§ Lord Radiceasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress has been made on the issue of a medal for service in the Suez Canal zone from 1951 to 1954. [HL5037]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)Further to the Written Answer in another place by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister on 11 June 2003 (Offical Report, column 869W), we are pleased to 189WA announce that Her Majesty The Queen has graciously agreed to the institution of the Naval General Service Medal 1915 to 1962 and the General Service Medal 1918 to 1962 with the new clasp "Canal Zone" for service in the Suez Canal zone. Command Paper No 5999 is laid before Parliament today detailing the criteria for this award. My department's medal offices will now commence the award to eligible Suez veterans.
Individuals who served in the canal zone during the early 1950s, or their next of kin, are invited to write to the appropriate medal office providing their name, date of birth and Service number. The addresses of the medal offices are as follows:
Royal Naval Medal Office, Room 1068, Centurion Building, Grange Road, Gosport, Hampshire PO13 9XA
Royal Marines Medal Office, Room 038, Centurion Building, Grange Road, Gosport, Hampshire PO13 9XA
Army Medal Office, Government Buildings, Worcester Road, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire WR9 8AU
Royal Air Force Medal Office, Room 6, Building 248A, RAF PMA, RAF Innsworth, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL3 1EZ
Civilian Honours Unit, Room 462, St Giles Court, 1–13 St Giles High Street, London WC2H 8LD
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Medal Office, SO3 RAF CS1A, Room Fl 1, Lancelot Building, PP29, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3NH