- WAR heroes are fighting a new campaign - for the right to wear a
hard-won honour.
- Thousands of old soldiers who risked their lives in a jungle war in
Borneo were rewarded last year by the Malaysian government.
- But Whitehall mandarins say veterans cannot wear the Pingat Jasa
Malaysia, awarded for service in the late 50s and early 60s.
- King's Own Scottish Borderers veterans of the Borneo campaign, who have
formed pressure group Fight 4 the PJM, met at the weekend in Edinburgh.
- And they have vowed to defy the Government edict and wear the medal.
- Colonel Clive Fairweather, who organised the 40th anniversary
get-together of the KOSB jungle veterans, blasted: "These men toiled for
their country when Tony Blair was still in short trousers at Fettes.
- "They have the right to feel proud of their efforts and have the right
to wear any medal earned by their valour.
- "What is the point in allowing soldiers to receive a medal then telling
them they can't wear it? It's an insult to them and it is an insult to the
Malaysian people. "
- Other Commonwealth nations whose troops completed tours of duty in
Borneo, where they were fighting to secure Malaysia's borders, have been
given clearance to wear the medal.
- A spokesman for the campaign group said: "The Queen has accepted the
medal for wear by other Commonwealth veterans.
- "But she has been instructed by the honours and decorations committee to
deny British citizens the right to wear their medal.
- "That anomaly is clearly unjust and inappropriate."
- The committee is made up of senior civil servants who consider
recommendations from senior military officers before submitting them to the
Queen for approval.
- No ministers sit on the committee but the Prime Minister is kept
up-to-date on the matters they discuss.
- The pressure group have won widespread backing, including from forces
sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn.
- Victoria Cross holder Lt Cmdr Ian Fraser said: "The award of the PJM
medal by the Malaysian government is a timely honour to those who served.
- "We are privileged to receive it with good grace and respect and should
wear it with the dignity it warrants."
- Among the soldiers at the Edinburgh gathering was Colonel Ian Crooke,
who rose from being a second lieutenant in Borneo to being third in command
of 22 SAS Regiment while Fairweather was No 2.
- He managed to attend the reunion, despite suffering terrible injuries in
a parachuting display in South Africa, where he has settled.
- Fairweather, 61, said: "Many of the rank-and-file soldiers feel the
decision is petty and demeans their efforts.
- "I would imagine most will stick two fingers up to Whitehall and wear
the medal whenever the occasion may arise.
- "Crooke is something of a legend in Army circles and he was incredibly
well respected and popular among the men. If you made a film about his
real-life exploits, it would probably be laughed off for being too
far-fetched.
- "To tinker around with men of this stature seems to me to serve no
useful purpose."
- The citation with the PJM reads: "This medal is awarded to the
peacekeeping groups ... for distinguished chivalry, gallantry, sacrifice or
loyalty in upholding Peninsula of Malaya or Malaysia sovereignty."
- In a written statement to the Commons earlier this year, foreign affairs
minister Ian Pearson restated Government policy that non-British medals for
events dating back more than five years would not be approved.
- He also said it was not policy to allow such medals when a soldier had
already received a British honour for the same campaign.
- Pearson said: "The many thousands of eligible former members of the
armed forces/veterans, and others, may receive the PJM.
- "This will be in addition to the British General Service Medal many
veterans will have been eligible to receive for service in Malaya/Borneo.
- "Permission to wear the PJM will not formally be given."
- Last night, a spokesman for the Army in Scotland said: "It may be that
some soldiers do feel disgruntled that they have been awarded the medal but
cannot form ally wear it.
