Regimental Order of Merit
The Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit
From time to time, individuals give service to the Regimental Family which is very much above the norm of their peers and which, therefore, deserves special recognition. Sadly, the competition for national honours is so fierce that nominating worthy individuals for such awards on the basis of their contribution to the Liverpool Scottish is doomed, at the very least, to frustrating delay and, almost inevitably, to failure. In order to recognize “our own”, The Regimental Council agreed, in March 2007, to institute the award of The Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit (LSOM).
Qualification and Recommendation
The LSOM will be awarded to individuals for their “Outstanding contribution to the reputation or well-being of the Regimental Family”. It is, specifically, not to be a reward for long service, though, naturally, long service may well be a factor in determining the overall merit of a candidate for the award. A recommendation on behalf of an individual may be made to the Regimental Council by anyone in the Regimental Family and any recommendation must be supported by at least two people, in addition to the initiator. Submissions may be made at any time and it will not be normal for an award, or awards, to be made annually as a matter of course. There is no limit to the number of awards that may be made in a single year but it will not be considered unusual if no awards at all are made in any year. There is no set qualifying period for an individual to have served in order to be considered for the award but service before the formation of ‘V’ Company in 1967 will not be considered relevant.
The Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit
The award consists of a framed certificate and a neck decoration consisting of a medallion in the form of a miniture 10th Liverpool Scottish Battalion silver cap badge suspended from a ribbon which is of sufficient length to allow the medallion to hang in the middle of the breast of the wearer. The ribbon shall be 2.54 cm in width, of silk material and Royal Blue in colour. A guide overall length of the ribbon is 88cm. It is expected that recipients will wear their LSOM on any Regimental occasion when medals or miniature medals are worn.
The first award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit was made to Lieutenant Colonel J.C. Bateman at an Officers' Association Dinner held at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool on 28th April 2007 to mark the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of 'V' (The Liverpool Scottish) Company. Lieutenant Colonel Jim Bateman received the rare distinction of brevet promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1971 when Second-in-Command of the 51st Highland Volunteers T&AVR.
Citation for the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit
Lt Colonel J.C. Bateman
28th April 2007
The 1st Battalion, The Liverpool Scottish, was disbanded on April 1st 1967 and the responsibility for carrying forward the Regiment’s proud name and traditions fell to ‘V’ (The Liverpool Scottish) Company, 51st Highland Volunteers. Jim Bateman was selected as the first company commander of the newly-independent ‘V’ Company and it was his very high standards of commitment, energy and dedication that set the benchmarks that assured ‘V’ Company its laudable success over the following 25 years of its history. It was Jim who established as ‘usual’ that ‘V’ Company should win the annual Battalion inter-company competition, that it should be the best-recruited company in the Battalion, that it should be the best-represented company at any Battalion gathering and that its officers, NCOs and men should be looked on as shining examples of all that is best in the Territorial Army. The Company’s reputation for excellence throughout its years in the Orbat of the British Army was directly due to the standards which Jim established from the outset and his outstanding example endured well beyond his term as Company Commander to set ‘norms’ for the Liverpool Scottish family that remain evident to this day. Selected, on merit, for the post of Second-in-Command of the Battalion, Jim continued to represent the interests of ‘V’ Company with vigour, yet with a diplomacy which earned him, and the Company, much respect across the Volunteer Army. His ability to exercise tactful and wise counsel both within the Liverpool Scottish ‘family’ and, in wider military circles, on its behalf, continued to good effect long after his active military service ceased.
Major Mike Brimage TD
24th October 2008
Mike Brimage joined 'V' (The Liverpool Scottish) Company, 51st Highland Volunteers in 1971. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in June 1972. As a result of his exemplary service during three years as a Junior NCO and his excellent potential he was recommended for officer training. He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1975, gained his Commission and was appointed Rifle Platoon Commander in the Company. He became Company Second-in-Command in 1977 and he was Officer Commanding 'V' Company from 1980 to 1985: the longest serving OC in living memory. After a variety of TA Staff appointments he retired from active duty in 1993. Mike has always demonstrated a total commitment to Liverpool Scottish affairs and he currently serves in a number of key appointments. He is Chairman of the Regimental Association, a Museum Trustee, a Regimental Council Member, a Regimental Trustee and Vice-Chairman of the Officers' Association.
