Jon Windust's email to the Press and MPs
In this stunningly to-the-point message, Jon highlights the appalling injustice perpetrated by the HD Committee on servicemen and women, and civilians, who served their country and Malaysia.
Messages like this inspire us all. So why not write a few lines yourself. All the addresses are on The Lobby page for you to cut and paste into email messages or into documents.
Email sent by Jon Windust to the enormous list of media and other addresses shown at the end of this page.
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 6:06 PM
Subject: Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal
To whom it may concern (I sincerely hope it concerns all of you because it certainly concerns a lot of Malaya/Borneo Veterans).
I'm sure you are all aware of the campaign regarding the PJM that the Malaysian King and his Government have graciously awarded to all British and Commonwealth Service personnel who served in the jungles and on the seas and waterways around Malaya and Borneo from 1956 to 1966. Another forgotten conflict but one in which we were the only country to successfully defeat communism being inflicted on a country that did not want it. It cost the lives of 519 British and Commonwealth service personnel.
The Australian and New Zealand Governments accepted this award for their Service personnel and allow them to wear it with their other medals.
The British Government taking guidance I use this term loosely (more like orders) from an unelected group of civil servants the HD committee who state that we can accept the medal but we can't wear it with our other decorations as it is a foreign award.
It is an award from a Commonwealth Country to us for the sacrifices (In 519 cases the supreme sacrifice) that we made when most of us were in our teens or early twenties It is not a trinket to be kept in a drawer. It's like giving someone their Christmas presents then saying you can't open them.
On a personal note I was 17 years old the first time I went to this part of the world in 1961. I went there again for 18 months 1965/66. I was 20 years old when I saw my 18 year old friend blown to bits by a booby trap. We were serving our Queen Country and Commonwealth and fulfilling the oath we had taken to do so.
So is it too much to ask that us Veterans be allowed to wear the PJM with pride alongside our other medals. Due to our antiquated medals and honours system this may be the only medal some Veterans will get for their service in Malaya/Borneo.
I/We ask you all to bring this to the attention of the public and anyone else prepared to listen. Regarding the outdated attitude of this government with regard to medals and decorations and what in reality is a snub to the Malaysian Government who are giving us this medal in good faith.
For further information on this subject I urge you to visit our website www.nmbva.co.uk.
Thankyou for your time.
Kind Regards
Jon Windust. Malaya/Borneo Veteran 1961/62 1965/66 Ex. RN.
From: jon windust
To: chris.edge@fco.gov.uk ; michael.jay@fco.gov.uk ; denis.brennan@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk ; DHawke@britishlegion.org.uk ; andy.coulson@newsoftheworld.co.uk ; dilemmas@theherald.co.uk ; dtletters@telegraph.co.uk ; edinburgh@theherald.co.uk ; editor@thisislondon.co.uk ; expressletters@express.co.uk ; letters@guardian.co.uk ; letters@independent.co.uk ; letters@mailonsunday.co.uk ; letters@observer.co.uk ; letters@spectator.co.uk ; letters@sunday-times.co.uk ; letters@theherald.co.uk ; letters@thetimes.co.uk ; lettersed@peoples-press.com ; letters@dailymail.co.uk ; letters@the-sun.co.uk ; letters.editor@ft.com ; linda.whitworth@saga.co.uk ; magazine@saga.co.uk ; magazine@theherald.co.uk ; mirrornews@mgn.co.uk ; news@dailymail.co.uk ; news@sky.com ; news@standard.co.uk ; news@sundaymirror.co.uk ; news@theherald.co.uk ; newsdesk@notw.co.uk ; newseditor@independent.co.uk ; newsonline@bbc.co.uk ; newsroom@shropshirestar.co.uk ; peoplenews@mgn.co.uk ; rebekah.wade@the-sun.co.uk ; reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk ; robert.thomson@thetimes.co.uk ; stletters@telegraph.co.uk ; subshelp@guardian.co.uk ; t.hamilton@dailyrecord.co.uk ; talkback@the-sun.co.uk ; tim.walker@telegraph.co.uk ; writeback@belfasttelegraph.co.uk ; onlineeditor@scotsman.co.uk ; mailbox@mirror.co.uk ; today@bbc.co.uk ; pm@bbc.co.uk
It's a privilege to read letters and messages such as those posted on this web site. We have support from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada - as well as the embattled Brits!
If you are inspired, why not write. Use your own words, pick some from these postings, but always write over your own name - never, please, over the name of those who have allowed their name and their correspondence to be published on these pages. Thank you.
Your turn now!
If you would like to comment on this page, please click here and send us your thoughts.
And here are some comments we've received:
Subject = The Injustice of it All
Comment = Have just read Jon Windust's e-mail which adequately summarises the injustice applied to British veterans and the feelings such treatment invokes. I served in both the British and Rhodesian armies and have medals from each country. A few years back, when attending a formal reunion dinner in England, some self righteous jobsworth pointed out that I should not be wearing foreign medals. I ignored him as I shall ignore anyone who questions my right to wear the PJM when I receive it.
I find it a strange kind of justice which gives everyone Human Rights except, it would seem, the indigenous inhabitants of the UK.
(William Epps, UK - contact details supplied)
[Ed: We cannot agree more, William. Have a look at Unspinning the Spin where we list over 40 recent Foreign Decorations which have all received the Queen's approval for Unrestricted (can be worn on your medal bar) Acceptance. A Rhodesia Medal is the first listed.]
