Wearing of Medals -- Another Type of Question

[Bill Smy]

It seems to have been an established practice in the United Kingdom after the First World War for widows to wear their husband's medals on the right breast with the medals mounted in reverse order.

A photograph of a woman wearing a WW1 VC group and selling poppies during WW2 appears in the October 2003 issue of the Journal of The Victoria Cross Society.

Elsie Frew, widow of Colonel Graham Thomson Lyall, VC, had his medals mounted in reverse order after the Second World War and wore them in this fashion to various militiary and remembrance activities,

Has anyone come across other instances where this took place?

:warstory: Please:-- I don't want to re-open the legality issue. 

 

[Edward Campbell]

Someone, many decades back, told my mother that was appropriate for war-widows, per se, not widows of veterans.  She thought it was a bit much, I think.  (Not the sort of thing we spent an awful lot of time discussing.)  She habitually wore a miniature cap badge and her silver cross, and that was about all by way of jewelry and buttons and bows â “ even with evening dress for the most formal functions.

I have never seen it, in either the UK or Canada, but it's not something I looked for either.

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

cap badges i can see as piece a woman would wear.  there was time when a guy  would give a  girl a copy of his cap badge much like a guy  would give that special girl his class ring to wear.

my grandfather gave his wife a copy o his cap badge with the letter removed and replaced with small diamonds. he was Royal Canadian Ordance Corp.
I have see other cap badges made into jewellery for mothers. My greatgrandmother who lost one of her sons  was given Armoured Corp collardogs made into a pin for her to wear to remember her son.

as for wearing the medals i think that  is just wrong.  No one but the person awarded the medals has the right to wear them. that  is just plain wrong.

I come from a long line of war vetrans, and peace time officers, after they have died the medals have always been put away and never worn again.

That  would be like wearing their rank and medals when I was in the army. I can see it now,  a private wearing his grandfathers Sqn Leader  rank and decorations.  Just not done.

 

[combat_medic]

A while back, one could see the relatives of a veteran wear the relatives' medals on the right hand (opposite) side. It was never expressely forbidden, but was in practice. Now, there are regulations that prohibit the wearing of any medals other than your own. However, these regulations only apply to CF members. Personally, I don't like seeing people wear medals they didn't earn, but to each their own.

As for the cap brass, I think you're referring to the "Sweetheart Pin" - often a miniaturized version of the soldier's cap brass on a more ornate display which was given to a girlfriend or wife so that they could show they had a soldier in that regiment. There are some excellent examples of these here:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Royal-Army-Ordnance-Corps-Sterling-Sweetheart-Pin_W0QQitemZ6549927599QQcategoryZ4074QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Tank-Corps-Enamel-Sweetheart-Pin_W0QQitemZ6549927943QQcategoryZ4074QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.ca/RASC-Enameled-Sweetheart-Pin_W0QQitemZ6522244782QQcategoryZ4074QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Springroll]

A while back, one could see the relatives of a veteran wear the relatives' medals on the right hand (opposite) side. It was never expressely forbidden, but was in practice. Now, there are regulations that prohibit the wearing of any medals other than your own. However, these regulations only apply to CF members. Personally, I don't like seeing people wear medals they didn't earn, but to each their own.

Just because I like to eat crow, here is the link and answer from veteran's affairs on the wearing of someone else's war medals:

Q)Can I wear my father's (brother's, relatives') medals?
A)Medals may only be worn by the veteran. It is a criminal offense to wear military medals that someone else has earned.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=help/generalfaq#apply

 

[Roy Harding]

A while back, one could see the relatives of a veteran wear the relatives' medals on the right hand (opposite) side. It was never expressely forbidden, but was in practice. Now, there are regulations that prohibit the wearing of any medals other than your own. However, these regulations only apply to CF members. Personally, I don't like seeing people wear medals they didn't earn, but to each their own.

combat_medic:  actually, you're wrong regarding the regulations regarding wearing other's medals.  There's a fairly lengthy (and entertaining) thread on the subject here: 

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/33376.0.html

 

[aesop081]

Just because I like to eat crow, here is the link and answer from veteran's affairs on the wearing of someone else's war medals:

Q)Can I wear my father's (brother's, relatives') medals?
A)Medals may only be worn by the veteran. It is a criminal offense to wear military medals that someone else has earned.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=help/generalfaq#apply

Are you going to seek legal advice on that one ?  :

 

[Springroll]

Are you going to seek legal advice on that one ?   :

No. That answer came from Veteran's Affairs, the very people who give out the medals.