Many will recall the outstanding success of the Liverpool Scottish Centenary Ball. Mike was the Chairman of the Committee responsible for this. Early in 2008 the Regimental Museum was given notice to quit its premises in Botanic Road. In recent months Mike has played a vital role in the monumental task of recording, packing and moving the Museum artefacts to storage. Without his commitment and energy it is doubtful that the task would have been completed on time. Mike Brimage continues to demonstrate a remarkable example of selfless commitment to all matters which are at the heart of the welfare, reputation and heritage of the Regimental family. In recognition of over 37 years of outstanding service to the Liverpool Scottish and in acknowledgement of the affection and respect held for him by all ranks, Mike Brimage is most strongly recommended for the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
R. Lynch Esq
24th October 2008
Bobby Lynch joined the Liverpool Scottish in June 1967 after Regular service in the Royal Artillery. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in the Signals Section in January 1969, then to substantive Corporal in May of that year. He served 'V' (The Liverpool Scottish) Company in this rank until February 1981 when he was promoted to Sergeant. He retired from active duty in June 1989 but his involvement in Liverpool Scottish matters did not end there. From 1984 to the present date he has been an active member of the Regimental Association, the Secretary of the Pipe Band and Chairman of the Liverpool Scottish 'Old and Bold'. Few have devoted as much time and effort to the welfare of the extended Liverpool Scottish 'Family' over the years and Bobby has also been a prominent representative of the Regiment in countless public events. He has long been a prominent figure in all areas of Liverpool Scottish involvement and he remains a shining example of energy, commitment and loyalty to all. In recognition of over 40 years of outstanding service to the Liverpool Scottish and in acknowledgement of the affection and respect held for him by all ranks, Bobby Lynch is most strongly recommended for the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
Major I.L. Riley TD MA FSA Scot
6th March 2010
Ian joined ‘V’ (The Liverpool Scottish) Company, 51stHighland Volunteers, from Liverpool University Officers’ Training Corps in 1970. He came to what was, consistently, the best-recruited and best-performing Company in the Battalion and he rapidly immersed himself in the unique blend of professionalism, pride in City, pride in Highland links and, above all, pride in “Daring to be Different” that has uniquely defined the Liverpool Scottish from its earliest days. Ian’s consuming enthusiasm for all things Liverpool Scottish was fired. His total commitment to the unit was rewarded when he assumed command of the Company in 1977. In three hectic years as Officer Commanding he led the Company on a series of demanding exercises, including a major NATO exercise in Germany, to practise the Company’s war role. In 1980 he stepped down from command and became one of the earliest TA officers to undertake Staff training by attending the TA Command and Staff Course at the Army Staff College, Camberley. Upon successful completion of this course Ian assumed command of B Company, 5/8 King’s, a post he held for two years before moving to Headquarters 24 Airmobile Brigade as senior Watchkeeper, where he was to remain for the next 12 years. Throughout this time his heart remained with the Liverpool Scottish and he played an increasing part in the development of the Regimental Archives and Museum. Indeed, since he ended his active TA commitment in 1995, he has devoted a very great deal of his spare time to furthering the collection, marshalling and archiving of all aspects of the heritage and history of the Regiment. As Hon. Secretary of the Museum he was the mainstay in the Museum’s development, he brought order to what had been a bewildering miscellany of documents and artefacts and, he was a ready responder to all manner of enquiries coming from all quarters. It was largely due to his personal effort and devotion that the Museum and its records came to be recognised as one of the finest minor unit museums in the country. Early in 2008 the Regimental Museum was given notice to quit its premises in Botanic Road. Ian played a vital role in the monumental task of recording, packing and moving the Museum artefacts to storage. Without his knowledge, commitment and energy it is doubtful that the task would have been completed with commendable good order and on time. He remains indefatigable in his work to ensure that the Museum artefacts go to the most appropriate, permanent homes and that they, and the Regimental Archives that he has been largely responsible for creating and maintaining, will exist into the foreseeable future as lasting reminders of all that, for generations, has been “The Liverpool Scottish.” In recognition of his many years of most valuable service to the Liverpool Scottish and with particular gratitude for his selfless devotion to the creation and development of the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Museum, Ian Riley is most strongly recommended for the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
21 October 2011
Roy Boardman first joined the Territorial Army in 1974, as a Private in 4th (V) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. He qualified as a parachutist and served for two years in that unit. Some four years later, following a chance encounter at a business meeting, Roy was prevailed upon to rejoin the TA as an Officer Cadet and, so, in April 1980, he became a member of ‘V’ (The Liverpool Scottish) Company, 1/51 Highland Volunteers. On 9th April 1982 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, and he served as a rifle platoon commander until early 1986 when, to exploit his civilian professional expertise, he transferred to 156 Regiment RCT as acting Paymaster. In 1988 Roy moved to CVHQ Royal Army Pay Corps and he remained a Pay Corps Officer until 1992 when that Corps was absorbed into the Adjutant General’s Corps. However, there was no change in role and Roy continued to serve with this unit until 2006 when he transferred to the Brigade Reinforcement Team at 42 (NW) Brigade where he continues to serve to the present day. Despite his changes of cap badges and unit allegiances over more than 30 years continuous service in the Territorial Army, Roy has always retained his links with the Liverpool Scottish and he has continued to serve the Regimental ‘family’ in a variety of important but unsung roles. Currently, he is Treasurer to the Regimental Association, the Regimental Trustees and the Officers’ Association. He is also Treasurer to the local branch of the Army Benevolent Fund, The Soldiers’ Charity, and he is Secretary to the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Council. In recognition of over 30 years of outstanding service to the Liverpool Scottish and in acknowledgement of the affection and respect held for him by all ranks, Roy Boardman is most strongly recommended for the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
21 November 2012
Dennis Reeves has devoted fifty years to researching and recording the regimental history of the Liverpool Scottish and the individual service records of its soldiers. He has been the curator of the Liverpool Scottish Museum for most of this period, ensuring the preservation of one of the most comprehensive Territorial battalion collections that exists in the UK. Whilst others have contributed significantly to the core team of the Liverpool Scottish Museum Trust, it is the consistent and prolonged efforts of Dennis Reeves, which have been a foundation to the continuing integrity of the collection. This regard for regimental history has added markedly to the esprit de corps and distinctive identity of the Liverpool Scottish.
