Dave Wilkinson

Regular bobbies who have the PLSM and an SC medal are not unusual. There was a Det. Con. in my last force (Dover Port Police) who prior to joining was in receipt of an SC medal with bar (South Wales Police). In the fullness of time, he received his PLSM and a compliment of jubilee medals. He recently retired. I know of a regular bobby in Staffs., who immediately after retiring (with PLSM) joined the SC. He now has the SC LS medal and bar plus jubilee medals and an MBE for his continued contribution to policing and the community. He's still serving in the SC and has said he will retire after the Coronation. I wonder why he's hanging on?? Dave.

Strange that you should mention the 40th Anniversary parade. I watched it this afternoon on Falkland Islands TV. I can't say that I noticed an unusually large number of RAF guys wearing the SAM. That said, I wasn't taking particular notice. I suppose that there was a largely unseen RAF support and logistics operation taking place both before, during and immediately following occupation/liberation. Also, I suspect that many of the helicopter operations were RAF led/supported in various ways. I seem to recall that the award criteria for the SAM was extended to include quite a period following liberation. The establishment of a temporary airbase (the forerunner of Mount Pleasant) must also have involved large numbers of RAF personnel. Perhaps this would be a possible explanation. Dave.

The abbreviation means "Corps" as in 1st Ambulance Corps or similar. Div. Supt. is an abbreviation for Divisional Superintendent. Dave.

Very nice! Dave.

I've just had a look at the proposed badge graphic for the Hants. & IoW Constabulary and it is a poor effort indeed. The College of Heralds approved arms of the County of Soton (Hampshire) have simply been altered by removing the Victorian shaped crown and replacing it with the Imperial state crown. The scroll at the bottom remaining blank. I personally can't see this as being formally approved by anyone other than the Police & Crime Commissioner. Firstly, it does not contain any Isle of Wight element within the design and secondly it is simply a re-hash of the arms of Hampshire County Council. As an aside, the force (Hampshire Constabulary) website makes no mention of the name change although it took place a week or so ago. The only indication of change is on the Police & Crime Commissioner's website. I get the impression that there is a lack of enthusiasm in certain quarters! Dave.

As a result of concerns that people living on the Isle of Wight feel "disconnected" from their police force (the Hampshire Constabulary), the force is to be re-named the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary. This is effectively a turning back of the clock. The force previously used that name prior to its amalgamation with Portsmouth and Southampton in 1967. The current Police and Crime Commissioner has sought and received permission for the name change. It will be interesting to see if there is a reversion to the crowned "Brunswick" star pattern badge with the Sovereign's cipher centre and the "ditching" of Hampshire's iconic large wreath helmet plates and cap badges. That said, I'd suggest that it's hardly the right time to engage in large scale "rebranding". We certainly live in changing times. Dave.

I don't think that the Royal Warrant would allow the amalgamation of long service criteria between the emergency services. That would create a considerable bit of confusion. For example, if someone did ten years in the fire service and then immediately ten years in the police, the individual, on the basis of your supposition would expect to receive a Police LS&GC medal at the end of his ten years of police service, with his fire service to count. No, I don't think so! As an aside, it won't be long before those bars are available on eBay for purchase by anyone and it follows that they will be added to medals by dealers to make them more desirable. The researching of PLS&GC medals is difficult unless the name is unusual so invariably the award of the "bar/bars" will be equally difficult to verify. Dave.

Available for sale on the website of the "Orders & Medals Research Society". Dave.

I've read that Mountbatten was totally infatuated by badges and medals and if he became aware that a medal was being distributed (anywhere), he fired off a letter asking that he be sent one, whether he was entitled to one or not! Look at the medals he is wearing on the left-hand side of his medal bar, he has them piled up on top of each other he has so many. If he were alive today, he'd be the sort to collect tie tacks and challenge coins. Dave.

I noticed that all the Royal Family in uniform were similarly adorned, including the state trumpeters etc. No change there then! Dave.

Gloucestershire were the first to produce and wear badges featuring the Cipher of the King Edward VIII. Only to find that they had to bin them all following his abdication. They have obviously not learned the lessons of the past. And of course, protecting Highgrove House is a really serious business! Dave.

I must admit, I've never heard of such a unit. This looks like something akin to a privately sponsored "challenge coin" design or similar. I would doubt it ever being officially approved. The current helmet badge design for the Met. is approved by the college of heralds and does not include the wreath. So, unless they re-hash the whole design and submit it for approval it's probably a non-starter. Dave.

I have a number of "still" period photos of Metpol. bobbies doing duty at the 1953 Coronation of EIIR and they are all still wearing GVIR helmet plates etc. The Met. at the moment have significant organisational problems which are not going to go away any time soon, and that will keep their top team busy. Also, I'll wager that they will have thousands of new unissued EIIR badged items of headgear in store and I can't see them ditching all that in to-days depressed economic climate. They may not in fact be the first to change. I'd suggest that one of the smaller forces is probably more likely to win the race. In a conversation I had with a Metpol. Assistant Commissioner several years ago, he told me that any force wide change of a particular item of uniform took on average three years to achieve. It's impossible to do in the short term because of finance, supply chain issues and the sheer logistics involved. Dave.

