From The TimesNovember 9, 2007

No sense in veterans' medal ban

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article2834625.ece

Hamish

I liked this comment..

Sir, So we veterans of Malaya and Borneo cannot wear our Pingat Jasa medal and general service medal at the same time? This Sunday I will take off my GSM and wear my PJM with pride.


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

This from the same newspaper.

Sir, Your news item regarding the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal did not mention that it was “awarded by the Malaysian Government to the peacekeeping groups among the communion countries”. This included people, like myself, in the British Merchant Service during the Malay/Indonesian Confrontation in the 1960s. We were recruited by the British Naval Intelligence to carry out “information-gathering” (spying) around the Indonesian coast.

This involved photography, map-making and surveying, with regard to possible invasion plans. This work was hazardous and we were constantly at risk — but we received no general service medal for it, nor even a note of thanks from any member of the British Government or the Ministry of Defence.

Yesterday, along with many others, I received the thanks of the Malaysian people in the form of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal from the hands of Colonel Alwi, a military attaché with the Malaysian Embassy.

Being a “civilian”, I intend to wear this medal on Remembrance Sunday in memory of those who did not survive. I hope others will do the same.

Brian C. Smith (capt)
Wadeford, Somerset

John Feltham wrote:

I liked this comment..

Sir, So we veterans of Malaya and Borneo cannot wear our Pingat Jasa medal and general service medal at the same time? This Sunday I will take off my GSM and wear my PJM with pride.

I shall only be wearing the PJM on Sunday as the RAF lost my GSM through negligence when I asked for a replacement a few weeks ago, sure I could have one if I coughed up £80, I replied to the RAF Records Office to tell them to STUFF IT UP THEIR AR$E, needless to say I have not had a reply, yes these guys in the MoD certainly know how to look after their own kind, tell you what though, it is not over 'til the 'fat lady sings', me bitter??? You bet!!!


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HD Committee: Amateurs in a Professional World
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John Cooper wrote:

John Feltham wrote:

I liked this comment..

Sir, So we veterans of Malaya and Borneo cannot wear our Pingat Jasa medal and general service medal at the same time? This Sunday I will take off my GSM and wear my PJM with pride.

I shall only be wearing the PJM on Sunday as the RAF lost my GSM through negligence when I asked for a replacement a few weeks ago, sure I could have one if I coughed up £80, I replied to the RAF Records Office to tell them to STUFF IT UP THEIR AR$E, needless to say I have not had a reply, yes these guys in the MoD certainly know how to look after their own kind, tell you what though, it is not over 'til the 'fat lady sings', me bitter??? You bet!!!

Do you know, I read stuff like this and it really brings home to me how much I love being an old soldier. Well said mate, I hope they forget to take the pin off first.

Owen

On Sunday I shall be wearing my GSM and my PJM. The former was simply chucked in my direction after due time on active service. The latter was sent to me by a grateful King, government and people 50 years later....and with a citation. Aged 19 as a National Service bod I had no choice in my involvement in Malaya; now aged 70 I realise that what I did in my small way was really important in establishing the peace and prosperity of Malaysia. Each medal means a lot to me for different reasons, but why the hell should I cut off my nose to spite my face, as it were? I need a full face to face down the faceless.

MB.


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Mike Barton

I'm with Mike on this one,all the way mate!


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Hold the line steady boys.

I wore my medal last night at a RBL Rally Night and will be wareing it again tomorrow on the Remembrance Parade.