Although his main interest, from joining the unit in 1962, is in the Victorian Liverpool Rifle Volunteer companies of the late 1800s with over twenty-two articles published, he was then drawn into the historically quite distinct work of our Regimental Museum. The museum developed from boxes in a beer store in 1968 to a fully registered and nationally recognised museum at Botanic Road by 2002. Working as part of a small group of volunteers and always on a very limited budget with no public financial support and sometimes in difficult circumstances, <his patient and exhaustive work in cataloguing the collection and his ideas for presentation together with his physical effort into creating particular displays made an important contribution. The databases he has compiled over forty-five years record the service of over 15,000 Liverpool Scots covering a period of a century. This material has been drawn from many sources, some quite obscure, in the absence of official records which in many cases remain closed. This work, which still continues over several days a week, enables a wide range of queries from the regimental family and the public to be answered with authority. Dennis has also written several books, notably Special Service of A Hazardous Nature, his account of the Liverpool Scottish commandos in the Second World War, and he has made major contributions to others including the regimental history, Bravest of Hearts. There are several more as yet unpublished.
8th March 2015
On Saturday 8th March, at the Officers' Association Dinner, the Chairman of the Association, Colonel Chris Davies, presented the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit to a surprised and humble Colonel Ian Paterson, our President. His citation reads as follows:
Citation:
After having served his period of National Service as a Royal Marine Commando, Ian Paterson joined the 1 st Battalion Liverpool Scottish (QOCH) in 1959. He was commissioned 2/Lt in December 1960 and promoted to Acting Captain within three years.
The 1st Battalion The Liverpool Scottish was disbanded on 1 st April 1967 and the responsibility of carrying forward the Regiment's proud name and traditions fell to 'V' (The Liverpool Scottish) Company, in the newly-formed 51st Highland Volunteers. Ian was selected as the first Company Second in Command of 'V' Company and he played a key part in setting the high standards which assured its laudable success over the following 25 years of its history.
In October 1969 Ian was promoted to Command 'V' Company and he led it with a balance of vigour, discretion and dignity to a number of successes in the following three years. Under his leadership, 'V' Company was the best- recruited Company - and usually the Champion Company - in a Battalion which was, geographically, the most widespread TA battalion in the UK at that time.
Ian's outstanding qualities meant that it was no surprise when he was appointed Second in Command of the Battalion in 1972; a post he held with much acclaim for three years. At the same time he combined his commitment to the TA and to his profession so effectively that he continued to progress to the highest levels within Midland Bank (later HSBC): a remarkable demonstration of his all-round ability and effectiveness.
In November 1976 Ian was appointed Commanding Officer of 5/8 Bn The King's Regiment, a post he held until 1980 when he was awarded a very much-deserved OBE for his performance in that role. Subsequently, he was Honorary Colonel of 5/8 King's and, then, of the amalgamated battalion, The King's and Cheshire Regiment. In recent years he brought unity to the various elements of the Regimental Family by founding the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Council and he is, currently, the President of the Regimental Association.
In gratitude for the unfailing wisdom of his guidance; for his unrivalled example of service and devotion to the Regimental Family during more than 50 years; and in acknowledgement of the affection and respect held for him by all ranks, Ian Paterson is most strongly recommended for the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
Major (retd) AG McConnell TD
16 April 2015
Citation:
Alexander Gordon ‘Spike’ McConnell joined ‘V’ Company, (The Liverpool Scottish) in 1984. After service in the Ranks with the Signals Detachment he was commissioned in June 1994, promoted to Captain in April 1999 and, following six months in this rank in ‘V’ Company, he was appointed Commander of the Reconnaissance Platoon in the parent Regiment, The King’s and Cheshire Regiment. He was subsequently appointed Second in Command of ‘V’ Company and was the last person to hold that office. In December 2001 he was promoted to Major and transferred to the Manchester and Salford University Officer Training Corps as a Company Commander where he remained until he retired from active Reserve service in 2005.
