A question about the British military

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Well they did "wound stripes" both in cloth and in brass for the dress uniform.

Actualy the "purple heart" was originaly made of cloth and issued for military merit. It was only much later (WW1) that is became an award for not getting your arse down in time. Actualy Untill the Spanish American War, there was only ONE medal and that was the medal of honor.

[PrinzEugen]

I do remember seeing a picture of the Royal Navy skipper of one of the ships that sank the Bismarck, and he only had one row of ribbons...so I think they are little less inclined to just hand them out...

By comparison with the Navy the RAF are notorious for handing out medals by the bucketload. I seem to recall navy Fleet Air Arm pilots were a bit miffed after the Falklands when gongs were dished out to all manner of RAF pilots involved in ops from delivering cargo, to those two long range Vulcan raids on Stanley airfield (they missed) at no risk to the crews, whereas the FAA pilots who went hammer and tongs with the argie airforce got naff-all.

[Peter Laidler]

In Malaya and Borneo, if you were being supplied or reinforced or casevac'ed you hope that it'd be FAA/Navy helicopter pilots on the op. They'd fly in all weathers, even in the howling monsoons and half light whereas, the RAF pilots were a little more careful. Having said that, the FAA helicopters were always in a bit of a state, looked a bit rough and ever so tatty, like a tip inside, sounded like they were only running on 3 cylinders, could always do with a lick of paint but did the job I suppose.

Does anyone remember a twin propellor job called a Belvedere. They always had spare 44 gallon drums of petrol or whatever makes them fly, lashed into the fuselage somewhere

[TerryS]

" It only hurts when I laugh", Tommy

[Surpmil]

Remember Ollie North? More rows of ribbons than Montgomery, and he's typical.

[Paul S.]

Does anyone remember a twin propellor job called a Belvedere.

I remember them - vaguely. Long straight body with the 'office' up front and a 'tower' mounting the engine and tail rotor, side loading cargo door. Sort of like a skinny, piston engined grandfather of the Chinook. Right?

I never rode in one, but I remember seeing them. The memory is a bit fuzzy on this one, but I think the last one I saw was in NZ back in the late '70s (or mid '80s) parked off the tarmac at Auckland (could have been Christchurch).

[KimW]

On the subject of ribbons, I had been serving for 14 years and was a Major in the NZ Army and posted to the Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai. My quarters were shared with a US Army Ordnance Major and we had to attend a Force presentation, dressed in full uniform - Service Dress. He told me that we had to have all our medals on and I replied that I had none. He found it hard to believe, he had 14 and except for one tour to Korea, this was his first service outside the US.

[Peter Laidler]

Our newspapers always make derisory remarks about the Royal Family's childrens and grand-childrens rows of medals. Prince Charlie being a prime example. He's got stacks of them for, well, ....everything! They've just picked up on the one that couldn't hack Royal Marines basic training has a load as well. Where do they get them from.... Ah yes, that auction site

[PrinzEugen]

And it's nice to be able to fly your own chinook to parties as well Peter! (for 'training' reasons, naturally). If I was an aspiring army air force helicopter pilot being kept off the course by Harry, who let's face it, mentally at least, does not remotely possess the qualities normally taken as essential for that role, I wouldn't be best pleased. The Saxe-Coberg-Goetha gang like playing at soldiers (honourable mention to Randy Andy though I suppose, although his subsequent life hasn't exactly been worthwhile).

[Peter Laidler]

And what about their love of uniforms too........... Don't get me going.

Of medals, this is how difficult it is. Many TA soldiers were in dispute about the 'everyone-gets-one' Golden jubilee medal of 2002 due to the fact that they hadn't put in the requisite number of hours to qualify. Until they realised that the Foot and Mouth outbreak closed all of the huge training areas and most TA camps and Field training was cancelled. So effectively, you couldn't qualify using the requisite Hours criteria!

This was appealed and the 'bar' was lifted when one wise old RLC TA Major noted in his appeal that the two Princes got one each while they were in their school Cadet Corps. They HAD too!

Medals....., yes. Not easy to get in Our Army!