Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Congratulations to Adrian Fulcher (Thornton A 1970-77, Senior Grecian), Counsellor at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on his appointment as a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George.

Call me God ! (CMG)

Returned from your trip in fine form I see Neill!

He had to get back.

The World Cup is on !!

That seems like a good reason to sta away!

midget wrote:That seems like a good reason to sta away!

If England are going to play Algeria like they played the USA it'll soon be all over, Midget!

Rex wrote:Congratulations to Adrian Fulcher (Thornton A 1970-77, Senior Grecian), Counsellor at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on his appointment as a Commander of the Order of St Michael & St George.

What is a Comm. of the O. of S.M. & S.G.? Is it the kind of honour only civil servants get? I remember a hated old boss of mine sneering at the I.S.O.s awarded to Paperkeepers & the like. He expected at least an MBE. He got an I.S.O., larf larf!!!

anniexf wrote:What is a Comm. of the O. of S.M. & S.G.?

The Order of St Michael and St George is an order of chivalry founded in 1818 "to honour individuals who have rendered important services in relation to Commonwealth or foreign nations" and therefore consists mainly of diplomats, I think.

Companion (not Commander as I originally wrote) is the first level, above which come Knight (or Dame) Commander and Knight (or Dame) Grand Cross.

The three abbreviations, CMG, KCMG and GCMG, are popularly said to stand for "Call Me God", "Keep Calling Me God" and "God Calls Me God" - hence Neill's comment above.

Among the current Knights Grand Cross is Sir John Whitehead (Coleridge A 1943-50, Governor & Almoner), formerly Ambassador to Japan.

Thanks for that, Rex; he sounds a very distinguished gentleman.

anniexf wrote:

Rex wrote:Congratulations to Adrian Fulcher (Thornton A 1970-77, Senior Grecian), Counsellor at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on his appointment as a Commander of the Order of St Michael & St George.

What is a Comm. of the O. of S.M. & S.G.? Is it the kind of honour only civil servants get? I remember a hated old boss of mine sneering at the I.S.O.s awarded to Paperkeepers & the like. He expected at least an MBE. He got an I.S.O., larf larf!!!

There was a time when, if you worked for the National Savings Dept, kept your nose clean and to the grindstone, you got an honour, the lowest, and most often awarded being the British Empire Medal ( now abolished). Nobody quite knew why, but it seemed to be that way.

I am very glad to see that the,former,class distinction of "Awards" has been dropped.
The Military Cross, (MC) previously awarded only to Officers, is now awarded to all ranks. Rather than the Military Medal (MM)
The Distingiushed Service Medal (My Grandfather, for "Running away") was for "Other Ranks".
The DSO (as above, bur "Order") was for Officers
In the Army, MBEs were for Majors and below, OBEs for Lt. Colonels and above.
VCs (My Great Uncle) were for all ranks, from their institution, as they should be !!


I have pointed out, previously, that two Heroes in any Family, is sufficient Quota -----

I, therefore, allowed other Families their rightful share

anniexf wrote:Thanks for that, Rex; he sounds a very distinguished gentleman.

When Adrian was a school monitor he once caught me smoking in the Tube - didn't do anything about it, though.

Richard Ruck wrote: When Adrian was a school monitor he once caught me smoking in the Tube - didn't do anything about it, though.

Sounds a decent, civilised sort of bloke!

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:I am very glad to see that the,former,class distinction of "Awards" has been dropped.

I recall that the soldiers who carried Churchill's coffin were given BEMs, while the officer in charge got an MBE. Very British.