Whilst serving, and continuously since, Spike has always been a passionate and enthusiastic Liverpool Scot at heart. This has continued to be abundantly evident in the commitment that he has given to the Regimental Family since his retirement from active Reserve duty. For a number of years he has controlled the holdings of Regimental property and in the last three years this has imposed a particular burden upon him as he has endeavoured to dispose of each mess’s property via returning to donors, transferring suitable items to appropriate museums or by auction. This has meant a considerable amount of work for him and he has cheerfully given of his free time to ensure a controlled and sympathetic disposal of prized Regimental artefacts.
Spike’s passion for all matters Liverpool Scottish remains as evident as ever and he is a regular supporter of all Regimental Association and Officer Association events. As an active Regimental Trustee - for some years as Deputy Chairman and, now, in the past three years, as Chairman of the panel of Trustees - Spike has retained his passion for all matters which affect the reputation and well-being of the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Family. Despite the ever-increasing demands made upon him by his full-time career he continues to devotes an extra-ordinary amount of time to Regimental matters and, as Chairman of the Regimental Trustees, as a member of the Regimental Council and as a Museum Trustee to give invaluable service to the Regimental Family.
M Fernand Vanrobaeys
16 April 2015
Citation:
Fernand Vanrobaeys is a citizen of the city of Ieper in West Flanders, Belgium.
For nearly twenty years, he has played an important part in every Liverpool Scottish activity in the Ypres Salient. A member of the Ieper/Ypres tourist office team based in the Cloth Hall and an active supporter of his local Flemish community, he first became involved with the Liverpool Scottish when his local historical society was active in creating a memorial to Captain Noel Chavasse in Brandhoek churchyard. Since that time, his unfailingly helpful and generous advice, at a level far beyond anything that could be expected of his professional rôle, has enriched all our Regimental visits to the area, from the installation and dedication of the Liverpool Scottish Stone near Hooge and Bellewaarde to the 2015 Battle of Hooge Centenary pilgrimage.
He has provided not only advice but practical support in liaising with civic authorities, farmers and local landowners, and others and also in the physical maintenance of the area of the Liverpool Scottish Stone, on his own initiative, as the need arose. Every request made to him has produced an unfailingly enthusiastic and ever-helpful response.
The 1st Battalion of the Liverpool Scottish spent nearly half the duration of the Great War in the Ypres Salient and we recognise the highly significant contribution of Fernand Vanrobaeys in the preservation and commemoration of this historic link with the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
In recognition of 20 years of outstanding support to the Liverpool Scottish and in acknowledgement of the affection and respect held for him by all ranks, Fernand Vanrobaeys is strongly recommended for the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
M. Jack Thorpe
16 April 2015
Citation:
Monsieur Jack Thorpe has an English father, a love of England - in particular, Grimsby - but he is French to his core. Following a lifelong interest in the history of his home village, Erquinghem-sur-Lys, and, in particular, the role it played in WW1, he created a Museum in the town in 2004. By sheer hard work and dedication he transformed the old Sapeur-Pompier garage into what has become acknowledged as one of the 'Five Best Small Museums' in France. This is a remarkable accolade and it has been achieved, in large part, by the personal effort, enthusiasm and devotion which Jack has expended in very large measure over the years.
From the outset Jack was aware of the Liverpool Scottish and the part the 2nd Battalion played in the defence of the area south of Armentières, including Erquinghem-sur-Lys, in 1917. He has made the Liverpool Scottish a feature within his Museum and, whenever he can, he seeks to place the Regiment centre stage in the regular historic events that he organises. In 2008, for example, he was the principal innovator of the initiative to place a cairn within a newly-created Memorial Garden in Bois Grenier on the site of the 2nd Battalion’s heroic raid – remembered as “Dicky’s Dash” – in June 1917. In 2011, it was only as a direct result of Jack’s initiative and drive that a mounted plaque, dedicated to the memory of Padre David Railton, was placed outside of the church in Erquinghem-sur-Lys, close to the graves of many of the Scottish soldiers whom Railton had served. It was he who had the inspirational idea of having an ‘Unkown Soldier’ grave in Westminster Abbey. It is thanks to Jack that his idea and his life are now commemorated for posterity.
Jack has been a true friend of the Liverpool Scottish Family for over 20 years and he continues to pursue with enthusiasm any opportunities which record and exhibit for public consumption the glorious history of The Regiment.
In recognition of over 10 years of outstanding service to the Liverpool Scottish and in acknowledgement of the affection and respect held for him by all ranks, Jack Thorpe is most strongly recommended for the award of the Liverpool Scottish Order of Merit.
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