I have recently begun to suspect that this bloke Ive known for a while is a raging walt, every year I see him attending remembrance sunday in his blazer with a chest full of shiny gongs, it also seems that whenever a new one is issued, he has it, also I have yet to know of him to go away for long periods of time so unless he's a 30 day soldier he cant possibly be earning thes gongs. So this year I'm going to have the bastard, I have decided to take a close look at his gongs to see if they are fake. Now this bloke is not as green as he is cabbage looking, he has had them court mounted (thus negating any possibilty of inspecting the rear of the medal for the word "copy") and I suspect engraved with his details on the rim. Through another thread on here I have discovered a way of identifing an unofficial medal from the front, however this only applies to the OSM's and the Telic medal. Any tips for the other gongs would be appreciated so that I can nail this walting twat to the wall on behalf of arrse!.

I see many these days at the Menin Gate Memorial where I live in Belgium. Most are ex Cold War Warriors wearing General Service Crosses, BAOR medals and Volunteer Service Medals. There are loads of these medals available to buy from most mints and medal suppliers. These medals raise money for worthy organisations such as the RBL etc. Most ex soldiers buy them and leave them at home in the display case, but many ex soldiers from the above era are starting to look like Christmas trees over here! I guess they just feel underdressed amongst the current crop of soldiers. I speak from experience as an ex Cold War Warrior and as a father with a just about serving Son! The only comfort I can give you, is at least these guys are ex soldiers, rather than civvy walts!

Short of ripping his medal off him for closer inspection, it's quite difficult. Generally, copies are bright and shiny. The cupro-nickel medals (South Atlantic, Gulf and Iraq) tend to be of a dullish hue - unless recently polished. The early-issued Iraq medals have a brown 'tea-stained' look. OSMs, ACSMs and LSMs are silver and are quality items. They tend to tarnish quickly and have a blackish tint. If they all look super-shiny, then they're probably copies.

QGJMs are more difficult to tell unless you've two to compare. But if he's wearing more than a QGJM, then this is of little consequence. Copy medals with clasps, e.g. GSMs are usually struck in one piece, i.e. the clasp is integral to the suspension. Real clasps should move on the suspender bar.

Without going in to the minutæ of naming styles, the easiest way to determine his entitlement is to ask him his service details: last three, whether he was on the balcony and knows Fiji Bob etc. The very fact that you've smelt his waltishness is (to me) conclusive proof that he is one. Don't forget to take a happy snap of the cnut in all his waltish glory... and then bang it on ARRSE for ridicule. Job done!

When you see him wearing them, go up to him saying something like, ''God you've got them really shiny, what do you use to polish them?'', at the same time grabbing hold of them and having a really close look at how shiny they are, all the while checking for engraving etc, then you headbutt him to the ground yanking his medals off and stabbing him in the eyes with the brooch pin, for all those that died actually earning medals

Ah yes but beware because ex forces also buy and wear replacement medals.

A family friend served during the Falklands War- Fact!

His medal and clasp was stolen and this year I purchased a copy for him.

So if you see a middle aged, 24 stone bloke with a shiney FI medal complete with rosette and name and rank engraved on the rim don't automatically think he is a walt.

Instead buy him a drink .

25 years ago when he was only 10 stone he was in San Carlos water having the sh*t bombed out of him.

Sorry should have written South Atlantic not FI medal

Originally Posted by celticwarrior3551

I have recently begun to suspect that this bloke Ive known for a while is a raging walt, every year I see him attending remembrance sunday in his blazer with a chest full of shiny gongs, it also seems that whenever a new one is issued, he has it, also I have yet to know of him to go away for long periods of time so unless he's a 30 day soldier he cant possibly be earning thes gongs. So this year I'm going to have the fatherless, I have decided to take a close look at his gongs to see if they are fake. Now this bloke is not as green as he is cabbage looking, he has had them court mounted (thus negating any possibilty of inspecting the rear of the medal for the word "copy") and I suspect engraved with his details on the rim. Through another thread on here I have discovered a way of identifing an unofficial medal from the front, however this only applies to the OSM's and the Telic medal. Any tips for the other gongs would be appreciated so that I can nail this walting t**t to the wall on behalf of arrse!.

Hi CW..Does this guy wear 'issued' medals? or the kind of medals that have been mentioned, how old is he? does his medal collection tie up with his age etc?

Here is a pic of a guy who is wearing two 'bought' medals

National Service Medal and a Hong Kong Service Medal, both never issued.

The only annoying thing here is, he is wearing another 'bought' medal on his right side to give his 'other bought' medals some sort of credibility.

And before I get any wobbly heads jump up and down at that comment, my view is: If hes wearing them to give the impression they are 'issued' then thats wrong, if hes made a mistake, why the 'other' medal? He would know differently, its the one thing ALL squaddies ex or otherwise do know about medal wear.

We all know that in certain circumstances, non issued medals can be worn on the right side, and in this case, all 3 should be on the right side, as they are not issued and not placed on the 'proper' left side giving the impression they have been issued.

Hes seen here getting his vets badge, so the guy has has done some time, but I would lay money down that If a 'non ex service' civvy asks him about his two medals, he tells them they are for time served. And of course he tells them he bought them,right? And just to jump onto a comment made on this thread, not all these bought medals make a contribution to the RBL etc, its a business who makes them not a charity.

IMHO, I have issued medals with the bosses' head it them, I wont wear anything else, so anything else I see isnt worth diddley.

Here are some examples you can buy:
BFG Medal

The General Service Cross
Active Service Medal

A 87 year old RN veteran died last year...an active member of the local Royal Navy Association......Local chairman of the RNA done a local press release....."ex WW2 submariner dies"......The RNA chairman, a week later receives a letter from a "official (RN) source"....we have no record of this person!!!!...Further investigation were made on this old walt.....he spent his entire WW2 navy career on a trawler based at Grimsby.....his secret was buried with him......But I must admit he told some good stories!!!!

The ageing scaley needs a bit of a talking to, for:

a) Wearing a beret that looks like a cowpat.
b) Not wearing the corps' tie.
c) Wearing a BEM that's not his (albeit probably his father's or mother's).
d) Wearing Walt medals.
e) Looking like a sex pest.

Quite pathetic really. One would've expected a better turn out from an ex-siggy. I have deep reservations on the wearing of relatives' medals on the right. The only medals that should be worn in this position are Royal Humane Society awards and nothing else.

I also have reservations about beret-wearing. I am an advocate of the bowler, though I don't wear one m'self, as I'd look like something out of A Chocolate Orange.

Originally Posted by BuckFelize

est.

I also have reservations about beret-wearing. I am an advocate of the bowler, though I don't wear one m'self, as I'd look like something out of A Chocolate Orange.

I'm not keen on the whole berets and civvies thing either. At our liberation parade last week there were quite a few old guys dressed like this, it looked ridiculous.

Why do they do it?

Below is the proposed ribbon for the Cold War Medal. The colours signify the hardship endured on many a BAOR tour. Green & white represents the trashed mattress, and brown, yellow, red and orange represent shyte, pish, blood and carrots respectively. The design of the medal proper is yet to be finalised.