Prince Charles wore 13 medals yesterday on VJ Day. What do you think about it?

It’s a really old song Callistemon and all about how brave his brother Sylvest is.Since Sylvester was a name much used in Victorian times, it’s probably an old music hall song.
My Grandfather used to sing it, because he had a brother called Sylvester.

Sylvester sounds very posh.
Was he an Admiral of the Fleet?

Sorry if I offended anyone by mentioning "frontline" service. I should have said "active" service. I am well aware that not everyone in the forces is or was on the front line but they are all heroes to me. As are the Land Army girls and women, the Heavy Demolition crews who dug people out of bombed buildings and shelters and the Home Front members.

What, my Grandfather’s brother? No he was a mill worker.?
If you mean in the song, another No.
There’s an Admiral who virtually lives in The Argy Bargy Bar though.

There’s an Admiral who virtually lives in The Argy Bargy Bar though

I know, he's my brother

I appear to be the only veteran on here. I was in the army, as was my husband and his two younger brothers. My mother was in the ATS and my father in the RAF.
My husband has three medals which he proudly wears on the appropriate occasions, the last one was our youngest son's passing out parade in February.
We are devout Monarchists who all swore allegiance to Her Majesty. We have two older sons, one still serving and the eldest is a veteran too.
We thought the Prince was on excellent form. The medals were all on the correct side for him to be wearing his own.

Callistemon - I was being flippant.

VJ was no reason for flippancy.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202008/medium-728900-26c82e8f-ca54-4e6a-9292-a25d2546b878.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202008/medium-941727-c4d29452-31db-453b-9ec1-d53e686e0b3d.png

Found it

Allegrias and Callistemon, my Dh is supremely uninterested in having anything like that! It’s just been a bit of a mystery to me, that’s all. As I say, none of his fellow sea-farers received medals either. They’re a medal-free zone, unlike Prince Charles. ? ? ?

Dh was chuffed to get a certificate last year recognising his 50-year membership of the Marine Engineers Society, or some such. I think he threw it in the back of the cupboard shortly afterwards, lol.

My late father used to say medals were worthless,they should have made sure those servicemen and women had decent lives when they came back .My 5 uncles served as well as my dad.one never returned the rest all came home with disabiliteis and health issues.One was profoundly deaf from firing the big guns,one had TB from his service in India .one came home with epilepsy my dad had shell shock..mild in comparison to others but sudden loud noises made him shake and then there was my uncle who cam ehome minus a leg and had experienced over 3 years as a prisoner of war.
Medals are as my dad said worthless because these men were left to "get on with it" with no help or assistance fro the government who sent them to war or the "queen" they supposedly fought for .None of my family talked about their experiences they just wanted to forget.I think most men who did suffer felt the same.My mother used to say the ones who talked endlessly about it were the ones who were in the kitchens keeping well away from any danger .None of my family wore poppies and none claimed medals

VJ is certainly nothing to be flippant about. The war against Japan was a dreadful business, and ended terribly. My stepfather was captured at the fall of Singapore and a POW for three and a half weary years witnessing all manner of horrors. His medals, POW badge with his number on it issued by the Japanese,, a tin plate + spoon are now in the safe keeping of my son who like all of our family are extremely proud of this lovely man. My late fathers Bomber Command ribbon was applied for and received by me about five years ago. Sad that it was many years too late for my mother to appreciate, My son will get this as and when! P.C''s medals are honorary ones and I don't see why people have to be so nasty and sniffy.
,

We all wear Poppies, always have - Red ones.

lemon I remember that song! Now I'm going to have to Google it!
My sons once went to a cub pack where the son of the woman who ran it always had the most badges, this seems pretty similar.

For anyone who remembers Sylvest-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJiaSo819IU
Thanks for a good laugh lemon

B** link www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJiaSo819IU

I wondered what they were all for! Rather a lot.

My Dad had three medals. One for peeling carrots, one for peeling onions and one for peeling potatoes or so he told us. He joined the RAF just before war was declared hoping to be a pilot. Highly unlikely as he was already a qualified engineer. He was stationed in Hampshire and Rhodesia. I am planning to obtain his service record to find out more as he never really told us much.

My Sil’s Dad was attached to the eighth army and had some very grim experiences. He suffered really badly through the 50s. My stepmother’s first husband claimed to be in every front and battle that took place til someone asked him how he managed to be in two places at once!

You’re welcome trisher .....good fun isn’t it??
I haven’t heard it sung for about 55 years.

I still can't hear you lemongrove, sing up
Don't be shy

Kamiso your Dad was just being modest.
My Dad never said much either

The Houghton Weavers sing it better than I could ( see the link youtube)....I may just book them for a spot in The Argy,
Then we can all sing along.?

Kamiso my late FIL was also in the RAF (joined in 1925). He and his family were posted to Rhodesia after the war and dh’s younger sister was born there. Dh has fond memories of the country even though he was still small when they they returned to the UK. I wonder if our families knew each other??

Esspee

Isn’t one of them a Blue Peter badge?

You are right, and I'm sure that another is his cycling proficiency badge. Those that don't deserve always get the honours, those that do get forgotten as Ralph McTell so poignantly described in his song: "Streets of London:"

^Have you seen the old man
Outside the Seaman's Mission
Memory fading with the medal ribbons that he wears
In our winter city
The rain cries a little pity
For one more forgotten hero
And a world that doesn't care^

By 'eck that was a walk down memory lane Lemon! I last heard My Brother Sylvest sung by the fattest lady I've ever seen in my life, in a Manchester pub, in 1978! for that!