Aden Veterans Association

Many A.V.A. members and indeed non member service personnel are probably unaware that there is an ongoing campaign by members within this Association to try and reinstate the Non-Qualifying years for the General Service Medal for Military Service in Aden and the Protectorates.

General Service Medal

ADEN MEDAL BACKGROUND

In 1915 the Naval General Service Medal (NGSM) was issued and covered the period 1909 – 1962, a total of 16 Clasps were issued. That then generated the need for a General Service Medal (GSM) for the Army and R.A.F which covered 1918 – 1962, again 16 clasps were issued. With the amalgamation of the War Office, Admiralty and Air Ministry to form the MOD, from 1962 a common General Service Medal was authorised with the Clasp “Borneo” retrospective to 24th December 1962.

This now brings us to the Aden Medals. The Clasp “Arabian Peninsular” covered the period 1st January 1957 to 30th June 1960. It was retrospectively authorised on 22nd February 1961.The Clasp “South Arabia” was authorised in 1966 and covered the period 1st August 1964 to 30th November 1967. To cover the period between 1st July 1960 to 31st July 1964, the following would need to be done or something like it;

• The 1918 General Service Medal Clasp “Arabian Peninsular” would need to be extended to (say) the 23rd December 1962, the last day the 1918 Medal was issued with the Clasp “Brunei”

or

• The 1962 General Service Medal Clasp “South Arabia” would need to be back dated to (say) the 24th December 1962, the first day the 1962 Medal was issued with the Clasp “Borneo”

It is interesting to note that many of the guys in Borneo got both medals 1918 “Brunei” and 1962 “Borneo”

A casualty list is available for anyone who wishes to see it, that records the deaths of 25 Service personnel between 1st July 1960 to 31st March 1964.

It would help our campaign greatly if you would write to your M.P.outlining the above missing years and point out that we are not asking for a new Medal, simply an extension to a medal which already exists.

Aden Veterans Association

IMPORTANT AMENDMENT

The ongoing campaign of the ‘forgotten years’, the awarding of campaign medals and recognition by the MOD, was discussed at length at the January meeting by your National Committee. We all finally need to accept, rightly or wrongly, that in the Yemen Province on only two occasions between 1950-1967, the recommendation was made by local commanders to the MOD to declare ‘active service’, with a bar added on another occasion.

On your behalf we have officially approached Parliamentary Veterans Representatives and officers from the MOD, with no response. Branches, individuals including myself, have lobbied M.P’s. Even an ‘Early Day Motion’ in Parliament and exposure in the National Press has had little response.

Therefore your committee have unanimously decided not to sanction this issue any further. Our priority will always be the support of branches and members rights, but we feel that we need to move on from this issue.

Many Thanks
Geoff Giles