New Years Honours List

Euronymous

Euronymous

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Were the headlines right? Tom Jones...Knighthood? Brown nosing politicians aside i really cannot think of a less deserving "Sir" in history.

Richard Burton
Anthony Hopkins
Tom Jones

Doesn`t look right.
 
Originally posted by Euronymous@Dec 31 2005, 03:49 PM
Brown nosing politicians aside i really cannot think of a less deserving "Sir" in history.
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I can think of a few to start with - how about Sir Joseph Kagan for starters?
 
But when, oh when, is Greavsie going to join the other squad members of nearly forty years ago in getting his gong?

(Every new year I write this - I should just copy and paste it)
 
I`ll need proof. Tom Jones is/was just a glorified boy band member. Average singer, no song writing skills, bad hair and Welsh.
 
Originally posted by BrianH@Dec 31 2005, 03:53 PM
But when, oh when, is Greavsie going to join the other squad members of nearly forty years ago in getting his gong?

(Every new year I write this - I should just copy and paste it)
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Indeed, he did play every game apart from the final after all....
 
You've probably ensured that a bullet was hired ewith your name on it with that last post Euro!! :lol:

I do agree though - wtf is that all about?!
 
Originally posted by AliGupter@Dec 31 2005, 03:54 PM
Indeed, he did play every game apart from the final after all....
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No, I'm afraid he didn't. He was injured in the game against France then missed the quarter finals onwards.
 
OBE AND MBE`s are a different kettle of fish, They give them out to anyone. But Knigthood`s should at least be hard to get, the VC of the civilian world.
 
Originally posted by Ardross@Dec 31 2005, 04:06 PM
The VC of the civilian awards is the George Cross
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That`s for bravery though. Achievment awards like a Knighthood should be much rarer than they are.
 
There are hundreds, possibly thousands of knights less deserving than some of the entertainers who get awarded the accolade.

If you want to know about Sir Joseph Kagan, later bloody Baron Kagan, then he invented the Gannex raincoat, worn by Harold Wilson, who helped make it popular. After the war, having survived in the ghetto by hiding from the Nazis in a factory, he got out of his native Lithuania before the Russians closed the country down, came to England and settled in Huddersfield.

His business grew there and he got to know Wilson, who was a Huddersfield man. Kagan got close to Wilson and after he had become leader of the opposition heled fund his private office. When Labour lost power in 1970 Kagan was knighted in Wilson's resignation honours list. When Wilson finally resigned as Prime Minister, Kagan was made a life peer on the infamous 'Lavender list' in 1976, taking the Labour Party whip.

Then police investigation into irregularities in his companies found criminal behaviour and Kagan was prosecuted; he tried to flee the country to either Israel or Spain but was stopped in Paris. On December 12, 1980, he was convicted of four counts of theft and sentenced to ten months' imprisonment and a fine of £105,000.

He was stripped of his knighthood but could not lose the peerage (cf Jeffrey Archer), and on his release he campaigned in the House of Lords for prison reform. In 1994, he suffered a heart attack in the House of Lords chamber. He died in 1995 at the age of 80.

There are many more similar examples.
 
It's a mistake to call the George Cross a civilian award. The medal is often awarded to members of the armed forces as the Victoria Cross can only be awarded for bravery against the enemy.

The latest example was the award ofthe George Cross to Trooper Christopher Finney of the Blues and Royals, for rescuing his comrades under fire near Basrah, in Iraq on 28th March 2003. There are some who might consider the Yanks to be our enemy (not me sunybay, it's just Bush and his mates I'm after) but officially they're not. The 18 year old Chris Finney rescued two of his mates from burning vehicles which had been attacked by American aircraft and was then shot up by gunners aboard the planes.

His citation for the George Cross reads in full:

On 28 March 2003, D Squadron Household Cavalry Regiment were probing forward along the Shatt Al Arab waterway, north of Basrah, some thirty kilometres ahead of the main force of 16 Air Assault Brigade. In exposed desert, their mission was to find and interdict the numerically vastly superior, and better equipped, Iraqi 6th Armoured Division.

Trooper Finney, a young armoured vehicle driver with less than a year's service, was driving the leading Scimitar vehicle of his troop, which had been at the forefront of action against enemy armour for several hours. In the early afternoon, the two leading vehicles paused beside a levee to allow the troop leader to assess fully the situation in front. Without warning, they were engaged by a pair of Coalition Forces ground attack aircraft. Both vehicles were hit and caught fire, and ammunition began exploding inside the turrets. Trooper Finney managed to get out of his driving position and was on the way towards cover when he noticed that his vehicle's gunner was trapped in the turret. He then climbed onto the fiercely burning vehicle, at the same time placing himself at risk from enemy fire, as well as fire from the aircraft should they return. Despite the smoke and flames and exploding ammunition, he managed to haul out the injured gunner, get him off the vehicle, and move him to a safer position not far away, where he bandaged his wounds.

