Lesbian veterans receive berets decades after ban kept them from Remembrance events

[IwantToRetire]

Twenty veterans of the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) have been formally presented with berets and cap badges at the National Memorial Arboretum – symbols they were once banned from wearing at remembrance events under the Armed Forces' pre-2000 gay ban.

The open-air ceremony in Staffordshire, hosted by the WRAC Association, the servicewomen's charity, was led by Brigadier Clare Phillips, who delivered a formal apology on behalf of the British Army.

More at https://www.forcesnews.com/lgbtq/lesbian-veterans-receive-berets-decades-after-ban-kept-them-remembrance-events

this has been going on in dribs and drabs for a while and i am absolutely over the moon for them.

Several of my friends are affected by this and have bit by bit been getting their berets and apologies.

It is not enough, IMO.

Hard to believe it has taken to 2025 to get this far.

Sadly it isn't a surprise to me. My dad is one of the few remaining nuclear veterans. They might have just been awarded medals, but the MOJ and governments are still denying the effects of radiation and redacting documents.

Is that true.

How really terrible.

And given how many decades ago that was it means all governments since then.

Shame on all of them.

PS Not doubting it is true. More I should have said how can that be true. Well it can obviously.

Amazing that it has taken until 2025! That is a very long time to correct such an obvious wrong.

Don't worry, I knew what you meant.
My dad got off quite lightly compared to some. He's 92 and has 3 types of skin cancer. He's been "awarded" a few thousand pounds once he had notes from consultants confirming they considered the cancer to be due to the testing. His eldest child was born with lower limb defects. Also a common outcome.
The UK lags behind virtually every other country involved, including the US who've paid compensation to British troops involved in US actions. Dad might have had a bit of money, but that's only because of the campaign group BNTVA. There's still no formal recognition of illness, death etc caused by the British state and they won't release medical records taken at the time. No doubt because they prove the damage done.

Yeah - most of us joined early 80s

And I was going to add, and hope it wont seem insensitive, but it is more than likely that some women have died and not been acknowledged.

I was thinking the same thing - the twenty who were honoured were the ones they could find, the ones who wanted to take part, and the ones who are still alive. The true number must be much bigger.
It's good to see some wrongs being righted.
It's good to see lesbians being recognised as lesbians, and not anachronistically as part of the 'LGBTQ+ community'.

there have been others, as mentioned by pp there was a huge WRAC meeting in Cardiff earlier this year where several of my mates got theirs. Some haven't wanted it handled publicly, and others told the army to do one (but want the compensation, as they deserve)

There are meticulous records, and we have been telling everyone we knew so word has been spread. But yeah, there will be a (hopefully) few who will miss out.

Mon the Lionesses