I was talking to a former shipmate the other day and said I was attending the Remembrance Sunday Parade on 13 November and amongst other things I said I would be wearing my Merchant Navy Veterans Badge. He was not aware there was such a thing so it occurred to me that other members of Ships Nostalgia might be in the same position. The picture is of the badge and the criteria for obtaining one is as follows:-
"The badge is available to all Merchant Navy seafarers and fishermen who served in a vessel at a time when it was operated to facilitate military operations by UK Armed Forces at any time".
This does not mean landing troops on the beaches under fire or anything hairy like that. In my case it was for carrying equipment to the Army in Aden and Mukalla and on a separate voyage carrying equipment for the RAF at Gan Island, where the only real danger was to your liver.
I realise this may not be everyone's cup of tea but it may appeal to some people who would like one and did not know about it. I got mine from the Federation of Merchant Mariners and the link to their website is here:-
http://www.merchant-mariners.co.uk/veteransbadge.php
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