Medal traditions

[Niner]

There was a post on facebook today. Joe's fraternal military unit had a ceremony today on the anniversary of the end of WWII corresponding to our Veterans Day. One thing that struck me was the difference in traditions between the US and Britain. One fellow with a chest full of medals was saluting...the British way...which wasn't surprising but the rack of medals was. In the US veterans, as a general rule, never have occasion to wear their actual medals. Some, at special full dress reunion things wear miniature ones of the top two or three they may have been awarded. The guy in the photo, I wonder if maybe he could have divided them up into two rows? If he got another one or two there's not room to put them as it is.

[Niner]

Here is an American example. The last living battalion commander giving an address at the memorial service at the battalion reunion I was the chief cook and bottle washer for in 2015. Notice...no medals. He was a retired full colonel so you know he had some.

[DuncaninFrance]

The following notes are based on the 'Guide to the wearing of Orders, decorations, miniatures and medals'
published by the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood:

· Medals are worn parallel to the ground just above the level of the top pocket of a jacket (or on a pocket
insert).
The Royal British Legion membership badge is worn on the lapel one inch above the medal bar.
The medals may be mounted 'Court' fashion (sewn to the ribbon which extends behind the medal to roughly
halfway down) or 'swinging' (where they hang loose from the medal bar). In either case, the bottom edge of
each medal should be level, the ribbons should not exceed about one and half inches from the top (medal
bar) to the bottom (medal suspender).
In some cases the length of the ribbons will vary to ensure the bottom edge of the medals are level.
Medals are worn side by side unless there are more than five in which case they are overlapped with the
first one (to the centre of the body) fully visible and subsequent ribbons being only partly visible.
The medals themselves are overlapped in the same way with the obverse (often the Sovereign’s head) to
the front.
On Legion occasions, such as parades and social events, when medals are worn with lounge suits, full-size
insignia mounted on a medal bar or pocket insert are worn on the left side. One neck decoration, suspended
on a miniature width ribbon, of an Order, may be worn under the collar.
With overcoats, only those full-size Orders, decorations and medals normally mounted on a medal bar or
pocket inserts may be worn, on the left side.
With morning dress, full-size orders, decorations and medals normally mounted on a medal bar or pocket
insert should be worn, when required.
With dinner jacket, when invitations specify decorations, it is correct to wear miniatures, and only one star
(or the badge of a Knight Bachelor) and one neck decoration.
With evening dress, one sash and sash badge, one neck decoration, up to four breast stars plus miniature
medals on medal bar or pocket insert may be worn.
The medals awarded to a deceased Service / ex-Service person may be worn on the right breast by a
near relative. Not more than one group should be worn by any individual.(Edit. This is frowned on and is not encouraged, particularly in Bordeaux......Duncan)

The Royal British Legion.

[Niner]

The one pin he wears on his lapel is one I had commissioned for the reunion.

[Niner]

Interesting what you wrote of the rules for display. In the US military there are medals for individuals such as the National Defense Ribbon that everyone who makes it through basic training gets as the bottom rung then followed by war zone badges like Vietnam or Afghanistan and other such like medals awarded by countries assisted. Then there are unit awards often called Campaign ribbons awarded to entire Divisions or Brigades or Battalions. On a uniform the Campaign ribbons are worn on the right side and the personal awards on the left. At least that used to be the case. Nobody in or out of the military wears full actual awarded medals And...some..maybe most campaign and foreign awards... are only ribbons and never actually awarded as dangling medals.

Above the National Defense Ribbon is where the more or less real medals are aligned on a military uniform. Next time you see a US big dog officer's picture, look for the National Defense ribbon and then check out the medals that proceed it. A lot of important officers have more been there medals after the National Defense ribbon than actual commendations of one sort or the other.

[Niner Delta]

It appears that above the 6/31 pin is his CIB, the one you and I earned but couldn't be awarded because of
our artillery MOS.

The man is giving a proper British salute, beret with unit crest, row of medals, poppy, white shirt, necktie, blue blazer
jacket, ........ and wearing blue jeans. What???? To me, that just took away the respect of his otherwise very proper look.
Maybe it's just me, but the blue jeans did no go with his attire, he needed dark blue or black slacks like the man on the
far right or the man sitting. Again this is just my opinion, and it's worth every penny you paid for it. ......

.

[DuncaninFrance]

Correct Vern, that sort of thing gives me apoplexy!!!!!!!!
Looks as though his shirt is way too big as well so maybe he is receiving some sort of charity?

[Aughnanure]

The blue jeans gives me the willies also, but maybe, as you said Duncan, he’s doing it hard.

Just a small point, he’s not strictly giving the British salute, there is really no such thing; the Royal Navy gives the English salute, which is the one that Americans have, palm down.
The British Army and the RAF use the German salute thar was introduced, I believe, by Prince Albert.

[Niner]

Thanks for that, Eoin. Hard to believe the British would follow the Germans in anything. Just thinking....the palm forward is sort of a modified Heil Hitler thing. Just needs to straighten the elbow.

[DuncaninFrance]

Hardly
The British Military.

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Not the British Military...........

640px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_101II-MW-4012-04,_Frankreich,_Dönitz_bei_Offizieren.jpg (50.08 KiB) Viewed 539 times