The troop officer, in the other Scimitar, had been wounded and there were no senior ranks to take control. Despite his relative inexperience, the shock of the attack and the all-too-obvious risk to himself, Trooper Finney recognised the need to inform his headquarters of the situation. He therefore broke cover, returned to his vehicle which was still burning, and calmly and concisely sent a lucid situation report by radio. He then returned to the injured gunner and began helping him towards a Spartan vehicle of the Royal Engineers which had moved forward to assist.

At this point, Trooper Finney noticed that both the aircraft were lining up for a second attack. Notwithstanding the impending danger, he continued to help his injured comrade towards the safety of the Spartan vehicle. Both aircraft fired their cannon and Trooper Finney was wounded in the buttocks and legs, and the gunner in the head. Despite his wounds, Trooper Finney succeeded in getting the gunner to the waiting Spartan. Then, seeing that the driver of the second Scimitar was still in the burning vehicle, Trooper Finney determined to rescue him as well. Despite his wounds and the continuing danger from exploding ammunition, he valiantly attempted to climb up onto the vehicle, but was beaten back by the combination of heat, smoke and exploding ammunition. He collapsed exhausted a short distance from the vehicle, and was recovered by the crew of the Royal Engineers' Spartan.

During these attacks and their horrifying aftermath, Trooper Finney displayed clear-headed courage and devotion to his comrades which was out of all proportion to his age and experience. Acting with complete disregard for his own safety even when wounded, his bravery was of the highest order throughout.
 
I really think these so called honours are farcical................... :o :o

But for those who don't know read this it may help??????? on KNIGHTHOODS ETC


That's the knighthood that has honored people like Sir Paul McCartney, Dame Maggie Smith, and Rudy Giuliani. Other monarchies and even the French Republic award knighthoods. There are also fraternal organizations that refer to their members as knights, such as Knights of Columbus, a Catholic lay order, and the Knights Templar, a Masonic order. But British knightings tend to get the most attention.
The sovereign of the United Kingdom (currently Queen Elizabeth II) is traditionally referred to as the "fountain of honour," the source of titles such as knighthoods, awarded in recognition of service. Various honorific orders exist, but not all of them include knighthood. Recipients of the four highest orders, including the Order of the Garter, are personally chosen by the sovereign. The Cabinet Office of the U.K suggests the rest of the honorees for the sovereign's approval.

Anyone can nominate a British citizen for knighthood or other royal honors (although self-nomination is discouraged). Nominations from the public account for about a quarter of all recommendations. The Prime Minister and government departments usually submit the rest of the recommendations for the biannual Honors List.

The Order of the British Empire is perhaps the most common knighthood given today. It's frequently awarded to civilians for public service and contributions to the nation. Many British scientists, educators, doctors, nurses, charitable and social workers, business people, athletes, writers, actors, musicians, and artists have received this distinction.

Foreign nationals can also be knighted, but they are not allowed to use the title "Sir" or "Dame" before their names (sorry, Rudy), although they can add "KBE" after their names. The U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs usually nominates foreigners for knighthood and similar honors. Foreign knighthoods are conferred based on a person's contribution to relations between their country and Britain.
 
If any English sporting success guarantees you a gong surely Steven Gerrard and Carragher of Liverpool deserve something. Bell and Collingwood ? Oh dear :brows: :brows:
 
But when, oh when, is Greavsie going to join the other squad members of nearly forty years ago in getting his gong?
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This sentiment is heartily endorsed. There should be no end of tributes to Greavsie.
 
CAT.... it may just be a post code thingy too........think about it???? its a bit like the national health service!!! it depends on where one lives, that you get the best service ... so to speak?????? it seems very apparent in most things in life...... :rolleyes: and possibly highlighted in what your saying!!

COLLINGWOOD :angy: who is he related too Blair???? :P :lol:
 
Originally posted by Merlin the Magician@Dec 31 2005, 05:33 PM
it may just be a post code thingy too........think about it???? its a bit like the national health service!!! it depends on where one lives, that you get the best service ... so to speak?????? it seems very apparent in most things in life...... :rolleyes: and possibly highlighted in what your saying!!
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Ha, so you think that her majesty or her ministers favour Durham and Warwickshire over Merseyside? The plot thickens!

Personally I think that the whole beating of Australia has been totally overdone.
 
As do I. The public reaction has been totally over the top. I suppose we should be grateful Gary Pratt didn't get an MBE!!
 
CLUMP
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