Will the presentation of this Medallion soften the hearts of Canberra Bean Counters ?
Last month I was informed by the Dept of Veteran Affairs that I among many others would be presented with a special medallion which commemorates the 60th anniversary of the end of WW2 in the Pacific, this medallion was to be presented to me by my Federal member of parliament Jill Hall, whom I remember as a helpful and industrious person.
The presentation was low key(Save me the detail) . I took notice that about 30% of the recipients were expat Brits who served in the Pacific during WW2, I was photographed together with Jill Hall (MP), I then received a small box containing a gold coloured medallion, it was enscribed - WORLD WAR 2 SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA. inside of the box a message on a small card states: It is presented in 2005 by the Australion govt on behalf of the Australian people to those who served this nation and her allies during the war from 1939 to 1945.
I also received a folded 6x8inch commemoration form With the Australian coat of arms etc, with printed signatures of our Prime Minister John Winston Howard who signed himself John Howard and vet affairs MP De-Anne Kelly, then finaly Jill Halls signature with a real pen, bless her, Well done Jill Hall.
The statement on the certificate reads thus:
In 2005 we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of WW2.
Australia has a long tradition of commemorating our wartime history and honouring
the service and sacrifice of our servicemen and women during those times.
Our veterans and their families have given much to protect the Australian way of life
in times of conflict and helped build our community in times of peace.
We thank you sincerely for your contribution to our nation.
Well well well!! How would anyone interpret this message other than an admission that us Brits who also did more than our bit, should receive the gold card.
Incidently, apart from the official invitation to attend for the presentation, My NAME WAS NOT EVEN PRINTED ON THE DOCUMENT OR INSCRIBED ON THE MEDALLION.
6 comments:
This is an excerpt from a letter sent by our chairman Harry Lidbetter.
That medallion,no one seems to know where to put it(UhUh)since it has no ribbon or means of putting it up on a wall, I hope too many don't get thrown into a drawer,heaven knows where mine will finish up.
My NAME WAS NOT EVEN PRINTED ON THE DOCUMENT OR INSCRIBED ON THE MEDALLION.
Now that really sucks. They go through all the work to make them and won't bother to put a name on it? Come on guys. Even the most enept of my grade school teachers were able to get names on certificates.
I receive heaps of unsolicited mail from drug dealers(drug firms)American Express,Readers Digest to name but a few, who manage to inscribe their glossy artwork with my full name and address, some are aka's my alter ego.
Much of this junk mail is returned by pasting the pre paid envelope to a larger one stuffed with misc sup/mk adverts, this is the only occasion I feel safe to expound my wrath; by writing foul expletives to release the pentup agitation within me, at times when I feel the need, fortunately I am quite passive until needled. I wrote a post months back on How to get rid of your junk mail.
That's seriously SCREWED UP! You get the medallion, but no gold card? Thanks for nothing.
and whoever printed our Prime Ministers signature missed out on his middle name 'Winston' who else had a name 'Winston' but another great leader, who himself never fought except on the playing fields of Eton college, another great Chicken Hawk.
Recently I bumped into JP an old friend and former shipmate, who suffers from a spot of Pres-Ron, I finaly decyphered from the confusing conflab that, JP has not received his aforementioned Gong from Our PM and War hero John Howard.
This problem was discussed with Harry our Chairman, who suggested that he would follow it up.
Harry further suggested that, should the worst prevail, he would present his own gong to JP, as he no further use for it.
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