Wearing an Ancestor's Medals Mega-thread

[Occam]

Where do you draw the line?  If you allow people to "display" (and I disagree with your wear/display semantics) their parent's medals, then what's to stop the next person from wanting to wear their parent's and grandparent's medals?  Or three generations worth of medals?  And so on, until people are standing there on Remembrance Day with 25 lbs of gongs hanging off their chest and we have to prop them up with scaffolding?

No.  Medals are an honour bestowed on a single recipient.  I wouldn't dare think of wearing my father's medals, although I'm not opposed to carrying them in a small shadow box with a photograph of him, and when the time is right my son will be told the same thing with regard to what I expect of my medals.

:2c:

 

[eliminator]

Personally, I don't understand all the obsession to wear a family members medals on 11 Nov. I have several family members that have served in a variety of conflicts throughout history. Each one's medals, badges, and photo is framed and displayed proudly in my home. I personally honour these men each day and are proud to share their history with friends and family. I'm not sure if parading around on 11 nov with their medals flapping around on my right side of my chest would add to preserving their memory. I've been to ANZAC day celebrations, and from my experience, the majority of those wearing family medals knew very little of what the recipient did, or ever what units they served in. In my opinion, these individuals (certainly not all of them) were parading around with the medals for their own self gratification.

A better investment to preserving the memory of a family member's service would be to volunteer to help out with a poppy  campaign or help out at a local Legion or other veterans group.

 

[Loachman]

I agree.

I have my grandfather's medals from WWI. I would never even consider wearing them, as I did not earn them.

I would not be happy if any of my children decided to wear my very modest collection, for the same reason.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I am also of the belief only the person who earns the medals should wear them. 

Why not have the medals, badges, etc mounted in a nice display case/shadow box and hold that?  Doesn't it serve the same purpose?

 

[Northalbertan]

My wife has her Uncles medals, he fell in Normandy.  We have them in a shadow box along with a photo.  We display them on a wall in my study.  I believe this honors his sacrifice.  I too am one who believes that only the individual who earned them should wear them. 

If you choose to bring them with you to honor a veterans memory on Remembrance Day that would be fine.  Wear them?  No.

NorthAlbertan

 

[Aerobicrunner]

No one should be able to wear medals awarded to another person period.  I am one of those individuals who will print out the regulations and excerpt from the CCC and post them in the messes in my organization so that individiuals will know that they are not authorized to wear a relatives medals.  The shadow box is a great idea.
I have also seen individuals in the messes and Legions display the photograph(s) and their relatives medals using miniature tripods that can be purchased at Michaels.  This is another way of honouring the relatives who served and it allows individuals to sit down and talk about their family member/veteran. 

 

[Jacky Tar]

Ditto. The Criminal Code of Canada makes it an offense; it's also a service offense, and it's not appropriate. There've been some excellent suggestions on how to display medals in a suitable respectful manner to honor the person who received them. I see kids wearing medals earned by a now-deceased relative and I confess the urge is strong to find their parent(s) and throttle them. What's wrong with, as has been suggested, a shadow box with a photo of the person above their medals, being carried by a relative?

 

[Tank Troll]

Concur. I have several of my Uncle's sets of medals in shadow boxes with their pictures and one day my Dad's medals and mine will also go on the wall. I've stated to my family where I stand on this matter and they understand the one that earns the medals wears the medals not the one that inherits them.

 

[Journeyman]

I would like to hear what you think after you read the newspaper articles....

The articles haven't changed my views.  I understand your feelings, but continue to agree with the overwhelming majority here -- you didn't earn them, you don't wear them.  Sometimes things can be pretty straight forward that way.

Sorry.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Are members of the Royal Canadian Legion allowed to buy and wear medals?

 

[X Royal]

Personally I'm not for it either.
Can you imagine how full the right chest of some of those who have never served would get!
Adding ancestors medals on top of all those Legion medals on the right side. :facepalm:
Sad thing is due to lack of knowledge many of the public think all those medals on the right side mean that the wearer has served their country with more distinction than someone with only one or a few on the left side.
Listening to the comments of the general public at a Remembrance service confirmed this to me.

 

[X Royal]

Are members of the Royal Canadian Legion allowed to buy and wear medals?

Not sure if there actually bought or awarded for positions held, years of service ect.
But yes they do wear medals on their right chest. Some have quite a few of those.
The ANAF Veterans also have a similar program.

 

[mariomike]

I am the daughter of a World War 2 veteran who has been campaigning for six years to help families of deceased veterans and veterans who have made it quite clear how they want to be remembered after they die.

More discussion here.

"wearing deceased father's medals from WWII on Remembrance Day":
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/52992.0/nowap.html

 

[Loachman]

Thanks, mariomike. I've merged it into this thread. Look back in November 2006.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Are members of the Royal Canadian Legion allowed to buy and wear medals?

Hmmm.  That's what I had to do in Cubs/Scouts with my badges and sash.  :blotto:

 

[Good2Golf]

I like the idea of a shadow box that can also have a picture and perhaps a small history of the ancestor's service. 

Even if I didn't have my own medals, I would never think of wearing either of my grandfathers' medals...both of which, as their only serving grandson, have.

Regards
G2G

 

[Danjanou]

Are members of the Royal Canadian Legion allowed to buy and wear medals?

No

RCL members either former/retired military or Associate/Affiliate members may be awarded medals for service either Legion medals ( the ones worn on the right side) and/or Medals awarded by the Crown/Government such as the QDJM. They certainly cannot go out and buy something and tack it onto their Blazer.

 

[Journeyman]

They certainly cannot go out and buy something and tack it onto their Blazer.

Even the Legion has more class than the Frontiersmen.   

 

[Danjanou]

Even the Legion has more class than the Frontiersmen.   

Barely  ;D

 

[AirDet]

I'm sure many here have pointed out the fact that it is illegal to wear a medal to which you aren't entitled.

Having said that, when my grandfather was getting on in years, I made a point of taking him with me to various military parades with him wearing his WWII medals. It became our thing. After he died I started carrying his medals in the tunic pocket behind my medals. He was proud of his service and I was proud of him.

Without openly or illegally wearing his honours I'm able to pay my private and personal respect to him and the family legacy of service he started.

It's great to be proud of what they did but by wearing their awards as if they were earned by you you're disrespecting them.

If you must then carry them privately against your heart as I do.