The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V and comprises five classes across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order.
The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for valour. It is awarded "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger", not in the presence of the enemy, to members of the British armed forces and to British civilians. Posthumous awards have been allowed since it was instituted. It was previously awarded to residents of Commonwealth countries, most of which have since established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians including police, emergency services and merchant seamen. Many of the awards have been personally presented by the British monarch to recipients or, in the case of posthumous awards, to next of kin. The investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful command and leadership during active operations, typically in actual combat. Since 1993 it has been awarded specifically for "highly successful command and leadership during active operations", with all ranks being eligible. It is a level 2A decoration (order) in the British system of military decorations.
The Australian honours and awards system refers to all orders, decorations, and medals, as instituted by letters patent from the Monarch of Australia and countersigned by the Australian prime minister at the time, that have been progressively introduced since 14 February 1975. The Australian honours and awards system excludes all state and local government, and private, issued awards and medals.
To be mentioned in dispatches describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy is described.
Keith Payne, is a retired Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. Payne's VC was awarded for his actions during the Vietnam War. Aged 90, he is the last living Australian recipient of the original Imperial Victoria Cross.
The British Empire Medal is a British and Commonwealth award for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. The current honour was created in 1922 to replace the original medal, which had been established in 1917 as part of the Order of the British Empire.
The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own honours systems. The medal was established on 7 July 1909, initially inspired by the need to recognise the gallantry of the police officers involved in the Tottenham Outrage. Renamed the King's Police and Fire Services Medal (KPFSM) in 1940, it was replaced on 19 May 1954 by the Queen's Police Medal (QPM), when a separate Queen's Fire Service Medal was also instituted. The current award was renamed the King's Police Medal following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 and the accession of King Charles III to the throne of the United Kingdom.
The orders, decorations, and medals of Canada comprise a complex system by which Canadians are honoured by the country's sovereign for actions or deeds that benefit their community or the country at large. Modelled on its British predecessor, the structure originated in the 1930s, but began to come to full fruition at the time of Canada's centennial in 1967, with the establishment of the Order of Canada, and has since grown in both size and scope to include dynastic and national orders, state, civil, and military decorations; and various campaign medals. The monarch in right of each Canadian province also issues distinct orders and medals to honour residents for work performed in just their province. The provincial honours, as with some of their national counterparts, grant the use of post-nominal letters and or supporters and other devices to be used on personal coats of arms.
The following is the Canadian order of precedence for decorations and medals in the Canadian Honours System. Where applicable, post-nominal letters are indicated.
The Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) is a decoration established by Queen Victoria in April 1896. A part of the Royal Victorian Order, it is a reward for personal service to the Sovereign or the royal family, and is the personal gift of the Sovereign. It differs from other grades of the order in appearance and in the way it is worn.
The King's Gallantry Medal (KGM), formerly the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM), is a United Kingdom decoration awarded for exemplary acts of bravery where the services were not so outstanding as to merit the George Medal, but above the level required for the King's Commendation for Bravery.
The Star of Gallantry (SG) is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other persons recognised by the Minister for Defence. It is awarded for acts of great heroism or conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of great peril. It is the second highest of the military gallantry awards in the Australian Honours System, only surpassed by the Victoria Cross or Victoria Cross for Australia (VC).
The Medal for Gallantry(MG) is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It recognises acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances. The MG was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent. It is ranked third in the Gallantry Decorations in the Australian Honours System. Recipients of the Medal of Gallantry are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "MG".
The British Armed Forces recognises service and personal accomplishments of individuals while a member of the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force with the awarding of various awards and decorations.
The Order of Wearing of Australian honours includes Imperial honours if they were awarded prior to 6 October 1992. Imperial honours awarded after 5 October 1992 are considered foreign.
