Wearing an Ancestor's Medals Mega-thread

[Colin Parkinson]

Frankly I think being able to wear their families medals on the rightside on such events like Nov. 11th is fine and gives people a chance to talk about their loved ones. One option would be a requirement to have a small name plate "Awarded to XXXXXX 1939-1945" just above them.

The people who are going to claim the medals are ones they got, are going to play games no matter what you do. Lets not punish people who's only crime is pride in what their family members did.

 

[Danjanou]

Colin I see your point and that is the custom in both the UK  and Australia. However it ain't the custom here, and as noted it's against the law.  Should that change and we adopt something similar to the Aussies or Brits I don't think I would have an issue with that either.

AirDet excellent idea. I'm hoping to make a pilgrimage to Vimy in 2017. I would like to take my Grandfather's WW1 medals with me and would consider doing the same, carrying them in my blazer pocket (or pinned inside) behind my own medals. It's a private and I think a dignified way of letting "part" of  him  be there again.

 

[AirDet]

I'm hoping to make a pilgrimage to Vimy in 2017. I would like to take my Grandfather's WW1 medals with me and would consider doing the same, carrying them in my blazer pocket (or pinned inside) behind my own medals. It's a private and I think a dignified way of letting "part" of  him  be there again.

Like I said, it's a great way to privately pay tribute/respect. You'll find you stand little taller despite the heavier tunic.

 

[Rifleman62]

I don't know if this is the correct forum or not. This may be of interest.

http://wearingyourmedalswrong.blogspot.ca/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=4

Wearing Your Medals Wrong

A blog about Canadians who habitually wear their orders, decorations and medals incorrectly.

 

[Danjanou]

I don't know if this is the correct forum or not. This may be of interest.

http://wearingyourmedalswrong.blogspot.ca/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=4

Wearing Your Medals Wrong

A blog about Canadians who habitually wear their orders, decorations and medals incorrectly.

One my favourites and usually worth a chuckle.  ;D

 

[x_para76]

First of all in response to Wes's comment that it may be a Pommie thing that prevents Canadian's from wearing their ancestor's medals I'm afraid that isn't the case. In the U.K you're permitted to wear a family member's medals so long as they're worn on the right hand side.

Furthermore in response to the nae Sayers on here regarding wearing a family members medals you have your opinion and your entitled to it but your full of shit! If someone chooses to wear a deceased family members medals on rememberance day and they're worn on the right hand side as they should be then they've committed no fowl. By wearing them on the right hand side they're not misrepresenting them self as having earned them and have instantly communicated to anyone observing them that they're wearing a family member's medals. We're the only country in the commonwealth where this would be considered by anyone to be a transgression, and it's fucking ridiculous. It should not be frowned upon so long as people wear them on the correct side, on rememberance day, and the person wearing them doesn't misrepresent them self as having earned them.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Mike! We really, really need a :yawn: smiley.  In the interim: :not-again: and  :ignore:

 

[George Wallace]

Furthermore in response to the nae Sayers on here regarding wearing a family members medals you have your opinion and your entitled to it but your full of shit! If someone chooses to wear a deceased family members medals on rememberance day and they're worn on the right hand side as they should be then they've committed no fowl. By wearing them on the right hand side they're not misrepresenting them self as having earned them and have instantly communicated to anyone observing them that they're wearing a family member's medals. We're the only country in the commonwealth where this would be considered by anyone to be a transgression, and it's fucking ridiculous. It should not be frowned upon so long as people wear them on the correct side, on rememberance day, and the person wearing them doesn't misrepresent them self as having earned them.

And what makes you so friggin correct in your opinions?  You may be surprised to find that you are WRONG.


Read: Guide for Wearing Orders, Decorations and Medals, page 9, para 1

Wearing of Insignia by Unauthorized Individuals

Only the legitimate recipient may wear the insignia of an order, decoration or medal.  In addition, although the insignia of a deceased person may be retained by the family as part of its heritage or given to a recognized museum, no one can wear them in any manner or under any circumstances.

 

[Journeyman]

We're the only country in the commonwealth where this would be considered by anyone to be a transgression

Then feel free to move to any other country and wear medals you never earned to your heart's content.  Otherwise, welcome to Canada; these are our regulations.

But as stated by E.R.Campbell,  :boring:    and    :ignore:

.....they've committed no fowl.

  :

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

If you want to change the law, get your MP to raise the issue or get elected and do a private members bill. Till then the Law says you cannot wear any medal not earned by the wearer, so follow the law and deal with it and wear your big boy pants or big girl pants and get over it.

 

[eliminator]

From the British Legion website, it appears that the practice of wearing family members medals in the UK is "officially incorrect" yet a common, unpunished act.

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/medals/medal-faqs#wearing

Can I wear medals belonging to members of my family?

The official position regarding wearing medals other than your own is that they should not be worn. However, it was generally accepted from soon after the Great War that widows of the fallen wore their late husband's medals on the right breast on suitable occasions.

More recently it seems to have become the custom for any family member to wear medals of deceased relations in this way, sometimes trying to give a complete family military history by wearing several groups. Although understandable it is officially incorrect, and when several groups are worn it does little for the dignity of the original owners.

