Daily Mail article on omissions from the Queen's Birthday Honours

[Brian Curragh]

For info from today's Daily Mail

"Why not honour the REAL heroes? War veterans recognised by French, snubbed by Britain"

They are the last survivors of a generation which sacrificed everything for this country - and whose bravery has been marked by Britain's allies. But First World War veterans Henry Allingham and Harry Patch have not been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, a move provoking fury from politicians and defence campaigners. While political cronies, celebrities and sports stars were awarded honours, the only surviving British veterans from the Great War were missed out. The snub followed months of behind-the-scenes campaigning for the veterans to be given knighthoods, after they were appointed as Officers of the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest order, in March. Politicians called for the men to be recognised on behalf of their fallen comrades, and to honour a generation of 'incredible sacrifices' - before time runs out.

Full story here

Brian

[Greyhound]

Perhaps honours were offered and declined. Journalists are very quick to use words like "snub" and "fury", but they don't always know all the facts.

[auchonvillerssomme]

Honours just for being old will bring the estimation of the award system even lower.

Mick

They will have needed to be lollipop men or teaching assistants for a few years to be deserving of an award.

[SiegeGunner]

I've never thought that Henry and Harry should receive an honour simply for being the last men standing, but I do think that they both richly deserve recognition in their own right (perhaps in the form of one of the awards in the personal gift of the Queen) for their cheerful and selfless willingness to answer their country's call a second (or third) time and devote a large part of the remainder of their extraordinarily long lives to participating in events and activities that remember, commemorate and keep alive the sacrifices of their generation.

[dycer]

In fairness could either stand the rigours of a Palace Ceremony?

Was it not a couple of weeks ago,a Birthday Party was arranged by the RN/RAF?

Surely these low key celebrations are much better than a formal award?

George

[John_Hartley]

What the Micks said.

Living longer than their ex-comrades should not be a criterion for a knighthood.

[michaeldr]

I agree with Mick

The WWI veterans are never going to compete with the writers of popular cookery books or the presenters of popular TV programmes, even less with modern sports personalities

A decoration in the personal gift of the Head of State (remote from the political world) would be much more effective. After all, their service was to her grand – father, and not to any modern incarnation of whatever Asquith or Haig stood for

In this respect I have to admit that the UK has fallen way behind: France and others have recognized the efforts of the last veterans, why not the UK???????????????

Michael

[NigelS]

The WWI veterans are never going to compete with the writers of popular cookery books or the presenters of popular TV programmes, even less with modern sports personalities

The Times for June 6th, 2009

Birthdays

Henry Allingham

, First World War veteran, 113;

David Blunkett

, Labour politician, 2005, 62;

Björn Borg

, tennis cahmpion, 53;

Lord Carrington

, Foreign Secretary, 1979-82, 90;

Mike Gatting

, cricketer, 52;

Willie-John McBride

, former rugby player, 69;

Air Marshal Sir Charles Pringle

, Director-General, Engineering (RAF), 1973, 90;

Frank Tyson

, former cricketer, 79;

Billie Whitelaw

, actress, 77

I find odd that although Henry gets to head the list as 'First World War veteran' no mention of the fact the he's Britain's oldest living man, which should be being celebrated just as much, if not more so, than his military service, isn't. The telegraph's list, which was similar, went one step better by not listing him at all, although it did mention Miss Josie Lawrence, actress, 50 who isn't exactly an 'A list' celebrity, or even one of our better known thespians.

I think it say a lot for the state of today's society where old age, which should be respected and celebrated, unfortunately, isn't

It will be interesting to see if Harry Patch - Britain's second oldest living man - gets a mention in either of these papers on his birthday in four days time (17th June)

NigelS

[agedpink]

I agree with Mick

The WWI veterans are never going to compete with the writers of popular cookery books or the presenters of popular TV programmes, even less with modern sports personalities

A decoration in the personal gift of the Head of State (remote from the political world) would be much more effective. After all, their service was to her grand – father, and not to any modern incarnation of whatever Asquith or Haig stood for

In this respect I have to admit that the UK has fallen way behind: France and others have recognized the efforts of the last veterans, why not the UK???????????????

Michael

It would be good to recognise the sacrifice of a generation by honouring the last men standing.

[michaeldr]

Allingham, Blunkett, Borg, Carrington, Gatting, McBride, Pringle, Tyson & Whitelaw

I find odd that although Henry gets to head the list as 'First World War veteran'

I am sorry to disappoint you Nigel, but I think that the peculiarities of the English alphabet had more than anything else to do with Allingham heading the list

I think it say a lot for the state of today's society where old age, which should be respected and celebrated, unfortunately, isn't

couldn't agree more

[Piorun]

Well, Her Majesty is Queen of Canada as well and there's not even a suggestion here that she honour our last surviving WW1 veteran. Her government here did offer him a state funeral but he turned that down. Probably thought it was premature!!!

[NigelS]

I am sorry to disappoint you Nigel, but I think that the peculiarities of the English alphabet had more than anything else to do with Allingham heading the list

Can't argue with the logic of that Michael

NigelS

[auchonvillerssomme]

There could of course be another explanation of why no award, did anyone nominate them?

[J Banning]

Yes, they were both nominated in plenty of time

[per ardua per mare per terram]

They deserve a knighthood as much as the admirals generals, and air marshals that have had the honour!

[Howarth1918]

I completely agree! We honour the dead why not take this opportunity to honour the last two surviving veterans. A lot of awards are given to one person but are symbolic of all the comrades who were there at the time. Why not honour these men in just such a way?

They deserve a knighthood as much as the admirals generals, and air marshals that have had the honour!

[phil@basildon]

As someone said earlier, they could have been offered an award and it only needs one to refuse such an award for it to be a no go. As there is a surviving Canadian veteran and I understand that there is a surviving British veteran living in Australia should not all four be honoured?

Apart from the four mentioned above does anybody know of any other surviving WW1 veterans from the other nations involved? (including the central powers).

[GrahamC]

There could of course be another explanation of why no award, did anyone nominate them?

Yep - I wrote to No. 10 and The Palace last time this topic came up on the Forum - got the usual pre-printed response.

[J Banning]

I have already said that both men were nominated in plenty of time. The citations were written in March and submitted in plenty of time by Lord Faulkner of Worcester using the correct channels. He even raised the question in the House of Lords in May. See link:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/l...#09051233000863

For whatever reason the honours were turned down. The Honours system is remarkably opaque and we will probably never know who made this decision or why.