Old soldiers angry after cleric says: 'no medals for killing'

The Reverend Ian Galloway, the convener of the church and society council of the Church of Scotland, said it was "terrible" those who have killed on the battlefield were given honours.

He made his remarks before MSPs on a special Holyrood committee considered Margo MacDonald's bid to legalise assisted suicide. Ms MacDonald pointed out that there were circumstances in which those who ended the life of another person were rewarded.

She said: "We award medals to soldiers who have killed other soldiers, and that's the taking of human life."

However, Mr Galloway told her: "I don't think that's a good idea that we do that, I think it's terrible, I think we should change it."

Ms MacDonald asked him: "What, no medals?"

He said: "Absolutely. I think that killing in wars is tragic. I think the fact that they happen is tragic, and if it is a necessity that we do these things, I do have a bit of a problem about the way that our values system holds that up."

His view outraged Neil Griffiths of the Royal British Legion Scotland, who said: "This makes me very angry. When soldiers put their lives on the line and commit an act of courage while defending their country or countrymen, then the very least we can do is acknowledge the risks they take and the sacrifices they make." I am appalled and horrified that somebody thinks that shouldn't be the case. A medal is a small but poignant symbol of what may be the most traumatic day of the recipient's life.

"Churchill said that while a medal sparkles, it also throws a shadow and I believe that to be true. For someone to suggest that the country shouldn't honour soldiers who are prepared to die on that country's behalf is beyond comprehension. I find it dismaying that someone could demand that such a small but important thing should be stopped."

Later Mr Galloway appeared to back-pedal when he issued a statement saying: "What I would want to say is that we rightly recognise valour in combat rather than the act of killing, and it is that valour that we award medals for."