The Legion takes a pragmatic view and our Ceremonial Rules state:

The official rules for wearing medals allow only official awards to be worn. Unofficial purchased medals and foreign medals which do not have the Sovereign's permission to be worn are not allowed. Standard Bearers, Parade Marshals and other officials on Legion duty are bound by this ruling and unofficial medals must not be worn when on Legion duty.The medals awarded to a deceased Service / ex-Service person may be worn on the right breast by a near relative (mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, daughter and son). Not more than one group should be worn by any individual.

One thing is certain, no action will be taken officially if anyone wears a relation's medals. In the Legion this practice is banned for Standard Bearers and parade officials and as stated above for other members.

Another option is to have the family medals framed so that they can be displayed the whole year round. These displays can include a photo, cap badge and name plate which makes it a very personal display for a family. If you are interested, the following companies offer this service:

 

[George Wallace]

Seriously?  Who cares what another nations allows or does not allow?  Let's just stick to Canadian applications.

 

[x_para76]

If you choose to wear a deceased relatives medals ie. if I chose to wear my paternal grandfather's ww2 medals on rememberance day and that day only, on the right hand side then I have in no way misrepresented myself. It's that misrepresentation that is the crime. As has been stated in earlier posts if there in no criminal intent then it's not a crime. Furthermore these comments about who cares what they do in Britain where do you think our military traditions came from?

Finally, everyone here is entitled to their opinion. However if on rememberance day I choose to wear my grandfather's medals I challenge anyone to come have a go at me!

 

[George Wallace]

If you choose to wear a deceased relatives medals ie. if I chose to wear my paternal grandfather's ww2 medals on rememberance day and that day only, on the right hand side then I have in no way misrepresented myself. It's that misrepresentation that is the crime. As has been stated in earlier posts if there in no criminal intent then it's not a crime. Furthermore these comments about who cares what they do in Britain where do you think our military traditions came from?

Finally, everyone here is entitled to their opinion. However if on rememberance day I choose to wear my grandfather's medals I challenge anyone to come have a go at me!

Not to be ignorant or anything, but you refuse to acknowledge that what you are doing is WRONG and against the regulations as laid out by the Government of Canada...That does not reflect to well on you.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

...and I guess none of us had ancestor's with medals. 



Or at least none of us are so insecure with ourselves that we need to parade them.

 

[x_para76]

No because this thread is so full of people concerned that people are committing a criminal offence if they wear their dead relative's medals on rememberance day. They continue to quote the criminal code which I'm sure only considers this act an offence for the purpose of people fraudulently representing the self  as something they are not. If for example you think that the widow of a deceased Afghanistan vet should be reprimanded for wear her fallen husbands's medals on rememberance day then you really are an uptight bastard and a typical example of everything that is wrong with the CF.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

No because this thread is so full of people concerned that people are committing a criminal offence if they wear their dead relative's medals on rememberance day. They continue to quote the criminal code which I'm sure only considers this act an offence for the purpose of people fraudulently representing the self  as something they are not. If for example you think that the widow of a deceased Afghanistan vet should be reprimanded for wear her fallen husbands's medals on rememberance day then you really are an uptight bastard and a typical example of everything that is wrong with the CF.

You're treading dangerously close to the line and you won't be warned again.

Attack the argument not the person.

---Staff---

 

[George Wallace]

No because this thread is so full of people concerned that people are committing a criminal offence if they wear their dead relative's medals on rememberance day. They continue to quote the criminal code which I'm sure only considers this act an offence for the purpose of people fraudulently representing the self  as something they are not. If for example you think that the widow of a deceased Afghanistan vet should be reprimanded for wear her fallen husbands's medals on rememberance day then you really are an uptight bastard and a typical example of everything that is wrong with the CF.

Your flaunting of Regulations does not say much for you as well....(How many times have I said that to you?)  Again, your opinion does not overrule the Criminal Code, nor regulations as laid out by the Government of Canada.  Your flaunting the rules does not make you right.  If we take it to the extreme and you thought that murder was right in your opinion, flaunting all the Laws of the land and Rules and Regulations therein, does that make you right and the rest of us wrong?  Of course not.  So get off your ego trip and accept the fact that YOU are WRONG.  You can wear YOUR medals, but those of a relative twice removed have other means of being displayed.

 

[ModlrMike]

No because this thread is so full of people concerned that people are committing a criminal offence if they wear their dead relative's medals on rememberance day. They continue to quote the criminal code which I'm sure only considers this act an offence for the purpose of people fraudulently representing the self  as something they are not. If for example you think that the widow of a deceased Afghanistan vet should be reprimanded for wear her fallen husbands's medals on rememberance day then you really are an uptight ******* and a typical example of everything that is wrong with the CF.

Here's a thought... accept and follow the law as it currently is. Work to change it to something else if it's that important to you. The reasons for the existing statute are long passed, and technology and good record keeping would render benefits fraud exceptionally difficult today. Many of us would have no problem following the Aus or NZ protocol if that's where changes lead.

We, or rather I do not think a vet's wife should be reprimanded for wearing her dead husband's medals on Remembrance Day. But her situation still doesn't put her in the right.

 

[Good2Golf]

As has been stated in earlier posts if there in no criminal intent then it's not a crime.

:

Nice.  Convincing one's self that one is not committing a crime, by saying there is no criminal intent is rather disingenuous when one already knows that their actions contravene a criminal code.

Go ahead and wear your ancestor's medals on your right chest, but do so knowing that the Nation's laws, whether your agree with them or not, say you cannot...

Regards
G2G