Medal campaign for British troops

By Caroline Wyatt
BBC News

The US award the Purple Heart to those injured or killed

The campaign for a medal for British troops killed or wounded in action is growing.

Almost 300 MPs have signed an early day motion supporting the idea.

During a private members' debate at Westminster, the defence minister Derek Twigg said it was important to properly recognise servicemen and women's contribution.

But he added that such decisions could not be taken lightly or rushed into.

The pressure on service chiefs to think about such recognition is increasing. The campaign for the medal was started last year by Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan.

In all, 89 servicemen and women have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of operations there. Another 174 have died in Iraq - with hundreds more returning home injured.

GALLANTRY The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed In the UK, the Victoria Cross is the highest decoration for valour awarded to all ranks

MPs from across all parties have backed the early day motion in the Commons - and Colonel Kemp says he hopes defence chiefs will agree.

"For those who have been wounded it would be a formal recognition by the government of the sacrifices they've made and many of them, young men of 18, 19 are facing the rest of their lives without legs, without arms, deaf and blinded, badly burned.

"For the families of those who have been killed it would be a physical representation of the sacrifice that their sons or brothers or fathers had made in battle.

"I think it would be hugely important for their morale."

Such medals have long been awarded in the United States, known there as the Purple Heart.

Many service families here say they would welcome something similar for British forces.

The MoD says there are currently no plans to introduce a new medal, though it says that policy is kept under constant review by the Chiefs of Staff.