Keith in America kindly alerted me to the ongoing row in Soldier Magazine. In the latest episode, a Lt Col (Retd) and SO2 at teh Medals Offices wrote:

"The main issue surrounds the fact that it represents a double award for the same period of service. Barring the gap between July 1960 and December 1962, all recipients of the PJM were also awarded a General Service Medal." (http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk/mail_archive/medals.htm#feb ).

One person has already responded at http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk/mail_archive/medals.htm#mar3 pointing out the Colonel's misleading info.

I have now responded as follows:

Sir,

Ongoing row over medals

In the February and March Talkbacks there is reference to the ongoing row over medals and the position of the PJM. One of the reasons why the row goes on and on is the sort of misinformation that is contained in the 'authoritative' response from your contributor Lt Col (Retd) Peter Lockyer, an SO2 at the Medal Office. He is not correct about the eligibility dates for the GSM in Malaya/Malaysia, Borneo and Singapore. In fact he is fundamentally wrong and provides readers with a misleading statement about the PJM that should be corrected. For the record, the correct dates (omitting Brunei which is not covered by the PJM) are:

Naval General Service Medal 1915-62, Clasp "Malaya" 16/06/1948 - 31/07/1960 This medal appears never to have been awarded to RN ships personnel after 1954, and particularly for the PJM period between 1957 and 1960 (see Admiralty Fleet Order (AFO) 2460 in September 1960)

General Service Medal (Army and RAF) 1918-62, Clasp "Malaya" 16/06/1948 - 31/07/1960

General Service Medal 1964. Clasp "Borneo" 24/12/1962 - 11/08/1966 and Clasp "Malay Peninsula" 17/08/1964 - 12/06/1965 (mainland) and 11/08/1966 air and coastal waters.

The PJM is issued for the period August 1957 to August 1966. For 5 ½ years of those years no British medal was awarded to those serving solely in Singapore. After July 1960, a British medal was awarded for a period of only 1 year 10 months for those serving solely on the Peninsula compared with the PJM eligibility period of over 6 years.

The dates shown above clearly indicate that only the minority of those eligible for the PJM are also eligible for British awards and not, as Lt Col Lockyer and the Medal Office, suggest. In all fairness to those who served in the Far East between 1957 and 1966, particularly the majority who do not have a medal to show for their service, I very much hope he will correct his statement.

It is no wonder recipients of the PJM and others are still having to campaign for a just hearing!

Yours sincerely,

Barry Fleming


(name and address, and telephone number supplied)

If you want to write, the email address is mail@soldiermagazine.co.uk ... please send us copies!


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

Nothing surprises me these days Barry, it has been coming out of Drowning Street for years and now it is Official!


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HD Committee: Amateurs in a Professional World
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Just received this email from Keith in the States:

"I called the MOD medals office, and of course you cannot talk to the good Lt. Col. himself. The person answering the phone just reads from a screen and suggested that written contact is the only avenue open if we wanted to make a point or statement! Typical eh. Keith"

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be being paid and to be earning an index-linked pension behind a defensive wall like that when somebody with a simple question about their service in the armed forces takes the trouble to telephone from America.


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

Knowing how the MoD Civil Servants like to read our web site; for educations purposes I believe perhaps the good Lt Col will receive the correct information from this thread.

I have sent this email to Soldier Magazine with reference Lt Col Peter Lockyer and his quote

I beg to differ with Lt Col Peter Lockyer retired , what about those people who where station on Singapore or Malaya from 1962 through to 1965 who qualified for the PJM before the GSM Malay Peninsula and to all those people who never qualified for the GSM but qualified for the PJM only, it is the system of the honours and decoration people, those eight men who dropped a massive clanger and cannot say those words sorry we made a mistake still what can one expect when all the present government and their civil servants are as corrupt as hell they are still in victorian times

One could be forgiven for thinking that the Lt. Colonel (retired) at the MoD picked an inappropriate time to kick start the lie machine and publish the usual civil service ‘spin’ and misinformation about the PJM in the Soldier magazine.
At the present time our beloved leader in 10 Drowning Street is apparently just managing to keep his head above water following civil service (special adviser’s) ‘inappropriate and juvenile’ emails which have required the PM to enlist the aid of the Head of Home Civil Service (and Chairman of the Honours and Decorations Committee which instigates unlawful rules against British citizens) to tighten up the civil service code of conduct, or was it just a code of conduct for Drowning Street special advisers?
Anyway, the civil service do have a code of conduct but who in their higher echelons takes any notice of this code. They continue daily with their misinformation, bullying, and arrogance, the latter which was so eminently demonstrated by the Lt. Colonel (retired) refusing to speak to one of the ordinary people who are screwed to the wall to pay taxes to keep him in luxury for the rest of his life. Time we had someone who is prepared to take on these bullies and restore the democratic principles which our system is based on.

I can recall that when we first started to Fight4thePJM, just over three years ago, we were told by one of these civil serpents to "go away and do your research".

Well, we did just that and proved conclusively to the world, what a load of tossers we have making these outrageous claims in "The Soldier Magazine".

THe Colonel has obviously not done what we were told to do, otherwise he wouldn't have have got even the most basic of facts, wrong.

Yes folks, they're still digging....they, never learn.


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

The hour is nigh?

Even Mr "I'll look into it" Brown has said sorry, (eventually) regarding Number 10 emails.

Will the eight (un)just men of the HD Committee follow suit?

Well I'll not hold my breath...........................


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