Vocal Voices

A Falklands war veteran has called for a change in the law after a disgraced chief constable was found to have worn a medal from the campaign to which he was not entitled.

Should that not also apply to the Royals in their fancy dress appearances at state occasions? Charlie and Willy with all those campaign medals they never took part in.

I say that as ex RAF with sod all medals.

What interests me is - how did such a Walter Mitty ever get anywhere near being a Chief Constable?
It boggles the mind.
Re the Royals, it did make me smile when on a recent Royal occasion Andrew and Harry - the only two who have heard a shot fired in anger - were barred whilst Charles was in full Carlos Fandango Il Presidente rigout.

You got it, many won't.

I have no time for Andy and Harry but at least they did serve. Charlie and the grinning egg?

Hmmm.

It's certainly something to think about, but then again senior staffers who "supported" campaigns from their Whitehall offices also got the medals and have a right to wear them.

Wearing a significant medal from someone else like a VC, I can see a gripe. Wearing a "me too" medal from a campaign? Not so much.

So, some staffers in Whitehall "supporting" a campaign from behind their safe desks get a medal and can wear it with "pride". And a Prince or Princess in fancy dress get one as well, because they are... Royal, and that is fine.

What about those of us who were there when the Turks invaded Cyprus. We got sod all, but we played a part. I didn't even get a Jubbly medal even though I carried an umbrella at RAF Honington in case Liz and Phil might get wet if it rained. N Ireland, Falklands....so many without medals, but Charlie and Will, breasts full.

Puke.

Workingman wrote:Puke.

I don't get invested in it any more. They military has very little sway over my life these days and so many of the things they did look like child's games to me now just as handing out medals has become mostly pageantry.