Falklands Medal Rosette

[Wilhelmina]

Sorry that I'm a female on a gentlemen's forum but I am interested in military medals. I understand that' the Falklands medal with the rosette was awarded (created) because only a few medals would have been awarded to the RAF. Can this really be right? Serving one day qualifies for the medal with the rosette??

Surely medals should only be awarded to those who faced combat? I understand that some people would have had minefields to clear. But if that's a reason then bomb disposal personnel should surely be awarded a medal the first time they attend an incident?

Wouldn't people repairing runways or doing other maintenance and admin tasks after the fighting was over receive medals?

Sorry if I've got the wrong end of the stick but this seems to be the case from what I've been able to find on the Internet.

[paddywhack]

heres the wiki entry!looks like the rosette was automatically awarded and much rarer to have it with out! !also if you look at say brit ww2 medals it was more to do with being in a war zone then in combat itself to be entitled to a campaign and its the same here!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Atlantic_Medal

Edited December 28, 2014 by paddywhack

[IrishGunner]

Wilhelmina, welcome to the Forum! The word "Gentleman" in the title isn't meant to exclude women - it's rather a reflection of a general spirit of respectful discourse. We have several active Ladies and are happy you joined!

After having read the award criteria for the South Atlantic Medal, I must say I too am confused about the rosette distinction. Maybe one of our British members can chime in with some more clear explanation.

In the meantime, I've read that PM David Cameron has recently awarded the SAM to the entire Falkland Islands.

David Cameron is awarding the South Atlantic medal to Falklands Islands: The Prime Minister honours heroes 32 years after the conflict by awarding the medal collectively to the islands in his Christmas message.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Dear Wilhelmina - your post is an interesting one - and you are very welcome , lady or not, to be a member.

I think answers have been given to your questions - the only point I would ,make is 'who the hell does Cameron

think he is ? ' The Award is well deserved, however it should have been made in the Queen's name - not a passing

politician. When Malta received the ' GC ' in WW2 it was from King George 6th. Mervyn

[Megan]

Firstly, a big welcome to another lady!

As for the rosette, it's quite unusual. A rosette is normally used to indicate the award of a clasp or the second award of a decoration (indicated on the full medal by a bar) when 'ribbons only' are worn, for example on service dress. With the South Atlantic Medal the rosette is worn on the full medal itself and is the award.

Now, the South Atlantic Medal was awarded for involvement in the Falklands War, the rosette itself was awarded for 1 day's service or 1 operational sortie within the area of 35^o to 60^o south. Naturally most people involved were physically present (in ships, yomping around and so on) and so qualified for the rosette along with the medal.

[Wilhelmina]

Megan, Thanks. But is it the case that combat veterans would have the medal whereas those who spent, say, a week repairing a runway after the surrender would receive the medal with rosette having faced no danger at all ? And would anyone know the difference who wasn't involved?

[IrishGunner]

The end date for qualifying for the medal was 14 June 1982 - the date of the Argentine surrender - so someone working on the island after hostilities ceased would not qualify.

[Wilhelmina]

Irishgunner,

The 2012 Independent Medal Review conducted by Sir John Holmes, from 1 October 2014 the qualifying period for the medal without rosette was extended to 21 October 1982, the date Mount Pleasant airfield was finished. So the recipients would have faced no enemy action??

The whole thing is confusing? Consider the well-earned VC by Corporal Cameron Baird in Afghanistan who broke cover to attack the enemy and was sadly killed.

How does this compare to a man breaking cover and charging enemy lines over open ground, no cover and barbed wire hazards, with withering enemy machine gun fire and artillery fire? Of the entire battalion of over 800 men, less than 100 came back. And the survivors did this more than once. And many other regiments.

Of course, I'm talking about WWI. By modern standards don't all the men who went 'over the top' deserve a VC?

Edited January 4, 2015 by Wilhelmina

[hucks216]

Irishgunner,

The 2012 Independent Medal Review conducted by Sir John Holmes, from 1 October 2014 the qualifying period for the medal without rosette was extended to 21 October 1982, the date Mount Pleasant airfield was finished. So the recipients would have faced no enemy action??

 

 

That's correct although there would still be tensions in the area. It is the same for the sailors who served on the first ships who went down to the islands to relieve the Task Force after the fighting had finished. I know someone who served on HMS Birmingham at the time and received his SAM without Rosette just before this Christmas. He wasn't in the theater for the fighting but was on the first ships to arrive there after the surrender.