George F wrote:

It is not PRODOCOL even within the UK Armed Forces that campaign medals or service & jubilee medals are pinned on to the uniform of a recipient at a presentation ceromony. George F

I have personally witnessed Australian Army personnel having their medals pinned on them by both high ranking officers and by Cabinet Ministers within MINUTES of them arriving back in Australia from an overseas operation.


_________________
Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka,
from the HD Committee and its decision.

..



Last edited by ro5=6372 on Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:54 am; edited 1 time in total

I am about to send this to Chris Edge. I had to work hard to tone it down as the first draft, and the subsequent 5 rewrites, would probably have burned a hole in cyberspace.
Dear Mr Edge
I have recently learned that you were in attendance at last Wednesday’s PJM Presentation Ceremony at the Malaysian High Commission. I wish I had known at the time as I would have liked to discuss this matter with you face to face,

The citation given by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was an honest speech of gratitude towards those who served Malaysia so nobly in the early years of that nation. I should like to know if any members of the HD Committee, when they approach their twilight years, believe that they will be able to claim that they have assisted in the survival and subsequent development of a country.

Given the current state of the world, and of our own nation, I doubt this very much. Rather, HMG and all that sail in her will be responsible for the mass destruction of many states.

Only the most hard-hearted or mean-spirited in that room last Wednesday could fail to have been moved by the emotion that was evident as the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister spoke those words. I wonder, Mr Edge, into which of those categories you would place yourself?

Following the presentation, when those of us had been presented with our medals were recounting their experiences, many a tearful eye could be seen. Memories good and bad were recalled, and we remembered those of our numbers who never returned.

Only the most hard-hearted or mean-spirited in that room last Wednesday could fail to have been moved by the emotion that was evident at that moment. I wonder, Mr Edge, into which of those categories you would place yourself?

Even the weather contrived to simulate that experienced by the veterans in the jungle, evidence that a power far greater than the HD Committee (and yes, such does exist) was at work on our behalf.

But the HD Committee continues in its bizarre insistence in complying with 2 “long-standing rules”. Now my dictionary defines a rule as “an authoritative regulation or direction concerning method or procedure, as for a court of law, legislative body, game or other activity”. Another definition is “the exercise of governmental authority or control”.

The so-called “rules” used in conjunction with the PJM do not conform to either definition – they are not enshrined in any Statute and all attempts to obtain copies of them, duly signed and promulgated into Law have come to nought.

In truth, these oft-quoted “rules” are nothing more than guidelines. Now I assume that you are a well-educated and intelligent man. I have had my IQ measured by Mensa at 145 and I fail to see any logic in a process which waives these guidelines to permit acceptance of the PJM, and then invokes them to ban its wear. Perhaps you could explain this to me as I am obviously not intelligent enough to grasp the logic.

I have been told there are no sanctions that can be imposed on any veteran who wears his PJM in public. So the attempt to prevent us from doing so can only be born out of a hard-hearted or mean-spirited attitude towards the veterans. I wonder, Mr Edge, into which of those categories you would place yourself?

I served my Sovereign and my Country faithfully and loyally for 14 years. Now, as I approach my dotage, that very Sovereign and Country are treating me in a most hypocritical and patronising manner.
Yours Sincerely
Gerald Law


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)

Magic!....pure magic Gerry!
...if the man has any residual integrity at all he will not be able to read that without feeling pretty damned ashamed of himself and of his actions.


_________________
...................'Jock'
Paroi...Rasah...Batu Signals Troop.

This reply came back within a couple of hours.
Dear Mr Law
Thank you for your e-mail, which has just arrived prior to the start of my leave.

I agree that the ceremony at the Malaysian High Commission was a moving one, and I am very glad that it was able to take place. An event very much for the veterans and the Malaysians.

Copies of the rules governing the accepting and wearing of non-British awards have been made available to several of your colleagues. I will be happy to send you a copy on my return from leave.

As you know, we are currently considering the report forwarded by Barry Fleming, and to which you are a signatory. The points made in the report will be carefully considered and a substantive reply sent in due course.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Edge


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)

Wondeful letter Gerry,I think Edge is crawling to the nearest hole he can find after that.Well done
Rgds Ray

theoldgit2003 wrote:

Wondeful letter Gerry,I think Edge is crawling to the nearest hole he can find after that.Well done
Rgds Ray

Yes, Ray, it was a fine letter from Gerry. It reflected the pent up frustrations that we are all feeling.

I can see yet again that I am about to be the fall guy here ... I have heard that nothing we say will change anything. Nothing. It's just a matter of how they try and rebut the rebuttal. Do they now propose using my Rebuttal as the means to suggest that they have re-considered my case but there's nothing in it of merit, so there's no reason to change the recommendation?

But I am quite happy for my name to be in the frame. I know, without a shadow of doubt, that the current recommendation is faulted and discriminatory. There's nothing new in that. Ten years ago people were writing books about the 'twin myths' used to deprive ordinary people of their well-earned medal (at that time it was the Suez Medal - now a wearable award).

But there is an outside chance that Chris Edge and his oppo in the MoD, Richard Coney, and Mr Denis Brennan, will see something in our case that does merit a fundamental re-think. And there is also the Petition to the Queen signed by two of the twelve surviving VC's - and ourselves. Will we be told that She has rejected it?

One thing I can assure you - this case is not going away.

All the best,

Barry


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia

George F wrote:

Can you remember any GSM medal pinning ceromonies in the RAF John?

None.

I didn't even know that I had two until 35 years later.

Nobody told me.


_________________
Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka,
from the HD Committee and its decision.

GerryL wrote:

This reply came back within a couple of hours. Dear Mr Law, Thank you for your e-mail, which has just arrived prior to the start of my leave.

I see that Mr Chirs Edge appears to have been in such a hurry to start his leave that he didn't have the courtesy to actually answer your letter.

Perhaps he felt that his position is untenable?

I think that it is. And so do many, many more.

A very good letter Gerry.


_________________
Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka,
from the HD Committee and its decision.

If Chris Edge is going abroad for his holiday's he must find the transport cheap as we all know HE CAN WALK ON WATER well thats what he keeps telling us.

Last edited by ro5=6372 on Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:55 am; edited 1 time in total

Don't all laugh at the same time but our present government has a Democracy Minister by the name of Bridget Prentice.
It was reported on the news.bbc site in regard to a change in voting rules, once again, no doubt to make sure a certain someone gets another term of high office.
She is reported to have said that there was not a great deal of postal voting fraud in our present banana republic. No use getting in touch with her then!!