Three Reservists, a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer (CFAV) and two civil servants have been formally recognised by the Lord-Lieutenant for the City of Glasgow for their exceptional service.
The awards presentation, which took place at Glasgow City Chambers on Wednesday 18 March, saw the awardees receive their Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificates of Meritorious Service, a highly coveted accolade within the Defence Community.
The Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren, who is also HM The King’s personal representative for the City of Glasgow, signed and presented each certificate to thank the worthy recipients for their significant contribution to both their military and civilian communities.
In an official statement, the Lord Provost paid tribute to the Glasgow and wider Defence communities, saying: ‘It is my great pleasure to host the Lord-Lieutenant’s Awards presentation at City Chambers, and to present these awards to such deserving recipients.
‘Glasgow has a highly distinguished military history, and currently we have more than 1,000 Armed Forces Reservists affiliated with the city. This year’s awardees, once again, are a shining example of that continuing legacy of diligence, dedication and duty.
‘This evening’s awards presentation is also an opportunity for me to convey my sincere gratitude to our local Cadet Force Adult Volunteers for their unwavering commitment to the young people in their care. Sharing their skills, knowledge and time to mentor and support future generations is nothing short of inspirational.’
Three Reservists and a civil servant from local Army Reserve, Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) units received Certificates of Meritorious Service during the ceremony. The recipients currently serve with the following units:
- 602 Squadron (City of Glasgow) Royal Auxiliary Air Force
- 207 (City of Glasgow) Battery, 105 Regiment Royal Artillery
- HMS Dalriada, Royal Naval Reserve
207 Battery’s Sergeant David Milton was delighted to have received such a distinguished recognition for his service, commenting: ‘This is a great achievement, especially after the years I’ve served as both a Regular and a Reservist. With me coming to the latter end of my military career, it is a great high note on which to go out.
‘I have served in many locations across the globe, including Cyprus, Iraq, Canada, Kosovo and the Falkland Islands, but I’ve always felt Scotland was home for me. Representing the City of Glasgow Gunners fills me with immense pride, and working with personnel from all walks of life within my job just makes it so much better.’
Lieutenant Craig Pollock and Leading Hand Walter Finlayson of HMS Dalriada were equally pleased to receive their Certificates of Meritorious Service, with Leading Hand Finlayson saying: ‘It’s an achievement that I feel really proud of, and I’m honoured to be able to celebrate the occasion at such a fantastic event with my family.
‘Glasgow is where my unit is based so I feel an affiliation with the city due to the various events I’ve taken part in while representing HMS Dalriada. I’ve also been fortunate enough to represent my unit overseas, such as working alongside the Royal Marines in Norway as part of their winter training exercise, deployments to Bahrain and Oman, supporting the UK Government and Armed Forces’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and acting as a Service Steward at Wimbledon.
‘I have learned many new skills, improved my confidence, gained amazing friends and overall I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Royal Naval Reserve. I would encourage anyone with an interest to think about getting involved.’
Lieutenant Pollock said of his own experience: ‘Receiving the Lord-Lieutenant’s award is a huge honour and was admittedly unexpected. I still maintain that I was just doing my job but there is a phenomenal team at HMS Dalriada and I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone for their contribution and support.
‘I’ve been a Reservist for over ten years now and the highlight for me has to be mobilising as an Able Rate aboard HMS Forth. Sailing from Faslane to Gibraltar, and then to Cape Verde before crossing the Atlantic and heading down to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia was an epic experience.
‘It’s a well-used phrase, but being a Reservist really is the best of both worlds. Spending the weekend contributing to Defence activity before heading back to my desk on Monday and telling my colleagues all about it when they ask, “How was your weekend?” is still a strange experience, but in a very positive way.’
Awards were also presented to a CFAV and a civil servant from Glasgow & Lanarkshire Battalion Army Cadet Force (ACF), acknowledging their commitment to providing the best possible learning and development experiences for the Cadets in their care.
Colonel Ted Shields, Chief Executive of Lowland RFCA, said of this year’s award recipients: ‘I congratulate and thank all our Reservists, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and Civilians whose dedication and service have been officially recognised by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the City of Glasgow.
‘It is often said that our Reservists and volunteers are “twice the citizen” – committed to serving our Nation and their communities on top of their everyday jobs and personal lives. It is a tall order, and those who have received Certificates of Meritorious Service have gone above and beyond in this respect. Their respective units and organisations have all benefited from their skills, determination and selflessness. They are a credit to the Defence community and the Nation. Thank you and well done.’
