As with many of you, Remembrance is a regular part of our year and it has never crossed my mind to wear the WW1 medals of my Great Grandfather.
However this year I have been given the rare honour of participating in the London event at the Cenotaph & my Grandfather has requested for me to wear Great Grandad’s Pip, Squeak & Wilfred on the right.
As with many who came out the otherside of WW1, my Great Grandad suffered with what today we would know as PTSD and on reflection if possible I would like to do this in his memory.
So the question is… is it possible? If so, what is the route to getting permission?
Ordinarialy I would be right there with you, not mine to wear.
The only thing that gave me pause was that it was my Gramps who did the asking. He had a hard childhood, raised by a hard man, shaped by his experiences.
For him those medals represent a whole lifetime of memories and I think having me wear them at that place brings it all full circle for him.
So for me, on this one occasion if I can I will - but after that never again.
If you explain to him that the dress regulations don’t allow it, but you’ll be wearing them inside your jacket, would that make him happy? His dad will be there at the cenotaph still.
AP1358 makes no mention of relatives’ medals, meaning it isn’t done in uniform.
The RBL has etiquette around wearing relatives’ medals, detailed here:
“The medals awarded to a deceased service/ex-service person may be worn on the right breast by a near relative. Near relative is Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Wife, Husband, Daughter, Son or Grandchild.”
