and non-commissioned officers and privates of the Royal Marines, are eligible for this decoration. Prior to the institution of this decoration, acts of gallantry by sailors and marines were rewarded by the same medal as that given to the army before the “medal for distinguished conduct in the field” was instituted, viz. the “Meritorious Service” medal. If the holder be a Chief or First Class Petty Officer, or a Sergeant of Marines, the award carries with it an annuity of £20 per annum; and if a recipient’s service ends before his reaching one of those ranks, he may receive a gratuity of £20 on discharge.
7. Albert Medal (for saving life on land).—Instituted by Royal Warrant, 30th of April 1877. 1st Class—Similar to that of the 1st Class for saving life at sea, but the enamelling is in red instead of blue, and there is no anchor interlaced with the monogram V.A. Ribbon: Crimson, with four white stripes. Clasps: for subsequent acts of same character. 2nd Class—Badge similar to that of the 2nd Class for saving life at sea, but the enamelling is in red instead of blue, and there is no anchor interlaced with the monogram V.A. Ribbon: Crimson, with two white stripes. Clasps: As authorized for 1st Class.
The conditions governing the award of this decoration are the same that govern the award for saving life at sea. Originally the award was restricted to acts of gallantry performed within British dominions, but this restriction was removed by Royal Warrant, 5th of June 1905.
8. Distinguished Conduct in the Field (Colonial ).—Instituted by a Royal Warrant, 24th of May 1894, which was later cancelled and superseded by Royal Warrant, 31st of May 1895. Obverse: same as “Distinguished Conduct in the Field” (Army). Reverse: same as “Army” medal, but with the name of the colony inscribed above the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field.” Ribbon: Crimson, with a line of the colonial colour in the centre. Clasps: Authorized for subsequent acts of valour. Every colony or protectorate, having permanently embodied forces, draws up regulations to govern the issue of these medals as suit its own particular requirements, but in all essentials these regulations are modelled on those that govern the award of the Distinguished Conduct in the Field (Army).
9. Conspicuous Service Cross.—Instituted by an Order in Council, 15th of June 1901. Silver cross, with the reverse side plain; on the obverse, in the centre, the Imperial and Royal Cypher, E.R.I., surmounted by the imperial crown. Ribbon: Three stripes equal width, outside white, centre blue. Clasps: none authorized.
This award is to recognize “Distinguished Service before the Enemy.” Its grant is confined to “Warrant Officers or Subordinate Officers” of the Royal Navy. Such, not being of “lower-deck rating,” are not eligible for the “Conspicuous Gallantry” medal; also, they, “by reason of not holding a commission in the Royal Navy, are not eligible to any existing Order or Decoration.”
10. Edward Medal.—Founded in 1907 to reward acts of courage in saving life in mines, this medal was extended in 1909 (R.W. Dec. 3) so as to be awarded “to those who in course of industrial employment endanger their own lives in saving or endeavouring to save the lives of others from perils incurred in connexion with such industrial employment.”
Certain important medals and decorations for saving life are not the gift of the Crown. These are allowed to be worn in uniform on the right breast. They are the medals of the Royal Humane Society, those given by the Board of Trade for gallantry in saving life at sea, the medals of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, those of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society, Lloyd’s Honorary Silver Medal, Liverpool Shipwrecked and Humane Society’s Medals, and the Stanhope Gold Medal.
All these are suspended from a dark blue ribbon with the exception of the medals of the S.F. and M. Royal Benevolent Society, which has a light blue ribbon, and the Stanhope Gold Medal which has a broad dark blue centre, edged with yellow, and black borders. These medals are usually struck in silver or bronze, but occasionally gold medals are awarded. The Stanhope Gold Medal is annually awarded for the most gallant of all the acts of rescue for which the society have awarded medals during the year. This award has been frequently earned by officers or men of the Royal Navy. It is, in fact, the “Victoria Cross” of awards of this character.
The following are decorations for special merit:—
1. Order of British India.—Instituted by General Order of Governor-General of India, 17th of April 1837. 1st Class—A gold star of eight points radiated, 158 in. in diameter, between the two top points the crown of England. In the centre, on a ground of light blue enamel, a gold lion statant, within a band of dark blue enamel, containing in gold letters ORDER OF BRITISH INDIA, the whole encircled by a gold laurel wreath. The whole hangs from the ribbon by a gold loop attached by a ring to the top of the crown, and is worn round the neck, outside the uniform. Ribbon: originally sky-blue, changed to crimson 1838. 2nd Class—Gold star similar to that of the 1st Class, but smaller, 112 in. diameter, and without the crown. The centre also is similar to that of the 1st Class star, but the enamelling is all dark blue. Suspended and worn as in the 1st Class. Ribbon: As in 1st Class.
