With the Ex WW2 Land Girls receiving a medal for their services, shortly to be followed by a medal for the Bevin Boys.
Isn't it now time for a medal to be awarded to the National Service personnel, who gave up 2-3 years of their lives and pay, to serve and sometimes fight along side the regular troops, in Korea, Suez, Aden, Borneo, Kenya, Malaya, or wherever needed?
Apparently there is a National Service Medal, issued by the British Legion at a charge.
I agree totally aog, but how about this one, my mother served in the RAF during the war, in a war zone, but sge didn't qualify for a medal, because it was her home country, and I reckon there must be quite a lot out there who are inthe same boat.
Lonnie You did not say which country, or what war zone, but if it was Britain I would have thought she would have been entitled to The Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945.
It was Egypt, she was.as I said, in the RAF, a plane plotter, Egypt was classed a a war Zone, but because she was na Egyption national, where others, doing the same job, in the same place got a medal, she didn't.
I just cannot understand that Lonnie, If she was in the British Forces i.e. RAF, independant what nationaity she was i.e. Egyptian then surely she qualifies for the for the War Medal 1939-1945 at least.
What about all those other nationalities that served in the RAF, Polish, Czechs, South Africans etc?
The national service medal is a commemorative and is not official. the main reason an NS medal has not been issued is because it would have been unfair to regulars, unless there was an equivalent award.
The National Service Veterans Alliance and NSV Association (NSVA) have both now thrown their weight behind the campaign for a UK NATIONAL DEFENCE MEDAL (NDM) which based on the Australian (ADM) model and would recognise both National Service and Regular Service.
You can find all the details at:
www.nationaldefencemedal.webs.com
The campaign has much support but sadly not from the current defence ministers (none of whom have actually served in HM Forces)