Cold War Veterans Blog

UK Issues New Award for families who have lost Service Personnel

A History and Honour news article

10 Jun 08

A new national award for the families of Service personnel who die on operations or as a result of terrorist action whilst on duty has been announced today, Tuesday 10 June 2008.
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This award will recognise the terrible loss and sacrifice made by the loved ones of Service personnel who die while serving their country.

The Chiefs of Staff have recommended this new award and the recommendations have been endorsed by MOD Ministers and by the cross-Government committee on Honours and Awards, and approved by Her Majesty The Queen.

Commenting on the decision, the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, said:

"Our Armed Forces demonstrate bravery, commitment and professionalism on a daily basis and as a nation we must continue to show our appreciation. It is equally important that we remember their families who play a vital role in supporting their loved ones serving in the Armed Forces.

"It is a sad but unavoidable reality that some of our brave Service personnel pay the ultimate sacrifice in the name of their country. That is why my fellow Chiefs of Staff and I believe the time is right to recommend a new award for the families of those who die on operations in recognition of their loss. We will now be giving careful thought to how we can do this in a fitting way."

"Our Armed Forces demonstrate bravery, commitment and professionalism on a daily basis and as a nation we must continue to show our appreciation."

Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup

The award will be in the form of a memorial scroll and an emblem for wear. The scroll will be similar in concept to those that were issued to the families of those who died in the two World Wars and in Korea in the early 1950s.

The introduction of an emblem for the families of those killed is not something that Britain has done as a nation before but similar recognition already exists, for example, in Canada and New Zealand. The Chiefs of Staff have also recommended that the award should be retrospective.

The exact criteria for the award, how far the award should go back, who will receive it and the design and production of the scroll and emblem are now being looked at by a team specially dedicated to the task. Further details are therefore expected later this year.

Defence Secretary Des Browne, announcing the Award to Parliament today, said:

"I pay tribute to the bravery and courage that the families of all our serving men and women show and I hope that the new award will provide a more visible form of recognition from the nation for those who pay the ultimate sacrifice in the name of their country."

An example of a Memorial scroll from the First World War
[Picture: MOD]