Updated: 26 February, 2006
The Northern Ireland Home Service Medal - Medal was warranted in DCI GEN 67 of 1997 (DS Sec/4/24:86687MB). Ribbon is quoted as being Irish green with a central light blue centre stripe. As a result, the Ulster Defence Regiment Medal is now redundant.
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Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal
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Assembly supports Firemen’s Award (Nov, 2000) More
Royal
Ulster Constabulary GC and Reserve Service Medal. Established in
1982 for award to members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary & the
Reserve. Awarded for 18 months continuous service since January 1971, or on
the receipt of a gallantry decoration or Queen's commendation. Reverse
of the Medal (Ref: My Delphi - CASS
(CASSELLS))
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History of murders and medals The Royal Ulster Constabulary was founded in 1922 following partition and the disbandment of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The IRA was responsible for 277 of a total of 300 RUC deaths during the Troubles. Two dissident republican groups accounted for 12. Loyalists killed eight and three were murdered by unknown groups. Four officers were killed by the security forces by mistake. Over 9,000 were injured. Almost 70 officers have committed suicide. Apart from the Maltese, RUC officers are the only people to have been awarded a collective George Cross. Sixteen officers have won the George Medal, the highest award for civilian bravery. There have also been 103 Queen's Gallantry Medals, 111 Queen's Commendations for Brave Conduct and 69 Queen's Police Medals. telegraph.co.uk 2 Nov 05
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Medal protest at RIR disbandment An Ulster Unionist has handed over his service medal to Tony Blair in protest at the disbandment of three battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment. East Belfast assembly member Michael Copeland handed over his Ulster Defence Regiment medal and a letter of protest to Downing Street. The Northern Ireland-based battalions of the regiment are to be disbanded on 1 August 2007. Troop levels in the province are to fall from 10,500 to 5,000 in two years time. The Royal Irish Regiment was formed in 1992, with the merger of the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment. news.bbc.co.uk 12 Nov 05 |
Medal-Wearing Decision Lies With Orde Sir Hugh Orde is now solely responsible for deciding whether a PSNI recruit can wear medals other than those awarded by the Crown. It means that should any incident similar to that which saw a recruit wear an old IRA medal at a passing out ceremony be repeated, responsibility would lie with the Chief Constable. No official policy existed on the issue, which the PSNI described as "a tradition developed after the First World War whereby medals belonging to a close relative were worn on the right side as a mark of respect and remembrance". This is taken to refer to a medal awarded by the Crown for services during the Great War or a subsequent conflict, and therefore cannot include an old IRA medal. The PSNI apparently agrees with this conclusion, as its first policy statement - which limits medal-wearing to the recipient - reads: " Decorations and medals awarded by the sovereign will be worn on the left breast of the tunic by the member on whom they have been conferred and in such manner as to show the sovereign's head." The second part of the policy appears to rule out a similar incident in the future, stating: "If authorised by the Chief Constable, decorations and medals awarded by a foreign state or any society may be worn by the member on whom they have been conferred." newsletter.co.uk 8 Feb 06
