xml form validation UI error message not shown?

I have an action.class that submits to a database from a .jsp form.
I have placed action-vaildator.xml along side my action class as documented here
http://struts.apache.org/2.2.3/docs/form-validation-using-xml.html

Although it successfully prevents data being submitted unless the required field is populated the warning message does not appear

below is my action class, vaildator .xml and jsp page

package com.mkyong.customer.action;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;

import org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext;
import org.hibernate.Session;
import org.hibernate.SessionFactory;

import com.paul.customer.model.Customer;
import com.paul.listener.HibernateListener;
import com.sun.istack.internal.NotNull;
import com.opensymphony.xwork2.ActionSupport;
import com.opensymphony.xwork2.ModelDriven;
import com.opensymphony.xwork2.validator.annotations.*;
 
@Validation
public class CustomerAction extends ActionSupport 
	implements ModelDriven{
	Customer customer = new Customer();
	List<Customer> customerList = new ArrayList<Customer>();
	public String execute() throws Exception {
		return SUCCESS;
	}
	public Object getModel() {
		return customer;
	}
	public List<Customer> getCustomerList() {
		return customerList;
	}
	public void setCustomerList(List<Customer> customerList) {
		this.customerList = customerList;
	}
	//save customer
	public String addCustomer() throws Exception{
		//get hibernate session from the servlet context
		SessionFactory sessionFactory = 
	         (SessionFactory) ServletActionContext.getServletContext()
                     .getAttribute(HibernateListener.KEY_NAME);
		Session session = sessionFactory.openSession();
		//save it
		customer.setCreatedDate(new Date());
		session.beginTransaction();
		session.save(customer);
		session.getTransaction().commit();
		//reload the customer list
		customerList = null;
		customerList = session.createQuery("from Customer").list();
		return SUCCESS;
	}
	//list all customers
	public String listCustomer() throws Exception{
		//get hibernate session from the servlet context
		SessionFactory sessionFactory = 
	         (SessionFactory) ServletActionContext.getServletContext()
                     .getAttribute(HibernateListener.KEY_NAME);
		Session session = sessionFactory.openSession();
		customerList = session.createQuery("from Customer").list();
		return SUCCESS;
	}	
}

should it be
<message>First name is required.</message>
<param name="fieldName">name</param>

I changed the vaildation.xml to

<validators>
<validator type="requiredstring">
<param name="fieldname">customer.name</param>
<message>First name is required.</message>
</validator>
</validators>

but now no input is successfully validated and no UI error message is recieved

Can anyone confirm do I need a struts.properties file for struts2 .xml vaildation?
It does reference it here
http://struts.apache.org/2.3.1/docs/form-validation.html

but in this forum post it seems to provide the answer
http://www.coderanch.com/t/552422/Struts/Form-Validation-xml-struts

somthing like

label.name= OS
label.notes= notes

errors.OS= Required Field
errors.name = Reqjuired Field

humm still not seeing any warning message

Is it important to set a 'Key' variable for the field?

I think we are going down the wrong avenue here because the xml validation is working; so the correct fields are being identified its only the messages that are not being shown.

It makes me think the problem is on the .jsp view not holding the required error field

<s:form action="addCustomerAction">
<s:fielderror><s:param>name</s:param></s:fielderror>
<s:textfield name="name" key="global.name" label="OS" value=""/>
<s:textarea name="notes" key="global.notes" label="Notes" value="" cols="50" rows="5" />
<s:submit validate="true" />
</s:form>

Hi Hope,
I never worked with struts 2 but for 1.x, however could you see what the servlet converted from JSP (from the cache) is rendering as. May be the servlet might give more insight on -from where it is trying to read the content/message.

Rob, in your validation.xml you have the field specified as "customer.name", but in the jsp you have just "name". Have you tried using "customer.name" in the jsp?

That will not work

if I change the field in the .jsp to customer.name then it is impossible to successfully validate the form

<s:form action="addCustomerAction">
<s:fielderror><s:param>customer.name</s:param></s:fielderror>
<s:textfield name="customer.name" key="customer.name" label="OS" value=""/>
<s:textarea name="notes" key="global.notes" label="Notes" value="" cols="50" rows="5" />
<s:submit validate="true" />
</s:form>

Because my validation.xml is looking for a field called name

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE validators PUBLIC
"-//OpenSymphony Group//XWork Validator 1.0.2//EN"
"http://www.opensymphony.com/xwork/xwork-validator-1.0.2.dtd">
<validators>
<field name="name">
<field-validator type="requiredstring">
<message>OS is required</message>
</field-validator>
</field>
</validators>

*bump

Still struggling with this problem;can anyone take a fresh look?