Veterans seek medal for comrades killed 60 years ago

Royal Marine corporal section commander Denis Sparrow

Veterans who say their comrades "died in service to their country" are campaigning to be awarded the General Service Medal for a deployment 60 years ago.

Denis Sparrow and Brian Serrell, from Gloucestershire, were sent to defend a British garrison at Aden in Yemen in the 1960s in what was considered a peacetime mission.

Despite coming under fire, they say the danger they faced has not been recognised by the government and want the Ministry of Defence to award the medals.

In a statement the Ministry of Defence acknowledged the men's "professionalism, courage and contribution" but said: "This issue has been reviewed twice by independent reviewers which did not recommend any changes."

Grandfather Mr Sparrow, from Stroud, was a corporal section commander with the Royal Marines when he was sent to Aden.

He said he has memories of those he served with and those who are buried there.

"It's as much for them as it is for us - they died in service to their country and their service was not recognised at all."

One veteran said they drove up the side of a mountain and when they got to the top they were fired on

At its height, the Aden conflict saw 35,000 British personal stationed on the Arabian Peninsula in the 1960s.

Servicemen were first sent to a supposedly-peaceful British garrison at Aden, Southern Yemen in 1960. They found themselves caught in hostilities and in 1967 the British forces completely withdrew.

But only those posted after 1964 received the General Service Medal, which recognises "risk, rigour and harm's way" as well as evidence of frequent and sustained casualties.

Royal Marine driver Brian Serrell believes he was put in harm's way

Mr Serrell, from Cheltenham, arrived in the port of Aden in 1960 as a 19-year-old driver for the Royal Marines.

He was handed rounds of live ammunition and noticed holes in the roof of his tent, where the unit's encampment had come under fire.

"This, I think you would agree, puts you in harm's way, which is part of our claim for the General Service Medal," said Mr Serrell.

He remembers a mission up to the Yemen border, at the heart of hostilities.

"We drove up the side of a mountain to a landing strip that they used to put spies on. When we got to the top we were fired on from the other side. For a 19-year-old it's not something you want to face," he added.

Veterans want the government to reissue the medals "for those guys laid out in the sun"

Now in his 80s, Mr Serrell wants recognition for the men he served with and for those who never came home.

"For those guys who are still laid out in the sun and those stood standing, we are asking the government to make sense of what we've told them."

Mr Sparrow said that about 100 veterans who served in Aden have applied for the medal, all of whom are now in their 80s.

"We need recognition from MPs," Mr Sparrow added.

"Thirty-three have agreed with the application and several former high ranking officers have also agreed... we have that general agreement to put to the [defence] minister, that an award should be made."

Denis and his comrades want recognition from MPs

The Ministry of Defence said it last conducted a review of military medallic recognition in 2012, when the Aden Veterans Association was unsuccessful in evidencing that a General Service Medal should be introduced.

An MOD spokesperson added: "We hugely appreciate the professionalism, courage and contribution of all those veterans who served in Aden.

"This issue has also been reviewed twice by independent reviewers which did not recommend any changes."

It said it would ensure any further requests in respect of service in Aden are forwarded to the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee.