Orders of the Day — War Decorations and Medals

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 22 March 1944.

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Photo of Captain Leonard Plugge Captain Leonard Plugge , Rochester Chatham

I have to thank my hon. and gallant Friend. I thought he said that soldiers and sailors and airmen after the war prize these medals very much indeed and more than during operations. No doubt they prize them very much, but they want to wear them. I want to come to the comparison made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. He spoke of France. In France it is customary after a war to wear small thin ribbons in the buttonhole when one becomes a civilian, but in this country it is not customary to do so, although in the case of the King's Badge something similar occurs. So, if a soldier is not granted a medal when still in uniform, or towards the end of the war, he has not really the chance of putting up his ribbon unless he becomes a doorman at a cinema, a commissionaire or a policeman. If, as the Prime Minister said, the Victory Medal is only to be allocated after the war and this new award made at a much later date, then I would like my right hon. Friend to consider whether, when these men have returned from fighting, it can be considered correct for them to wear a thin ribbon in the buttonhole of the civil suit. Of course there is nothing against these ribbons being so worn. Anyone can wear them to-day, but one rarely sees a man doing so. We have in this House the hon. Member for Belfast University (Professor Savory), who was awarded the Legion of Honour, and he wears the thin ribbon in his buttonhole. Of course I am not making any criticism of his action. I merely say that it is not universal in this country. I would like to see it so. I have only noticed one other Englishman in this country so wear his ribbons, but before the war I have many times witnessed Englishmen put up their ribbons while they were in France or travelling in Europe. Yet, while re-crossing the Channel, they are seen cutting the ribbons from their coats so that at Tilbury these decorations are not visible any more. In view of the great number of medals to be granted, and the fact that we hope the war may be over in the near future, I submit that some opportunity may be given to these men to continue to wear just a thin ribbon in the buttonhole of their civilian suit. In order to make a practice like that customary, those of importance should do it, and then the rank and file will follow the example.

In conclusion I want to ask three definite questions of my right hon. Friend. Are Press correspondents or B.B.C. correspondents who have been with the Eighth Army for more than six months, who have been given a special uniform and, in certain cases, weapons to defend themselves in an advance, entitled to receive the Africa Star? My second question is, if a man has not qualified long enough by staying six months in the seat of operations but is wounded and discharged, or severely wounded, would not that entitle him to have the medal? My last question is if my right hon. Friend has ever considered a medal which was very much prized in France in the last war. Since the Prime Minister made comparisons between the giving of decorations in France and this country, I would explain that this medal was one to which great value was attached over there. It was called "La Medaille des Evades." It was given to soldiers who had been taken prisoner and had succeeded in escaping from enemy territory at great risk to themselves and had rejoined the Fighting Forces. One of these was the gallant New Zealand General Horgest, to whom my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Stockport (Wing-Commander Hulbert) referred a few minutes ago. I would be obliged to my right hon. Friend if he could give me a reply to those questions when summing up this interesting Debate.