Medals barred for Remembrance Sunday
What an odd regulation!
Thousands of veterans of the war in Borneo in the 1950s and 1960s who have recently received special medals from the Malaysian Government will be barred from wearing them at Remembrance Day services this Sunday.
They aren’t allowed to wear two medals from the same campaign, how odd! I’m no expert when it comes to matters of military protocol but I think this another silly regulation that needs bringing up to date.
Bureaucracy gone mad, Curly. Honouring our heroes is so important. I’m pleased to note you have added a poppy to your site!
David Potts
November 7, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Welcome back Mr Potts … I’m sure Curly’s regulars have missed your comments over the last week or so especially given the subject matter Curly has chosen to post!
Not forgetting the Gypsies Green referendum post – ops sorry we have to remain silent on this one! It does beg the question as to whether or not someone or something has ‘got to’ Curly.
Ahmed Khan
November 7, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I cannot get my head around some very questionable, laws, rules, and regulations this week, mystifying at the very least.
As for the other story, I am starting to doubt my own judgement over certain legal advice easily accepted by those who claim to know best. Perhaps Mr. Hans Offmycrotch might do us all a big favour and tell us who allegedly said what, when, and about whom, and more importantly who objected the loudest, and who were the nameless ones. We need the clarity more than ever.
I have erred on the side of caution for now (it will all come out in the wash, as they say).
curly
November 7, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Dear Mr Khan
I think you have been too tough and should reconsider your comments on Councillor Potts because he has for once been very busy in ……. the Ward of Boldon Colliery, campaigning for a local school which needs to be saved from the educational scythe which currently lashes through this Borough. (It’s a pity Councillor Potts was not as vocal or attentive when as a governor East Boldon Junior school lost a teacher. Remind the public Councillor Potts, how many meetings did you attend before you disappeared from the board’s listings?) However, the main problem is Councillor Potts represents…..Cleadon and East Boldon Ward! Now there’s an irony, never seen in the ward he represents, but all over the ward he has nothing to do with. Dear, dear, what would certain publications make of that!
Then again, to be honest, I fully admit Councillor Potts and I have a little bit of “previous”, a term not uncommon to the Old Bill. Could that be the “Old Bill” that protects us from terrorism in London, an organisation that has very publicly been lambasted for the shooting dead of a one “John de Menezes”? Councillor Pott’s is very familiar with Mr de Menezes, because in August 2005 he had a letter very publicly printed in the Shields Gazette in reply to the comments of that greatly respected urban warrior Mr George Waddle;
“Waddle criticises the police for shooting dead the “innocent” Brazilian in London recently”
and more brutally
“The man simply made himself a target”
Contrary to your best wishes David, the Brazilian REALLY was innocent, and according to a court of law, did anything BUT make himself a target.
So what now Councillor Potts, a full retraction of your very ill judged and knee jerk reactionary comments, or are we going to leave this to the “Badger” to hang, dry and quarter you?
Come on David; look at the problems BRENDA caused. This post is entirely FACTUAL, so what is your FACTUAL response?
Peter Shaw
November 7, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Peter,
considering you have a blog of your own, don’t you think it would be polite to post these brand new topics on your own site?
It’s another odd rule that I struggle to live with (sigh)
So why not two medals on the chest?
Curly
November 7, 2007 at 10:55 pm
No problem, though I suspect if you apply the same rule to all your commentators you may find quite a reduction in posts. As for two medals, not my scene really; it makes quite a target for police marksmen.
And on that matter, I will send you a private email should Councillor Pott’s reply on the shooting dead of innocent men.
Peter Shaw
November 8, 2007 at 8:05 am
OK Curly so it’s your blog and I suppose everyone has to play by your rules.
That aside if you leave your blog ‘open’ you should hardly be surprised when some of your regulars link your own postings and subsequent comments to other topical issues – free speech and all that. You often use the phrase “opinions are always welcomed”, surely you are not now suggesting that these opinions should suit you!
Most of your regulars are only too aware that it has been a testing time for you over the last 10 days or so. Comments have been posted, removed (unlike you), ‘disclaimers’ added to certain threads, the threat of legal action and what effectively amounts to a public plea (I do hope it was not an apology) to labour councillors (and party members) to keep the tittle tattle coming all bear testimony to this.
Perhaps now is the time for you to seriously consider whether you should continue to allow posts to be placed on your blog from people who hide behind sudanims thinking that they can say virtually anything safe in the knowledge that their real identities remain unknown. Perhaps these indiviuals should consider the fact that their IP addresses (a number unique to the user(s) location) is easily obtained by virtually anyone. Cyber space is not the safe haven they think it is!
As far as two medals are concerned if our service men and women have earned them surely they should be allowed to wear them! It beggars belief to think that those in positions of authority can come up with such petty minded bureaucracy, whatever next the ‘vetting’ of underwear.
Having just returned from Malaysia where we experienced first hand the Merdaka celebrations (50th Anniversary of their independence) I wonder what the people of Malaysia will think about this whole affair. During the week long festivities numerous activities were held for ‘veterans of Malaya including, Brits, Aussies, New Zealanders, Indians, Africans and Malaysians. Everywhere we went these vets were treated as VIPs and with respect by one and all. They also had a place of honour in the main Independence Day parade that lasted 4 hours!
So wear your medals with pride and to hell with some petty regulation dreamt up by some ‘idiot’ whose only experience of military service is likely to have been a game of pocket battle ships!
Ahmed Khan
November 8, 2007 at 10:28 am
I’m quite comfortable with people using pseudonyms Ahmed, ot even posting “anon.”, if laws get transgressed the blog host can always be asked to supply details of the IP address, although sometimes it can be a fruitless chase if a cybercafe has been used, or a multi user pc has been accessed. I appreciate your sentiments on the veterans issue, these people ought to command our respect for the commitments and sacrifices that they made on our behalf, they should always be remembered, along with those whose lives now need our support.
I’m not over comfortable with the sentiment that our veterans could/should become targets for police marksmen, I do hope Peter had his tongue firmly in cheek when he made the remark, but it’s good to keep the comments related to the thread for a change.
Curly
November 8, 2007 at 11:41 am
Of course it was not meant that way. It related to the shooting dead of an innocent Brazilian, the original content of the post in question.
For the record, I always have my poppy very close to my heart, I have good reason to, but thats my business.
Hope to see you all tonight at the New Crown Hotel (no that is not an invitation to buy a pint).
Peter Shaw
November 8, 2007 at 11:51 am
Damn.
Thought you were offering!
curly
November 8, 2007 at 12:28 pm