Red Hackle

[macwilkin]

At the risk of hijacking the post for just a sec, do you know if US Army medals can be mounted in a shadow box in the style shown on his website? That looks great how the ribbon of the medal continues down behind the medal itself. I have never seen anyone around here mount medals that way.

Yes, He can. That is called "court mounting" and is generally found among the armies of the British Commonwealth. His web site has all the details, but you will basically need extra ribbon. My hereditary society medals are court mounted.

T.

[Woot22]

Yes, He can. That is called "court mounting" and is generally found among the armies of the British Commonwealth. His web site has all the details, but you will basically need extra ribbon. My hereditary society medals are court mounted.

T.

Sweet

[Chas]

In the UK and Commonwealth Forces there are two types of medal mounting - Swing and Court.

Originally there was only swing; each medal was attached to a bar, side by side and the medals could swing as the troops marched. There was a significant amount of noise created at each footfall. But with a band playing, it was drowned out.

Court mounting was a style devised for wearing at Court (not law court, but Royal Court). At large formal events (formal dinners, balls and the like) military men would wear their medals. There would be a constant tinkling and chinking and at the very least would be noisy and distracting.

When I left the RAF in 1982, court mounting was just being seen on middle ranking officers. Now-a-days, I am told that it is the standard style of mounting medals for all ranks.

Regards

Chas

[Drum Major]

I would be more inclined to mount the badge and hackle with a photo of the great uncle and if you have his medals include them in the case as well.

[rtc872]

I would be more inclined to mount the badge and hackle with a photo of the great uncle and if you have his medals include them in the case as well.

That is an option I suppose. They aren't the actual hackle and badge that he used. He bought them for me about 10 years ago.

hehe, his medals. Now there is a way to divide a room of Beatons.

[Cygnus]

That is an option I suppose. They aren't the actual hackle and badge that he used. He bought them for me about 10 years ago.

That's a horse of a different colour, then! I still think he'd be proud if you displayed them in the manner suggested, though.

hehe, his medals. Now there is a way to divide a room of Beatons.

I know what you mean. My grandmother is still alive and she has all of my grandfather's medals, but it is already a bit of a "hot" topic when it comes up - so much so that I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually end up in a museum or out of the family.

[macwilkin]

In the UK and Commonwealth Forces there are two types of medal mounting - Swing and Court.

Originally there was only swing; each medal was attached to a bar, side by side and the medals could swing as the troops marched. There was a significant amount of noise created at each footfall. But with a band playing, it was drowned out.

Court mounting was a style devised for wearing at Court (not law court, but Royal Court). At large formal events (formal dinners, balls and the like) military men would wear their medals. There would be a constant tinkling and chinking and at the very least would be noisy and distracting.

When I left the RAF in 1982, court mounting was just being seen on middle ranking officers. Now-a-days, I am told that it is the standard style of mounting medals for all ranks.

Regards

Chas

Swing mounting also damages the medals, from what I have been told. I would note that some members of the British military tradition do mount their medals swing style; the Rhodesian Army, for example, used the swing mount style, according to a Rhodesian ex-servicemen's association in New Zealand.

T.

[piperdbh]

I'm getting visions of something like that with a blackwatch tartan swatch at the back and the hackle and badge sitting side by side.

It would be such a waste to wear these things.

Thanks

You mean sort of like this?


This pic is on the site Todd linked.

[macwilkin]

You mean sort of like this?


This pic is on the site Todd linked.

Except the badge in question is not the RHR, but the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment.

Sorry to be pedantic.

T.

[Chas]

Swing mounting also damages the medals, from what I have been told. I would note that some members of the British military tradition do mount their medals swing style; the Rhodesian Army, for example, used the swing mount style, according to a Rhodesian ex-servicemen's association in New Zealand.

T.

You are quite right Todd. I have been amazed in the past that there wasn't more damage. But you can't fight tradition. The men of WWII, Korea, The Radfan, The Middle East and all the way up to The Troubles would not consider having their medals mounted any way other than swing.

One of the reasons for this is that the medal bar was an issue item and the serviceman was expected to be able to swing mount his own medals. Court mounting meant that they had to be sent off and the serviceman would have to pay someone else to do it. A waste of good beer money!

When I received my second medal in 1977, official policy was that the medals should be swing mounted, but the corresponding miniatures should be court mounted.

There is a school of thought that some styles of medal do not lend themselves to court mounting. All the various crosses come to mind and the French Légion d'honneur, which was designed to show the colour of the uniform through the medal pendant. I do not know the Rhodesian medals, but I can imagine that there might be difficulties.

Regards

Chas