This, the highest military distinction to which in the ordinary course native officers of the Indian Army can attain, and confined to them, is a reward for long, honourable and specially meritorious service. The 1st Class is composed exclusively of officers of and above the rank of Subadar in the artillery and infantry, or of a corresponding rank in the other branches of the service. The 2nd Class is open to all native commissioned officers, irrespective of their rank. Originally the order was limited to 100 in the 1st Class and the same number in the 2nd, but it now comprises 215 in the 1st Class and 324 in the 2nd Class. Officers in the 1st Class are entitled to the title of “Sirdar Bahadur,” and receive a daily allowance of two rupees in addition to the pay, allowances or pension of their rank, while those of the 2nd Class are styled “Bahadur,” and receive an extra one rupee per diem.
2. Ability and Good Conduct.—Instituted in 1842. Obverse: A paddle-wheel steamship. Reverse: Crown and anchor, and inscribed, FOR ABILITY AND GOOD CONDUCT. Ribbon: None authorized.
No official documents as regards the institution of this decoration are now to be found at the Admiralty, but only engineers were eligible for the award, and it carried no gratuity or annuity. Only six were ever awarded. When, in 1847, engineers were raised to the rank of warrant officers, the issue of this decoration was discontinued. It had a ring for suspension, and was probably worn with the narrow navy blue ribbon of the “Long Service and Good Conduct” medal of the period.
3. Meritorious Service (Army and Royal Marines).—Instituted by Royal Warrant, 19th December 1845, for army only; grant extended to Royal Marines by Order in Council, 15th January 1849. Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria as on China medal.[1] Reverse: FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE, within a laurel wreath. Ribbon: Crimson for army (Plate II.); navy blue for Royal Marines. Only non-commissioned officers of or above the rank of sergeant are eligible for this decoration. It carries with it an annuity not exceeding £20 per annum; but, as the total sum available is strictly limited, the number of these medals that is issued is small, and a non-commissioned officer who is recommended may have to wait many years before his turn comes and he receives the award. The qualification for recommendation is long, efficient and meritorious service, and need not necessarily, although in many cases it does, include any special display of personal gallantry in action. For many years the “meritorious service” medal was considered to cancel the “long service and good conduct” medal, but by A.O. 250 of 1902 both medals can be worn together.[2]
4. The Distinguished Service Order (see Knighthood) is given only to officers (and naval and military officials of officer rank, not including Indian native officers) for services in war. Often it is the reward of actual conspicuous gallantry under fire, but its purpose, as defined in the Royal Warrant instituting the order, is to reward “individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war;” and the same document declares that only those shall be eligible who have been mentioned “in despatches for meritorious or distinguished service in the field, or before the enemy.” In the main, therefore, it is awarded for special services in war, and not necessarily under fire; and although the services rewarded are as a fact generally rendered in action, the order is in no sense a sort of second class of the Victoria Cross. Like the latter, the Distinguished Service Order is generally referred to by its initials.
5. The Royal Red Cross is also an Order. Membership is restricted to women (not necessarily British subjects), and is given as a reward for naval or military nursing service. Instituted 1883.
6. The Kaisar-i-Hind Medal is given for public services in India.
7. The Volunteer Officers’ Decoration.—Instituted in 1892. An oval of silver, crossed at intervals with gold, in the centre the monogram V.R. and crown in gold. Worn from a ring. Ribbon: Dark green.
This decoration was instituted in 1892, and is the reward of twenty years’ service in the commissioned ranks of the volunteer force. It is generally called the “V.D.” Since the conversion of the Volunteer into the Territorial Force (1908) it has been replaced by THE TERRITORIAL OFFICERS’ DECORATION. Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve and of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve are eligible for a similar decoration (1910).
8. The Long Service and Good Conduct (Army) Medal was instituted in 1833. Obverse: A trophy of arms.[3] Reverse: FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT. Ribbon: Crimson, as for “Meritorious Service” medal (Plate II.).
This is a reward for “long service with irreproachable character and conduct,” the qualifying period of service being 18 years.
- ↑ Now naval effigy of King Edward VII., as on Transport Service medal.
- ↑ Other “Meritorious” or “Long Service” medals worn with a crimson ribbon are the former Long Service medal of the H.E.I. Company’s European troops and the Meritorious and Long Service medals of the Indian Native Army.
- ↑ Now replaced by military effigy of King Edward VII.
