Please Take Note Our
next meeting will take place at 1300 hrs. on Sunday 20 January 2019, at the Royal British Legion, Central Branch, 33 Rodney Street, Edinburgh.
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Major General Lawrence Riddell-Webster CBE DSO presenting former Captain
Eoghann maclaclainn with the General Sevice Medal with Clasp South
Arabia at Edinburgh Castle on Sunday 16 Dcember 2018.
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General Service Medal 62 with Clasp
South Arabia
On 16
September 2016, an e-mail was received from the Army Medal Office saying
that those killed and wounded in Aden in 1965 would be entitled to the
GSM as set out in Special Army Orders of 25 July 1966.
On January
2017 a letter was received from Major General Nitsch CBE to the effect
that the men of 300 Para Sqn RE could not be awarded the GSM
because they had not served 30 days in theatre. However, he went on the
say that the casualties of 300 Para Sqn RE had already received the GSM,
which according to him, was always the case if killed or wounded in
action. No medals had been awarded.
A letter dated 31 May 2018 from
Lord Howe stated that members of 300 Para Sqn RE could not be awarded the
GSM because they had not served 30 days in theatre.
On Monday 18 June 2018 a
letter was received from the Army Medal Office intimating that the GSM
would not be awarded to the casualties of 300 Para Sqn RE because the
squadron was training in Aden/Radfan. It is a pity no one told the enemy
that. This is the first time in all the
letters received from the MoD that the word training has been used. They
must have scraped the bottom of the barrel to find that loophole. They
are now using any excuse not to award the casualties of 300 Para Sqn RE
the GSM. The people in the Ministry of Defence who made this
decision should hang their heads in shame.
1 September
2018.
The latest excuse from the MOD is, because we were not on
the attached strengh of any unit we are not entitled to medallic
recognition. 300 Para Sqn RE was attached to 24 Field Squadron Royal
Engineers whilst at Al Milah but it seems no one told the MOD. Also,
they are making further enquires into the death and woundings of 300
Para Sqn RE personnel. They are again reaching into their barrel
of excuses to find one that will cancel medallic recognition to which
they are entitled under Special Army Orders 1966.
2 November 2018
On 2 November 2018 a letter from Lord Howe to Angus MacNeil MP
apologised for the length of time it has taken to resolve this case and
went to say that his officials have investigated the circumstances and
can now confirm that although previously stated that members of 131
Parachute Engineer Regiment TA do not qualify for the award - they were
not there long enough to meet the qualifying criteria - for the General
Service Medal with Clasp South Arabia, those who were killed or injured
ought to receive the award. This would be the case for any other
individual whose service on a medal earning campaign was brought to an
early end under such circumstances. Instructions therefore will be given
to the Ministry of Defence Medal Office to issue the medal to the family of
Warrant Officer Lonergan and to Captain Maclachlainn and Sergeant Earl.
Sergeant
George Gibson
Earl died on 4 November 2004. His family will now receive his General
Service Medal with Clasp South Arabia.
Special Army Orders of 25 July 1966, opened the door for the
casualties of 300 Para Fld Sqn RE and others to receive the General
Service Medal 62 with Clasp South Arabia so why has it taken 52 years
for them to receive the award. I am certain the reason is that 131
Parachute Engineer Regiment was an embarrassment to the government of
1965, and to the present day government and they wanted to bury it. I am
sure that had I not enlisted the help of Angus MacNeil MP the casualties
of 300 Para Fld Sqn RE would never have received the award. Angus
MacNeil MP has agreed to carry on the fight for the rest of the squadron
to receive the medallic recognition they deserve.
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Renaming
Ceremony Kingsbury ARC to "Lonergan Lines"
12 April 2016.
Please click the link to view all photographs
http://mod.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4223c93d7a2d2a26bb3e084f4&id=de603cab27&e=bb52c688e6
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The Birth and Early Years
2 Troop 300 Airborne Squadron R.E.
"The Edinburgh Troop".
By D. H. Thomas.
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The History of 131 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers
1947 to
Present Day
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