SCOTLAND: The first Scots medal?

[Ed_Haynes]

Will this shape up into the first medal of "independent" Scotland?

Browne rejects plea for medals to mark 1940 sinking of Lancastria

By PETER MACMAHON SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT EDITOR

DES Browne, the Defence Secretary, has formally rejected calls for the survivors and victims of Britain's worst maritime disaster to be honoured with a medal.

In a letter to a MSPs, he said the UK government would not sanction the casting of a commemorative medal to recognise the sinking of the Clyde-built Lancastria during the Second World War.

Last night, campaigners said the letter underlined the "dismissive, almost contemptuous" attitude the Ministry of Defence had demonstrated over the issue.

In his letter to Holyrood's public petitions committee, which is considering a plea for the Scottish Government to issue a medal, Mr Browne commended the work of the Lancastria Association, which has been campaigning for the victims to be honoured, and said the sacrifice of the thousands who died "must never be forgotten".

However, he said commemorative medals were instituted only to recognise Royal coronations and jubilees, and he signalled the government did not plan to change this.

He went on: "Official medals approved by Her Majesty the Queen are only awarded for military campaign service, long service, individual achievement and for individual acts of gallantry. There is no tradition in the United Kingdom to offer medals to commemorate specific incidents like the sinking of the HMT Lancastria."

Mark Hirst, of the Lancastria Association of Scotland, condemned Mr Browne's response, which included a suggestion the group might issue a "commemorative certificate" to survivors.

Mr Hirst, whose grandfather survived the disaster in June 1940, said the "patronising reference" to a certificate "sums up the MoD's attitude with regard to the survivors and relatives of victims of the Lancastria disaster".

He went on:

"The MoD has consistently refused to meet with our association. They have refused to designate the wreck site as an official wargrave.

"They are also withholding a series of official documents related to the disaster and are now refusing to commemorate Lancastria veterans elsewhere in the UK by striking a medal in recognition of their efforts and supreme sacrifice."

The Defence Secretary's formal response makes it more likely the Scottish Government will issue medals. However, this will mean only the 400 Scots victims will be honoured.

Some 4,000 soldiers and sailors died when the Lancastria was sunk by the Nazis on 17 June, 1940 ? two weeks after Dunkirk ? while evacuating service personnel from France.

Fearing for national morale, Winston Churchill, the then prime minister, slapped a "D- notice" on the tragedy, banning any reports of the sinking.

Backed by The Scotsman, the families of victims and survivors have been campaigning for a commemorative medal to be struck in honour of the victims.

The full article contains 446 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.Last Updated: 30 December 2007 9:42 PM

http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Browne-r...dals.3628782.jp

[Chris Boonzaier]

As a medal collector... what a pity.

As a realist... why should they get one? Then comes to medal to the families of men killed on the Somme. Then the medal to those who were in London during the Blitz. then to the medals to Canadians who were killed at Dieppe, Then to Aussies from Gallipoli. Then to ... then to... then to....

Some of the above DO have medals... but from private initiatives....

The Lusitania medal from WW1 was not from the Govt either...

[Guest Rick Research]

I have to agree with Chris. The Association spokesman gives a dreadful, embarassingly petulant impression of tunnel vision, obsession, and unrealistic expectations--to be charitable. Perhaps his public--and now global--meltdown may advance him up the National Health waiting list for the professional attention he obviously needs, soon.

It is mordantly amusing to hear a Ministry which has wreaked havoc on the "tradition" of centuries old military units amalgamated out of all recognition speak of having ANY national military tradition LEFT, but the limitations on British awards is consistent with long and niggardly practice.

Great Britain, alone among most nations in the world, still stubbornly refuses to authorize far more appropriate general issue medals/badges for wounds received in action. So to suggest, rationally, that the surviving few and next of kin of a single lethal episode in a war which butchered millions are somehow MORE deserving than everyone else, 70 years on, is not just crazy--it is wrong.

[Mike Dwyer]

I'm with Chris and Rick, the government's position is the correct one.

[Ed_Haynes]

I'd agree that the Govenment are (is) right here, as they were wrong with the 'Suez' clasp.

Not everyone should get medals simply for merely existing in nasty circumstances (= doing their job). I am very early 19th century in that regard.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Some German units had a tradition of issuing a document to men who had been involved in certain actions.

For instance the RIR81 issued documents to men who fiught on the Souville heights and later in 1917 to men who were there for the battle on the Aisme.

There was no medal involved, just a document.

Here is the Verdun one...

http://www.kaiserscross.com/60401/134122.html

[Ed_Haynes]

Some German units had a tradition of issuing a document to men who had been involved in certain actions.

For instance the RIR81 issued documents to men who fiught on the Souville heights and later in 1917 to men who were there for the battle on the Aisme.

There was no medal involved, just a document.

Here is the Verdun one...

<a href="http://www.kaiserscross.com/60401/134122.html" target="_blank">http://www.kaiserscross.com/60401/134122.html</a>

The Soviets, of course, did the same thing. Paper is cheap and easy, on all levels.

But, then, there is the general Continental tradition where the piece of PAPER is the award. Contact your nearest jeweler should you wish to purchase the medal.

However, that is not British Tradition (sniff, sniff, not like those dirty Continentals).

Edited January 12, 2008 by Ed_Haynes