Councillor declares bravery awards unfair

Date published: 11 September 2006

Conservative Councillor Ian Duckworth has slammed the difference in bravery awards given to commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers. Councillor Duckworth was responding to the news that Rochdale Fusilier, Matt Smith, had been awarded the George Medal for bravery for two life saving acts whilst on duty in Iraq.

In a letter to MP Jim Dobbin, Councillor Duckworth, an ex army serviceman, said that whilst he was "both pleased and proud" to hear that the Rochdale soldier had received the award for outstanding bravery, he was also "angered to discover that the class system for bravery still persists in the armed forces."

Commissioned officers receive crosses for acts of bravery, whereas non commissioned officers and other ranks are only awarded medals, despite the fact that the courage of non commissioned officers is often equal to that of the men who command them.

Councillor Duckworth asked Jim Dobbin if this matter could be addressed in Parliament: "I know when John Major was Prime Minister he raised this issue but nothing appears to have changed. Would you please investigate what seems to be a practice from a bygone age and perhaps raise the subject at Prime Minister's Question Time."