Tuesday 5 March 2013

Procrastination rules, OK?

Long, long ago  - back in December 2009 - I posted this picture explaining how I had decided to replace the ribbons and remount the medals earned by my grandfather in World War I and my father in World War II.  Both of them served in the Royal Navy and I am proud to have their medals and service documents.  My grandfather was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal and he also earned the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.  My father's medals are the 1939-45 Star, the Atlantic Star, the Africa Star, the Pacific Star and the Victory Medal as well as the LS&GC Medal.  I did order new ribbons and the bars on which to mount the medals and eventually managed to remount my grandfather's medals.  My father's, however, remain devoid of their ribbons and unmounted.  Which is, in a way, a blessing.  You see, the Government has finally relented to pressure and decided to award a new medal to those who took part in the Arctic convoys delivering war materials to Russia all those years ago.

I might well have missed the announcement that applications for the medal should be submitted as we were in France at the time it was promulgated.  However, I spoke to my brother at the weekend and he told me about it.  It is down to me to apply as I am the official next of kin and I have the service certificate showing that my father served on HMS Sheffield when she was deployed in the Arctic.  I thought I might have quite a job locating the application form.  That, in fact, proved simple.  Trickier was making sure of the Sheffield's movements during the time my father was aboard.  But the application form has been completed and submitted with copies of Dad's service record.  Now I just have to wait and, eventually, see about those new ribbons for the other medals.

Now the Old Bat wants me to take her to the butcher's.  Seems we are getting low on meat.

I've just noticed today's quote from Ellen DeGeneres
"Procrastination isn't the problem, it's the solution. So procrastinate now, don't put it off."

2 comments:

Buck said...

WHY is it the government... any government... always seems to wait until those deserving of medals have passed? That said, I suppose recognition that's deserved has no expiration date. Still...

Brighton Pensioner said...

Buck, I think there are just a handful still alive who have earned this medal and there will be many whose children or grandchildren either don't know or don't care. But I will make sure my children know.