Major General John Curtis Hartley, is an Australian defence and intelligence strategist and a retired officer of the Australian Army. He joined the army via the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1962, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and spent much of his career in military intelligence. He twice deployed on operations during the Vietnam War, during which he was Mentioned in Despatches on two occasions and seriously wounded, and commanded the Albury–Wodonga Military Area and the Army Apprentices' School (1984–87). He served as General Officer Commanding Training Command (1991–92), Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation (1992–95), Deputy Chief of Army (1995–98), and Land Commander Australia (1998–00). Since his retirement from the army in 2000, Hartley has been involved in community and veterans' organisations and is an active contributor to discussion on defence and strategic issues.
In 1993 two separate reviews reported on the British honours system. The first, under prime minister John Major, reported in March and focused on civilian awards. The second was started in March, at Major's suggestion, and carried out by the Ministry of Defence. Major's review abolished the minimum rank requirements for certain civilian awards when made to military personnel and ended the practice of making awards purely on the basis of the recipient holding a certain appointment in the public or private sector. Major's review also ended the award of the British Empire Medal (BEM) and Imperial Service Order (ISO), compensated for by increasing the number of awards made to the Order of the British Empire. As a means of increasing the proportion of awards made to community figures and the voluntary sector he introduced direct nominations from the general public.
The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood has, at irregular intervals, notified for general information the positioning of the wearing of Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom in the London Gazette. The Order of Wear was last published in 2019.
Victoria Cross/Victoria Cross for Australia [4] VC
Cross of Valour CV
Knight/Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter [note 1] KG/LG
Knight/Lady of the Order of the Thistle [note 1] KT/LT
Member of the Order of Merit [note 1] OM (Civil Division and Military Division)
Knight/Dame of the Order of Australia [note 2] AK/AD
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order [note 1] GCVO
(Military Division)
Star of Gallantry SG
Star of Courage SC
Distinguished Service Cross DSC
Conspicuous Service Cross CSC
Nursing Service Cross NSC
Medal for Gallantry MG
Bravery Medal BM
Distinguished Service Medal DSM
Public Service Medal PSM
Australian Police Medal APM
Australian Fire Service Medal AFSM
Ambulance Service Medal ASM
Emergency Services Medal ESM
Australian Corrections Medal [note 3] ACM
Australian Intelligence Medal [note 4] AIM
Order of St John [note 1] [5] 
Conspicuous Service Medal CSM
Australian Antarctic Medal AAM
Commendation for Gallantry 
Commendation for Brave Conduct 
Commendation for Distinguished Service 
Australia Service Medal 1939-45 
Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 [note 5] 
Vietnam Medal 
Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal [note 6] 
Australian Active Service Medal [note 5] 
International Force East Timor Medal (INTERFET)
Afghanistan Medal 
Iraq Medal 
Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 [note 5] 
Australian General Service Medal for Korea 
Australian Service Medal [note 5] 
Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection [6] 
Australian Operational Service Medal – Greater Middle East Operation 
Australian Operational Service Medal – Special Operations 
Australian Operational Service Medal - Counter Terrorism/Special Recovery 
Australian Operational Service Medal - Africa 
Australian Operational Service Medal – Civilian 
Rhodesia Medal 
Police Overseas Service Medal 
Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal 
National Emergency Medal [note 7] 
Civilian Service Medal 1939–1945 
National Police Service Medal [note 8] 
King Edward VII Coronation Medal (1902)
King George V Coronation Medal (1911)
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)
King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal [note 1] [note 9] (2002)
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal [note 1] [note 9] (2012)
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal [note 1] [note 9] (2022)
King Charles III Coronation Medal [note 1] [note 9] (2023)
80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal (1999)
Australian Sports Medal (2000)
Centenary Medal (2001)
Defence Force Service Medal 
Reserve Force Decoration RFD
Reserve Force Medal 
Defence Long Service Medal 
National Medal 
Australian Defence Medal 
Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal 
Champion Shots Medal 
Service Medal of the Order of St John [10] 
Anniversary of National Service 1951–1972 Medal 
