"Army" veteran photo - Daily Telegraph
 

Today's Daily Telegraph has a photo on page 2 captioned "An Army veteran attends a Justice for Northern Ireland protest . . .". Fair enough, except that the "Army" veteran is wearing an RAF beret, a Royal Air Force blazer badge, an RAF tie (?RAFA) and carrying an RAF flag.

I despair of the depths of ignorance to which even a "quality" paper has sunk in respect to defence matters.

I emailed the editor about 0400 cos I'm on nights. I think I described the error as lazy and ignorant.

I totally agree with your sentiments but to be fair throughout the campaign we were never referred to as RAF but as Army helicopters or security forces. This was in part to play down our part and lessen the chances of our softer bases on the mainland from being attacked. Even today few members of the general public are aware of our presence over the water.

In journoland it's quite simple:

-if it's green, including helicopters and transports, it's Army

-if it's on water, it's Navy

-anything else, it's RAF

Note that Vet has 3 medals. One is the post 1962 GSM, then a blue ribbon and bimetal medal and finally a 3rd medal like the GSM with a red stripe down the centre, AGSM? His GSM has only one bar, unless he did extended tours in Aden for instance, is this genuine or not? No LSGC medal however.

I assume the journalist meant military, not Army, but such distinctions are beyond the ken of most non military, i.e. 99% of the population, these days.

Having switched to The Times on Saturday, and finding no imagery on Telegraph.online, I remain uninformed.

However, I do agree that when it scomes to matters Military, journalists these days do seem staggeringly ignorant. As are The Public :(

75% of today's RAF doesn't have a clue about the military.

There are those that do, and there are those that get worried about their det not having wifi or a bar.

Journos....
 

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Attachment 2092

Gijoe..............
 

I take exceptiion to that slur on the RAF. What is your proof? I think you are over compensating for a pre-conception.....probably naive...:E So wind your neck in...

Journo's Aircraft Recognition. "Plane, Plane, Plane." I'll get my coat.

The MOD can't even identify their own equipment correctly on various social media outlets.

I've seen a Merlin used in a Wildcat article, the Royal Irish Regiment pictured when recruiting for the Irish Guards and an 81mm mortar described as a javelin missile, not to mention spelling senior officer's names incorrectly and completely ignoring any feedback to let them know the correct spelling. It's embarrassing.

PN. I haven't seen the photo but I suspect his medals are GSM62 with Bar for NI, a NATO medal of some sort and then the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal which resembles the GSM with a yellow central stripe not red. It is awarded for more than 3 yrs in a GSM/OSM area. 3 Sqn RAF Regt like 72 Sqn completed 2 year tours in the province and if he did more than 1 he would have been awarded the ACSM. It is more than possible that he retired at either 9 or 12 years before the award of the LSGM so it very likely that his awards are genuine. For the record I too have those 4 plus 4 more and 3 extra bars, very common for todays RAF

Regarding the Accumulated Service Medal. I believe it did not apply to campaigns before Northern Ireland started and hence reference to Aden won't work.

If I'm wrong TankerTrashNav will put me right!!

Old Duffer

Dick quote of the month? :D

Huge and O-D, thank you. Key dates are 1969 and 3 years and 2011 and 2 years.

The Telegraph colours may be off and the middle medal might be a UN medal for East Timor.

PN His ACSM will be the 3 year one as NI finished in 2007. The post 2011 has 2 yellow stripes which is why I didn't mention it. Huge

Quite correct O-D. The qualification period for the Northern Ireland clasp started on 14 August 1969, and any service before this date (eg in Borneo, South Arabia etc) does not count towards qualification for the ACM.

And in addition all aircrew are pilots. I remember seeing a picture captioned "Tornado pilots take off from their Norfolk base en route for the Gulf". I assumed the navs (WSOs) weren't required and had all gone off on a spot of leave

And of course to a fighter pilot all rotary wing are helicopters or Chinook, and to maritime crews all submarines are targets.

And to submarines all floaty boats are also targets.

According to one VSO that I know. There are 2 kinds of people in the RAF, Support Helicopter and the rest, and of those there are 2 kinds, Wessex and the rest and of those there are 2 kinds, 72 Sqn and the rest.

And having now seen the picture in question the other medal is the UN Cyprus so odds on he was heli ground crew or support.