Beret wearing, medal wearing civvy?

[Stevienics]

The nearest RBL club to the secret west midlands training base has shut, changed hands and become a boozer called the Royal. So even in a location ankle deep in ex-servicemen it's not a viable thing.

As I understand it, RBL clubs are only loosely affiliated with the RBL now.

 

[fatalbert]

Toc-H

Toc-H

Does any one recall or remember their (elderly) antecedents talking about the Toc-H Clubs? There was still a Toc-H club in my home town in the mid 1970's. Toc-H Clubs were for ex-servicemen and women. They were illuminated by a very low wattage lamp outside their entrance door. The saying " Dim as a Toc-H lamp" originated from this.

 

[insty66]

Does any one recall or remember their (elderly) antecedents talking about the Toc-H Clubs? There was still a Toc-H club in my home town in the mid 1970's. Toc-H Clubs were for ex-servicemen and women. They were illuminated by a very low wattage lamp outside their entrance door. The saying " Dim as a Toc-H lamp" originated from this.

The full saying was dim as a Toc-H lamp in series with a NAAFI bulb.

As for medals, if you've earned them you can wear them, you'd not catch me wearing a French onion sellers hat though.

 

[Elwood]

The full saying was dim as a Toc-H lamp in series with a NAAFI bulb.

As for medals, if you've earned them you can wear them, you'd not catch me wearing a French onion sellers hat though.

So what's your headwear of choice, bus conductor or Thunderbird pilot?

 

[Ex-Bay]

The only time I wear my old beret is on the local Remembrance Day parade.

 

[insty66]

So what's your headwear of choice, bus conductor or Thunderbird pilot?

If I wore one now, Thunderbirds, it was good enough in 1940 so it's good enough for me

 

[Oldstacker]

I'll own up to sticking my gong on my jacket for Remembrance Sunday at the War Memorial. I earned the bugger so it can come out once a year; having a family connection with a cadet org it gives a bit more meaning to why I stand in the cold and why I think it does the youngsters no harm to come and be part of it.
I don't wear my beret, but the memorial is on a cold windy sea front and my hair grows thinner every year...... I might resort to using it to keep my head warm one of these years!

 

[FOGHORN LEGHORN]

Don't see a problem to be honest. People worrying too much about what others do in my opinion. If people want to do it they've earned the right. Get on with your own lives.


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[Mug?]

Old boys

Old boys

I am sort of proud of my medals, I ALMOST thought about wearing them, or at least getting them out during the recent commemorations.
I think to be honest the Army have more of a right? they have been on the ground and have done a bit of fighting.

I see pics on facebook of mates with a full row but sitting in Italy or in a Main base doesn't fully live up to the EARNED it badge.
I gave up a lot and life was hard at times but cannot compare to the guys in the Proper wars.

 

[FOGHORN LEGHORN]

Being in the RAF doesn't mean you didn't earn them. My telic medal I volunteered and was attached to an army mt section driving convoys in basrah. There's plenty of army who never leave the wire btw...


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[stereolab]

The only time I wear my old beret is on the local Remembrance Day parade.

I never, except for under training times, wore a beret, I always wore a forage cap. Upon retiring I attended Remembrance Day parades, Sans hat, until I became the RBL(S) branch wreath layer, then I wore a very natty Glengarry in the RBL(S) colours. Oh,and my clippity cloppy shoes.

 

[MontyPlumbs]

You don't have to be 'on the ground' to earn your campaign medal. It's to reward operational service, it's not a gallantry award. If you contributed to Ops and met the criteria, then you earned the medal.

I've never understood the whole "if you're not under fire then you didn't earn your campaign medal" argument.

 

[Kryten]

We had a Remembrance Day event here and I, like many ex-military vets wore our medals for a service that was organised by an ex-RAF chap. The irony is that in all my time in the Service every parade that I got involved in stipulated no medals - ribbons only; so the first time I got to wear them was as a civvy.

Mind you, have to say wearing them attracted quite a large number of ladies.....

 

[FOGHORN LEGHORN]

You don't have to be 'on the ground' to earn your campaign medal. It's to reward operational service, it's not a gallantry award. If you contributed to Ops and met the criteria, then you earned the medal.

I've never understood the whole "if you're not under fire then you didn't earn your campaign medal" argument.

Completely agree


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[Harry B'Stard]

As a proper KOS I am probably nearer to departure than most on here. When I first left it never occurred to me to join in with remembrance Sunday parades after all that was for the old gits. Then one year as I watched I saw two of my mates I had served with on the parade and realised that I had become one of the old gits myself. So the following year I joined them, yes beret and medals but just one morning once a year, no membership of the BL or RAFA etc. just me and my memories on a single cold Sunday morning. Why do I do it? Certainly not for the "look at me " element any suggestion that I some sort of posing glory hunter is complete and utter bollox. I do it for those that can't, my mate who died aged 24, an Ex-RAF lady I know suffers from MS who would march if she could, a lady with more gongs than most, who has, despite her issues, an eternally cheery disposition. There are other reasons personal to me but I shall be there next year and those watching can think what they like about why I am there. Quite frankly I couldn't give a stuff why you think I'm there. I know why.

Same feeling here TB. I wear the medals and do the parade out of respect... But I don't wear a beret as I was told for years that we shouldn't mix dress! DT_Xtremez_31:

For me full stint = pensionable engagement

Don't get me started!DT_Xtremez_25:DT_Xtremez_30:

HTB

 

[Witty_Banter]

I like to draw as little attention to myself as possible, so unless I'm ordered to be part of a formal parade I do remembrance day my way - dress nice, warm coat, comfortable shoes - no beret or medals for me! I'd much rather be standing in the crowd with the wife and kids, so we can teach our kids why we do what we do, than to be marching up and down the street in uniform. I attended Ride To The Wall last year, which was also full of beret and medal wearers, only this time mixed with bikers cuts and leather jackets!

At the end of the day, if people want to wear medals that they have been awarded then that's fine, they're obviously proud of what they've done. If my kids want to wear my medals, I'm fine with that too, because it shows that they're proud of what I've done.

But when I get to the end of my 22, the only place my beret is going to end up is in the bin.

 

[fourteen2two]

Never felt the need to join the beret, blazer and RAF tie gang .A lot of them seem to be ex national service types. (Apart from the WW2 guys who are much older! )

Its down to individual choice, binned my beret after leaving.

After 24 years pension is a nice monthly reminder!!!
In fact now retired for the second time, I rarely wear a tie, had enough of it a work!

If I go to a remembrance day event, smart civilian gear is enough.