a Regt officer. :)

He and I have no concerns about cleaning, re-ribboning or adding things.

Yes, the late MRAF Sir Michael Beetham, who won the AFC to go with his wartime DFC when he was commanding 214.

Looking at my 1972 214 Squadron photograph I see that there were still three of our number sporting WW2 ribbons, all of them AEOs who were commissioned siggies. Other than that, apart from a sprinkling of GSMs and LS&GCs most chests are devoid of ribbons.

MPN11 - please check your PMs ref your retired Regiment chum.

Those Navy boys, eh?

For the successful completion of the trials of the probe and drogue in flight refuelling system, and its successful introduction into RAF service.

He said a 'thank you' to me for helping him.

That was me, and the one hundred and odd other guys on the squadron. :cool:

To return to the "Court mounted issue and RN/RM, yesterday I had the privilege of being one of the RAFA Sud Ouest France group at the Commemoration at Pointe de Grave of the 75th Anniversary of the Op FRANKTON raid. Lots of RM and some RN there, most medals were Court mounted, and particularly so amongst retired RM and RN. And there were LOTS of medals, many South Atlantic "operational" and at least a couple of DSCs

Very interesting Wander00. I am afraid that on these occasions I usually shamelessly buttonhole the wearers and try and find out the circumstances of the awards. A few years ago I was at a service at the Bomber Command Memorial when I spotted an old gent wearing his WW2 medals, headed by the Military Cross. I asked him if he would mind telling me about it and his reply started with "I wonder if you have heard of a place called Kohima". I had!

On another occasion when I still had my militaria shop I got talking to a chap who mentioned that he had a DSC. I discovered that he was ex WO2 John Phillips, RE, who had won his medal for his part in attempting to defuse a bomb on HMS Argonaut. The bomb exploded and Phillips was seriously injured, losing an arm. I think this award of the DSC to an army WO2 is probably unique.

TTN - meet some very interesting people through RAFA attendance at commemorations here. Was at the annual event for a Stirling crew near Angles in the Vendee, and was introduced to a French veteran who had flown with that crew. on Saturday had the privilege of talking to the nephew of Lt McKinnon about his uncle and what he still means to the family

TTN - meet some very interesting people through RAFA attendance at commemorations here. - Wander00

Attendances which I have noted from several posts and for which you certainly deserve to be commended, although I suspect you will equally certainly modestly decline.

That said, since you have kindly brought up the subject, and at the risk of further thread drift, I attach some links outlining two different events commemorating the 75th anniversary re-enactment of Operation FRANKTON, including one by a group including Bill Sparks's grandsons:

» The Paddle

http://invisiblebordeaux.********.co...grandsons.html

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/86...eldmar-Hospice

Jack

Anyone beat this small group?

Was lucky enough to visit Canberra last year and saw WO Keith Payne's group

http://i66.tinypic.com/34o4k9d.jpg

Blimey - my gob is totally smacked!

Clearly he is a blood legend for getting the VC, bit isn't that the Silver, Golden and Diamond jubilee medal in the middle there? Given that he finished serving before any of those were issued and as is now 84, I presume the Ozzy rules for getting them are totally different and therefore very lax? As is the rule about wearing other nations medals?