EDM 1254: Service with the British Commanders’-In-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, 1946-1990

That this House recognises the courage, service and commitment of the service personnel who served in the British Commanders’-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany (BRIXMIS) in East Germany during the Cold War; further recognises the high risk involved in the conduct of the intelligence collection patrols campaign against Warsaw-Pact forces, unarmed, without protective equipment or communications devices; highlights the vital value of the raw, actionable intelligence gathered; also recognises that the East German secret police and military forces were directed to kill or injure members of the Allied Military Liaison Missions, British (BRIXMIS), United States (USMLM) and French (FMLM) military personnel; notes that the duration of the operation which spanned from September 1946 to October 1990 saw the award of 58 OBE, MBE and BEM awards and honours, but leaves around 900 former service personnel with no formal recognition of their endeavour; highlights that there is a precedent for the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for non-kinetic operations; and recommends that there should be an award of a BRIXMIS clasp for the General Service Medal, with all those who served during the campaign eligible for receipt of the clasp.