It's an Interesting thought Mike. That said, by the time that EIIR came to the throne in 1952, apart from India, Newfoundland and a couple of other places, the British Empire was still largely intact, with the St. Edward's Crown being widely displayed and worn. It was only in the 1960's did Britain begin to see the "Empire" shrink through colonies and territories achieving independence and even then, many retained the Queen as head of state, and indeed many still retain the King as such although that will no doubt change in the fullness of time. Now, if CIIIR had decided to revert to the style of Crown commonly depicted during Victoria's reign that could indeed be interpreted as making some sort of statement along the lines you suggest. Dave.

Whilst this thread is many years old, and no one has replied to the question posed in the last post, I can tell you that the Islander in question was Terry PECK CPM. Terry was a former Chief of the Falkland Islands Police and after the invasion assisted, in a number of ways, the RM's in the days leading up to the invasion. I think he was awarded the MBE for his efforts and possibly a SAM. He died several years ago. Dave.

I agree, the writing looks like De Havilland. Dave.

I've read somewhere recently, that King Charles will not be depicted on medals or coins wearing a crown. There has been that much said about him of late that I can't recall where that was stated. Dave.

I doubt there being any in existence yet. His approved effigy has only just been released (in the last 10 days or so), and it's probably too soon for the dies for the medal to be sunk and for them to be struck. The RM will be up to their eyes in it, not just with the police issue but with others. I don't think the Coronation process will result in a further change to his effigy, so the first design will be it. I got a certificate with mine. Ironically, it's not dated. Whether that's an accidental omission or what I don't know. I've not seen anyone else's certificate to compare. Dave.

The fact that you've been told by the HR Dept. that the medals are produced on demand casts a question mark over the info. given to you by "Liverpool Medals", that they are produced in bulk by the RM and then sent to another contractor for engraving. It was always my understanding that they were ordered and produced by the mint on an as required basis. That was what I was told when I got mine in the 1990's. "The Secretary of State has approved the award of the medal which is being produced by the Royal Mint. When it arrives, I will arrange a formal presentation". My award was a "single" one for the force (Port of Dover Police). There were only one or two eligible there each year. Dave.

I suppose the 50/50 split is accounted for by the recipients being of either English or Welsh descent or whether perhaps they are Welsh speakers or not. A complex issue which would require some considerable research to get to the bottom of I guess. Dave.

Gordon, What a shame! I don't suppose there is very much you can do about it. The only consolation is that you will fall into an exceptional group of individuals who are the first to receive a LS medal with the King's head. At least you won't need to search for an example for your collection. From what you've said it seems that you were only able to achieve your 20 years qualifying service by the skin of your teeth. Thank goodness for that! Dave.

The Scottish national badge was introduced in the 1930's. However, right up to the 1970's some Scottish forces continued to wear their own force badges. The national badge was a "suggested" badge not a mandatory one. Of course, Scotland now has a national force and it follows that they wear a national badge. The design of the PSNI badge is enshrined in an act of parliament and cannot be changed without a change in the law. They are, by law prohibited from displaying overtly any badge except those defined in their act. The Home Office has tried twice, in 1935 and again in the 1940's, to standardise uniform and insignia. It largely failed on both occasions. So, unless they seek to promote legislation requiring a mandatory standard police badge for England and Wales, I don't think it will happen. Dave.

Well, I wish them the best of luck in their efforts. If they believe that one force in particular, the City of London Police, will bow to their attempts, then they are seriously deluded. No, I don't think so............ Dave.

I think there will be a restricted issue of the Coronation medal along the lines of the 1953 Coronation medal and the 1977 Jubilee medal. The King has told those involved in organising the Coronation that he expects it to be much reduced in comparison with his Mother's, having regard to the serious economic difficulties facing many people. Dave.

Speaking from the police perspective, I can tell you that for the 1953 Coronation each police force in the UK received an allocation of Coronation medals based upon the authorised establishment of the force. That does not mean that each member got one, it simply means that the Govt. allocated a certain number as a certain percentage (I don't know what that was) based upon the establishment. The decision as to who got the medals was left to the Commissioners/Chief Constables. Liverpool City Police, for example sent 1 Superintendent, 7 Inspectors, 16 Sergeants, 155 Constables and 2 Detectives as mutual aid to the Metropolitan Police. Making a total of 181. The Chief Constable subsequently received 150 Coronation medals for distribution to his force and I can tell you that of that number about 30 medals went to men who actually attended the Coronation. A similar "system" was adopted in respect of the 1977 silver jubilee medals. Each force was given an allocation and the Chief Constable decided who got a medal. So, if there is a restricted distribution of Coronation medals for King Charles, I would suggest that the police will be allocated along the lines of those set out above. Dave.