§ 65. Captain SHIPWRIGHTasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that British war medals were given to those who served on the coast defence batteries, and that the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Anti-Aircraft Section were awarded the same medal for operations against enemy aircraft in London and for Home stations, there is any reason why it should not be given to the Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, and Royal Air Force units for precisely similar services?
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSIt has always been recognised that the conditions governing the award of the British War 2311 Medal are not identical for the Navy and the other Services. The general principle adopted for the Army and Royal Air Force is to confine the grant of the War Medal for home service to those individuals who were actively engaged with the enemy. This principle has been duly carried out, and applies to those who served in the coast defence batteries, and I regret that I can hold out no expectation that it will be varied. There is no record, in the case of the antiaircraft personnel referred to, that they were actively engaged with the enemy.