Like I said, I will eat crow quietly with a smile on my face ;D

 

[aesop081]

No. That answer came from Veteran's Affairs, the very people who give out the medals.

Like I said, I will eat crow quietly with a smile on my face ;D

Glad to hear it.  I would hate to see the staff at CFSME have to book an extra bed for your lawyer on your QL3  ;D

Have a good one

 

[Springroll]

Glad to hear it.   I would hate to see the staff at CFSME have to book an extra bed for your lawyer on your QL3   ;D

Have a good one

I don't have a lawyer, but I did contact my late grandfathers lawyer who told me to check out the VA website(never thought about that).
Now I am satisfied with the answer, have admitted I was wrong, and would love for the "comments" and such to stop now.

Have a good one, too

 

[Eowyn]

Just because I like to eat crow, here is the link and answer from veteran's affairs on the wearing of someone else's war medals:

Q)Can I wear my father's (brother's, relatives') medals?
A)Medals may only be worn by the veteran. It is a criminal offense to wear military medals that someone else has earned.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=help/generalfaq#apply

I find it interesting that you will accept the answer from the VA's or DHH website when you find it, but not when it was pointed out to you when you originally asked the question.   Gunnar98 provided that link and quote within the first page of discussion.

Quote from Gunner98

DHH Website FAQs: http://hr.ottawa-hull.mil.ca/dhh/engraph/faqs_e.asp?category=honawa&FaqID=25#answer


Question
May I wear a relative's medals?

Answer
Article 419 of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibits the wearing of orders, decorations and medals by anyone other than the individual who was awarded the honour.

Modified to add Gunner98's quote.

 

[Gunner]

I find it interesting that you will accept the answer from the VA's or DHH website when you find it, but not when it was pointed out to you when you originally asked the question.  Gunnar98 provided that link and quote within the first page of discussion.

Eowyn,

Springroll has admitted a mistake, fessed up and is "man" enough to accept her lumps.  We have all said things/did things that we regret later and there is no reason to keep bringing it up as it has been dealt with.  I'm sure Springroll has apologized to Gunner98 for doubting his advice.  Lets move on.

Cheers

 

[Springroll]

I find it interesting that you will accept the answer from the VA's or DHH website when you find it, but not when it was pointed out to you when you originally asked the question.   Gunnar98 provided that link and quote within the first page of discussion.

Gunnar98 provided a link to a section of the Criminal Code of Canada. I was debating the code based on the way it was worded, specifically the whole "lawful permission" bit.

According to Veteran's Affairs, the people who issue the medals, there are no exceptions to the rule, whereas the code is worded to sound like you can if you have been given permission too. Now that I know that there are no exceptions to the rule, I am satisfied.

 

[Bill Smy]

Hey, Guys. I specifically asked that we not re-open the legal arguments.  :gunner: :gunner: :gunner: :gunner:

What I wanted was to here of instances where widows wore the medals in reverse order on the right breast. Let's try to keep this discussionon track.  

 

[Springroll]

My bad, it was not Gunnar98, it was Inch.

 

[Acorn]

Veterans Affairs doesn't issue the medals.

Springroll, you exibited a monumental lack of judgement in that other thread. Hopefully your recent experience has improved that judgement before you go on training.

 

[Springroll]

Veterans Affairs doesn't issue the medals.

Taken form my previous link:

Can I purchase another set of medals for my children/grandchildren even if a set is already in existence?
Veterans Affairs Canada issues only one set of medals.
If additional sets are required you may wish to contact a military outfitter and purchase miniature commemorative medals.

 

[kincanucks]

No. That answer came from Veteran's Affairs, the very people who give out the medals.

Like I said, I will eat crow quietly with a smile on my face ;D

I thought you only eat candy necklaces? ;D

 

[Springroll]

I thought you only eat candy necklaces? ;D

Well that too... ;D

Would you like one??

 

[Roy Harding]

What I wanted was to here of instances where widows wore the medals in reverse order on the right breast. Let's try to keep this discussionon track.  

Bill;

Although I believe the law is pretty clear, I can't imagine a circumstance where that law would actually be invoked in the case of a widow. 

I don't know, because I wasn't there (contrary to popular opinion), but I imagine something like that may have been the practice, and may still BE the practice with some widows.

For what it's worth.