This morning I attended the presentation of 6 ASMs to six Australia Defence Veterans.

The meeting was set up in the RSL Club in Townsville by our Local Member of Parliament who addressed the gathering. He spoke of the debt that the country owed to its retired servicemen and servicewomen.

His address was followed by the presentation of the medals by a Colonel of the ADF who likewise gave an excellent speech on why medals should be awarded. He exhorted the recipients to wear them at all appropriate times in order to let the general population know that they had served Australia.

A most enjoyable occasion for me.

My Discharge Book from my 12 years of service in the RAF had a page to show the Decorations or Medals that I earned during my Service. A line was run through that page, with the word "Nil" in the middle.

Forty years later I discovered that I had earned a GSM with two clasps. I had to ask for each of them - one at a time.

What a disgrace the MoD and its civil serpents are.


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