Merchant Navy Medal

[DeepSea]

From the National MNA office.

We have just received official word that Her Majesty the Queen has approved a national Merchant Navy Medal.

The Shipping Minister is due to issue a statement tomorrow, Merchant Navy Day. Further information regarding the medal will follow.

[DeepSea]

Have been in touch with the National Secretary Tim Brant and believe tomorrow is the official announcement to the question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool back the 7th February 2012.

Question:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 31 January (WA 301), what is the policy of the relevant department about the wearing of Merchant Navy Medals; and whether the relevant department will now put forward a recommendation to the Committee on the Grant of Honours and Medals to enable holders of the Merchant Navy Medal to wear it alongside United Kingdom decorations. [HL15406]

Earl Attlee: We recognise the invaluable contribution made by merchant seamen to our national life, in times of both war and peace. Her Majesty's Government are currently considering the representations which have been made in relation to the wearing of the Merchant Navy Medal.

The medal in question is the one I received in 2011 at Trinity House. Although the award was gazetted, it was not allowed to be worn alongside other official decorations and it looks like it has been accepted and will be given an official order of wear.

[Brenda Shackleton]

My Dad (Capt. W J. Hartley D.S.C.) received the Lloyds Medal for Bravery at Sea and was never "allowed" to wear it. It was the medal that he treasured most, because it was only awarded to Merchant seamen.
regards
Brenda Sh.

[j.sabourn]

Brenda, If your Father was MN, he was therefore a civilian, and I still fail to see where the military have any say about the wearing of civilian decorations. How many high up police officers have you seen wearing police decorations long service etc. alongside maybe decorations received in the military. As long as he was not wearing it on a military uniform I still cannot and have never heard of anyone being sued by the uk military. I maybe totally wrong on this, I have seen newspaper reports at various parades where civilians have been sporting medals they are not entitled to, and they have finished up a bit red in the face, but never heard of a court case for such. This has always made me wonder about the Russian medal being awarded to Merchant Seafarers I see no justification in the uk having any say on a person receiving such if he wants and also displaying it on civilian clothes. Maybe I am not too genned up on this subject. Regards John Sabourn

[DeepSea]

The existing Merchant Navy Medal is an unofficial medal. It is awarded by the Merchant Navy Medal Fund, which was set up in 2005 as a result of a charitable initiative. The new medal will be a State Award with a place in the Order of Wear. Her Majesty the Queen recently gave her approval to a recommendation by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (the HD Committee) for the introduction of the new medal.
K.

Getting somewhat confused here. The existing medal was not unofficial as such. as it was gazetted, but was not allowed to worn with other medal issued under the Royal Warrant The "new medal" you refer to, is the same medal, it has now just been fully recognised as far as I am aware.

[DeepSea]

In contact with National MNA yesterday and even they don't seem to know.

[DeepSea]

Will attempt to clarify, just taking all from the little available, all reports talk of a new medal even the Gov site ?

K.

Trying to get information from Tim or John at National. If this is to be a brand new issue and is not an upgrade to those who have the original, it somewhat takes the shine of the award I and others were given since 2005 and would make our medal somewhat defunct.

[DeepSea]

According to the Merchant Navy Medal site, it will be a new award

The Queen has graciously awarded a medal for the Merchant Navy. It is understood that these medals will be awarded annually both in the New Year's Honours' and Queen's Birthday Honours' lists and granted an Order of Wear.

The Merchant Navy Welfare Board has, for three years acted as administrator for the Merchant Navy Medal Committee, which is currently an industry based award and thus has no "Order of Wear". Captain Matthew Easton, Chairman of that committee said in response to the announcement:

"There has long been an acknowledgment amongst the maritime community that the importance of the Merchant Navy has not been recognised at a national level.

We are hugely honoured that Her Majesty the Queen has granted the Merchant Navy its own national award and in doing so reinforcing the importance of the Merchant Navy in the lives of all us, not just in the past but going forward as well.

The Merchant Navy Medal Committee, which has overseen the industry sponsored Merchant Navy Medal since its inception in 2005 have been involved in this process and welcome today's announcement. We look forward to working with the National Honours Committee and Department of Transport in suggesting the criteria for the new Honour."

Although happy that the MN now has some official recognition, the award I received in 2011 feels somewhat tainted by the fact what was deemed as meritorious service at the time seems lessened now and will be looked upon as such.

[DeepSea]

This was the confusing part on my behalf. When I went to Trinity House to receive the medal with the other recipients, after the award Lord West made a speech in regard to the medal being the only one outside of campaign and bravery medals being awarded to Merchant Seamen. He stated he was putting this award forward to the Honours Committee in the hope of having it accepted and receive and order of wear. Obviously they have gone one better and decided to issue a totally seperate award.

[Lou Barron]

Having just read these posts about a Merchant Navy Medal to be awarded to those with meritorous service ,this seems a bit funny to me .I bought a MN medal a few years ago from a place in theUK i cannot remember the name they sold a lot of military goods