It was not until after I had ceased to be a ‘servant of the crown’ when I retired from the Army, that the ‘medal people’ had chosen not to reward a chap with his LSGC – swine.

Upon making enquiries I was told that because I had been rather a ‘naughty boy’ on one occasion in the early 70’s, I was simply not entitled.

I was always under the impression – rightly or wrongly, that such crimes were wiped from one’s record sheet after a certain amount of time.

Does anyone know about these things?, because I have had my appeal against this decision rejected twice to date, and if the civil servants think they have seen ‘disaffected veterans’ chasing medals – then they ain’t seen nothing yet!

Tony


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Veni vidi vinci

""



Last edited by StanW on Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:39 pm; edited 1 time in total

Thanks Stan.

This is what's confusing me - I did 26 years total service, 21 years 13 days in the ranks, and was discharged on appointment to a Commission with an 'Exemplary' assment of military conduct and character. I resigned after five years (just for the pension you understand!!) making my total service 26 yrs and one month.

Still the b#####ds won't let me have it.

I wonder if it has something to do with the 'stain on the character' remaining ad infinitum. No chance to ask for parole either!

Tony


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Veni vidi vinci

LSGC,JUST A VIEW, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM TONY,DID THE TIME,BUT AS MY DOCS STATES'A VARIED AND CHEQUERED CAREER', WHICH I PREFER TO ANY MEDAL,LSGC ,DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT BODS,ME ,I THINK ITS A MICKEY MOUSE ONE LIKE JUBILEE ONE'S.GOOD BOYS GO TO HEAVEN MAYBE,BUT BAD BOYS GO EVERYWHERE

Tony,

Although I served in the RASC (trained clerk) for nearly eighteen years, I was never involved with the personnel side
(Part 1 Orders, unit office work, etc). However, as a Clk GD in the RAF 1950 -55, I did such unit office work. My memory
is, that offences could be, and were, condoned and expunged from personal records. I remember seeing, on a number of occassions "Blacked-out" entries on service records, Form 120, I think it was. It is possible that this might have applied to the Army as well. However, what did apply to the army was the principle that although, on discharge, grades could be re-assessed to a higher grade they COULD NOT be reassessed to a grade lower than had been originally given. Perhaps it is arguable that the Officer who graded you on discharge to a commission had, in effect "condoned your offence" and in so doing had reassessed your conduct as Exemplary. Whoever decided that your previous offence precluded the award to you of the LS&GC was effectively 'downgrading' you, which is not allowed. I wonder what his authority is for changing a grade given by your OC or O/ic Records which is a legal document - is it tantamount to falsifying a document in denying your right to a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, ie, effectively, reassessing you at a level lower than that given by the original assessing officer. I'm not a barrack room lawyer - these are matters for which the rules should be stringently applied. Another case where someone has there own particular way of applying the rules without making sure in the first place that the action they are taking is the accurate and correct application of the rules - probably civil service rather than ex service!

David

Worth thinking about David, thanks for that.

I sent off for my complete Army Files on 7th January for a totally different reason, only to find there's something like a 7 month backlog! Someone asked me where my gong was the other day, and it just got me thinking.

Anyway, once my records arrive, I'll scour them and see if someone has done the dirty on me. (also to vet them before I let either the wife or kids see them!)

If I find something I've totally forgotten about then fair enough.

If I found some civil servant has made yet another cock-up, then I'll have him!

Tony


_________________
Veni vidi vinci

Actually Pete, you've got the same view as my son - he said "I don't know why you are worried about it Dad, - you get more 'street cred' without it". !!!

Tony


_________________
Veni vidi vinci

Tony,

I got my records last year. A certain bagpipe playing Major in the I Corps of our mutual aquaintance had made some uncomplementary comments about me behind my back which he never had the guts to say to my face. Despite the fact he also gave me my second stripe.

Interestingly, a countersigning entry by the Australian C.O. of 201 Australian Sigs, said he expected a significant improvement in my reports under a new O.C. Very illuminating comment I thought. Made me feel much better.

The moral of the story is that the "faceless ones" existed even in those days. Unelected and accountable to no one.

John


_________________
Pingat Kami - Hak Kami
651 Signal Troop,
Semengo Camp,
Kuching.

Thanks John - when did you apply for your records, 1970 ? !!!!!

Tony


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Veni vidi vinci

No '69. Actually mine took about 12 weeks but to be fair they kept me in touch with the delays. The only thing they will not send is any document that refers to other people as well as yourself. Therefore the "strike" wasn't mentioned (whoops)


_________________
Pingat Kami - Hak Kami
651 Signal Troop,
Semengo Camp,
Kuching.