Honours System

[Johnny Kieran]

I think it's just how we've evolved. The people entitled to hand out awards seem to need to fulfil there duty in that part of their duties, but not bother with the rest, they're called Bolloticians. They give medals for making loadsamoney basically, the more you make, the higher the award, Sir.

[Ivan Cloherty]

.

(AAA) I was on the R.F.A. wave Baron , went to Malaya so got that badge which is all it is.

(BBB) I went up the R.S.L. on Anzac day and there where more grandsons wearing medals that the men who had gone overseas to fight.

Des

(AAA) Don't knock it Des, a lot of seamen have died in conflicts since WWII and those who sailed with them endured the same dangers. It may be just a badge to some, but it does pay homage to those who served in support of HM Services and to those who failed to return. Don't forget that MN vessels were prime targets at any beach head, as without the supplies/ordnance they carried progress of ground troops would be affected, it wasn't just the Atlantic and other ocean crossings where they faced danger.

(BBB) I am a great believer in if you haven't been awarded it, don't wear it, no doubt we are all proud of what our forbears did and endured, but only they should have the right to wear any awards made to them, and if they have passed on, so be it.

[Johnny Kieran]

I remember my old Granddad telling me about 20 soldiers being killed and many more injured laying a phone line in France during the 1st war. The general or whoever it was that gave the orders was miles away from the line, but was knighted, nobody else mattered.
Granddad always moaned about the elite being favoured by each other, and nobody else mattered.
All the same thing I suppose.

[j.sabourn]

#12 Wore mine yesterday at the Anzac service , after all it does say on it “ Veteran of HM Armed Forces”. Also think of all those merchant seamen who landed the troops ashore by ships boats , the likes of Simpson a well known character carrying the wounded on his donkey was also from South Shields. JS
#13 Johnny your granddads statement tends to remind one of the Oscars ( Academy Awards) a group of actors fawning over themselves and how easy it is to live the high life . Cheers JS

[Des Jenkins]

Ivan
I wasn't knocking the blokes who served in the MN or any other service, If it wasn't for this site I wouldn't have known about the Service Badge, even though I did serve on a RFA Tanker and was in a port in Malaya while that war? was on, discharging fuel, as far as I recollect the crew knew nothing about what it was all about. Hense me and my mate walking into a firefight and getting a bollocking.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Watched the live ceremony from Gallipoli yesterday, Anzac Day.
The amount of medals and gold braid must have cost a fortune, never seen so much gold in my life,

But here in Oz we have a twice a year medals and other degrees of awards.
So many different types, and the number that receive them, the mind boggles.

The a far better one later in the year, the one for volunteers.
These are people who have actually worked for the award, I have received one for my services as a volunteer with the local community health center.

[j.sabourn]

#9:Louis regarding your not liking the wording of the British Empire, others thought so as well,,and a couple of years ago there was a movement afoot to change this to British Excellence, however there must have also been those who didn’t agree, as no more was heard.Cheers JS
The reason for not wanting the change maybe because those holding the warrant is signed by Queen Elizabeth 2 and her husband the then Duke of Edinburgh who was the master of the Order. However if the old warrants could be retained by their owners I see no reason why they couldn’t reissue the new ones as regards signatures , may even improve their value to a collector of such. Cheers JS
For example of the warrant is on old parchment with Elizabeth R in the top right hand corner , all in old script.
Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom Northern Ireland and of her other Realms and Territories Queen Head of the
Commonwealth Defender of the Faith and Sovereign of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire to our Trusty and well beloved …..
Next paragraph …….
3rd paragraph. whereas ……
4th paragraph …we do………
Given at the Court of Saint James under our sign manual and the seal of Our Said Orrder… of this date…..and in the 39 th. Year of Our Reign.
By The Sovereigns Command.
Signed Philip Grand Master.

JS

[James Curry]

Awards with the term British Empire , certainly more than O.B.E

GBE (Knight or Dame) - Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
KBE or DBE (Knight or Dame) - Knight Commander or Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
CBE - Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
OBE - Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
MBE - Member of the most Excellent order of the British Empire.

For me the system is flawed , those who pay for it by way of a political donations.Up to you if you read the attached link.

https://the-citizens.com/2021/09/qua...s-or-peerages/

Be curious to see how many of those who donated £19 million to the current government will end up with a GONG over the term of this parliament.

[William Kean]

Ivan
I wasn't knocking the blokes who served in the MN or any other service, If it wasn't for this site I wouldn't have known about the Service Badge, even though I did serve on a RFA Tanker and was in a port in Malaya while that war? was on, discharging fuel, as far as I recollect the crew knew nothing about what it was all about. Hense me and my mate walking into a firefight and getting a bollocking.
Des

Merchant Navy serving on Op Corporate were awarded the South Atlantic Medal, with Rosette if they were in the combat area and without if they were in the logistics area. I served in the RA for 34 years and, like most Cold War warriors, till 82 had the General Service Medal for Op Banner (NI) and a second bar for Dofar. It was only when Blair started Afghanistan and Iraq that the average British serviceman wore more than one medal.

[j.sabourn]

#19: Agree with you William , it was considered at one time too ostentatious to wear more than 3 ribbons or medals at the same time. This was the saying in one of the world’s oldest charitable orgamiizations . As being a member of such I take heed of their doctrine otherwise as belonging to 4 different Orders I would be weighed down by 15 at the last count 1 would be weighed down by what is called jewels but serve the same purpose as medals . As a merchant seaman I am allowed officially at other functions apart from the jewels to wear the official MN. Service medal and two bars or clasps. Bringing the total number of actual medals to 3 to ease my conscience and comply with my own feelings on the subject. Cheers JS