Conspicious Gallantry Cross to Royal Irish Regiment

[PZULBA]

Gentlemen

What will be the 'protocol' involved in this well deserved award?

When & how will medal(?) or ribbons be worn & by whom?

PZULBA - Out of Africa

[peter monahan]

PZULBA

I'm not sure what you're referring to here. I've found two references to Royal Irish Regiment soldiers getting gallantry medals, but neither was the Conspicuous gallantry Cross.

Here's one reference:

"Private Johnson Beharry is awarded the Victoria Cross...Other members of Pte Beharry's regiment, the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, were also honoured.

Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Maer and Major James Coote received the Distinguished Service Order.

Sergeant Christopher Broome received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

Warrant Officer David Falconer, Sergeant David Perfect, Corporal Brian Wood and Private Troy Samuels were awarded the Military Cross, along with Lieutenant Richard Deane of the Royal Irish Regiment.

Deane was on attachment to the Princess of Wales' Royal Reg't at the time.

Here's the other reference:

A book-writing Belfast soldier with the Royal Irish Regiment has been honoured by the military for courage in Iraq. Lance Corporal Trevor Coult, based in Inverness, was awarded the Military Cross for bravery during an ambush. It is the military's third highest bravery honour, behind the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and the Victoria Cross.

BTW, the South African Irish reg't is listed as a regiment associated with the RIR.

Peter

Edited October 7, 2006 by peter monahan

[PZULBA]

See MOD link here

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceN...ishRegiment.htm

This medal (CGC) awarded to the Unit as opposed to an individual

PZULBA - Out of Africa

[Herr General]

In the Netherlands awards for a Regiment are attached to the colors of that regiment. Maybe that is the same in the UK ?

[peter monahan]

Obviously I didn't look carefully enough for the award mentioned!

The Americans have a Presidential Unit Citation which was awarded to, among others, the Gloucester Reg't (almost sure its them) for service in Korea, where a member won the VC. It is worn as a ribbon on the uniform of members of the unit receiving the award and, I think by all members, not just those serving when it was awarded.

However this is the first I've heard of the Br. gov't recognizing a unit of the armed forces with something other than a battle honour, unless one counts the award of the George Cross to the island of Malta for its stout resistance to the Axis in WWII. The George Cross, BTW, is now part of the flag of Malta.

Presumably someone will come up with a wearing protocol. At an outsiders guess, some version of the ribbon on the uniforms and maybe an "honour" on the colours as well ?

BTW, you British specialists, is this a unique occurence for a British unit?

Peter

[peter monahan]

Oh, Duuh! Here we are! (Sorry, it's early in the a.m. on a holiday weekend here.)

"Colonel Mark Campbell, Regimental Colonel of The Royal Irish Regiment, said:

"The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross honours the service, sacrifice and achievements of The Royal Irish Regiment and its Home Service predecessor, The Ulster Defence Regiment. It will be emblazoned onto the Regimental Colours, a unique reminder of the gallantry of those who served in Northern Ireland."

Emphasis mine. And is the Colonel's use of "unique" accurate or speechmaking rhetoric?

Peter

[PZULBA]

Oh, Duuh! Here we are! (Sorry, it's early in the a.m. on a holiday weekend here.)

"Colonel Mark Campbell, Regimental Colonel of The Royal Irish Regiment, said:

"The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross honours the service, sacrifice and achievements of The Royal Irish Regiment and its Home Service predecessor, The Ulster Defence Regiment. It will be emblazoned onto the Regimental Colours, a unique reminder of the gallantry of those who served in Northern Ireland."

Emphasis mine. And is the Colonel's use of "unique" accurate or speechmaking rhetoric?

Peter

Thanks Peter

When I posed the original question, the MOD site wasn't showing any report - my first info was from the BBC, must admit when I posted the MOD link I missed the Colonel's quote!!!

RE George Cross, as previously stated MALTA was awarded the GC back in 1942, and the ROYAL ULSTER cONSTABULARY were awarded the GC in 1999

see http://www.gc-database.co.uk/collective.htm

again I'm not sure how their well deserved award is displayed/worn by individuals

PZULBA - Out of Africa

[Herr General]

If I remember correctly the 4th BN K.S.L.I, who won the French Croix de Guerre during WWI wore the ribbon on there schoulder between there divisional sign and the regimental flash.

Is this still used today ?

[peter monahan]

One tidbit from Wikipedia and a quote from a site which claims to have the definitive info. on "US Federal Medals"

"The British Army awarded its first battle honour to the Royal Irish Regiment for the campaigns at Jemappes and Valmy in 1792. During that period, a regiment needed only to engage the enemy with musketry before it was eligible for a battle honour." A nice coincidence!

***************

"Although the use of ribbons to designate unit citations is a relatively recent development in the United States, the practice of recognizing units for especially noteworthy performance is by no means new. The use of ribbon bars to denote unit citations grew out of the European custom of decorating the "colors" of military units. ...

The British historically employed a different means for recognizing units. They embroider their colors with the names of important engagements in which the unit participated. However, the British do not award specific decorations to their colors.

The French, on the other hand, not only embroider their colors with the names of a unit's four most important engagements, they also award specific decorations to military units. They use a cravate (ribbon) which is attached to the staff that carries the colors, and when a unit is cited in orders of the army for extraordinary services a Croix de Guerre is attached to the cravate.

If a regiment is decorated twice its individual members are entitled to wear a fourragere in the colors of the Croix de Guerre (red and green). If a color is decorated four times, members of the unit may wear a fourragere in the colors of the Medaille Militaire (yellow and green); and after a regiment has been decorated six times its members may wear a fourragere in the colors of the Legion of Honor (red).

A number of other nations employ similar methods for recognizing the performance of their military units."

[Ardent]

Obviously I didn't look carefully enough for the award mentioned!

The Americans have a Presidential Unit Citation which was awarded to, among others, the Gloucester Reg't (almost sure its them) for service in Korea, where a member won the VC. It is worn as a ribbon on the uniform of members of the unit receiving the award and, I think by all members, not just those serving when it was awarded.

However this is the first I've heard of the Br. gov't recognizing a unit of the armed forces with something other than a battle honour, unless one counts the award of the George Cross to the island of Malta for its stout resistance to the Axis in WWII. The George Cross, BTW, is now part of the flag of Malta.

Presumably someone will come up with a wearing protocol. At an outsiders guess, some version of the ribbon on the uniforms and maybe an "honour" on the colours as well ?

BTW, you British specialists, is this a unique occurence for a British unit?

Peter

The Royal Ulster Constabulary also received the George Cross

[Megan]

When the Royal Ulster Constabulary was awarded the George Cross, they changed the ribbon of their Service Medal so that it had blue edges.

http://www.medals.org.uk/united-kingdom/un...-kingdom044.htm refers. If you want I can post a decent picture when I get home!