Canadian Forces' Decoration

Last updated

Canadian Forces' Decoration
CD Medal.jpg
TypeLong service and good conduct medal
Awarded for12 years service with the Regular or Reserve forces
Presented byThe Monarch of Canada
EligibilityMembers of the Canadian Forces
Post-nominalsCD
Clasps Bars awarded for every 10 years thereafter
StatusCurrently awarded
Established15 December 1949
First awarded7 June 1951
CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon.svg – 12 years

CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon with one bar.svg – 22 years

CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon with two bars.svg – 32 years

CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon with three bars.svg – 42 years

CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon with four bars.svg – 52 years

CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon with five bars.svg – 62 years
Ribbons and rosettes
Precedence
Next (higher)
Next (lower)

The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. [1] By convention, it is also given to the governor general of Canada upon their appointment, which includes the title of Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada. [2] The decoration is awarded to all ranks, who must have a good record of conduct during the final eight years of claimed service. [1]

Contents

The first governor general to receive the CD was Viscount Alexander of Tunis in 1951. [3] The medal was initially awarded to all members of the Royal Family who served in the Canadian Forces, even without completion of twelve years of service; this has, however, not been automatic since 1953. [3]

Criteria

The decoration is awarded to officers and non-commissioned members of the Regular and Reserve forces, including honorary appointments within the Canadian Armed Forces. However, time served while on the Supplementary Reserve List does not apply. The medal may be awarded to persons in possession of any long service, good conduct, or efficiency decoration or medal clasps, provided that the individual has completed the full qualifying periods of service for each award and that no service qualifying towards one award is permitted to count towards any other.

Service in the regular and reserve or auxiliary forces of the Commonwealth of Nations is counted towards the decoration if the final five years have been served with the Canadian Armed Forces and no other long service, good conduct, or efficiency medal has been awarded for the same service.

Appearance

The medal is decagonal (ten-sided, representing the ten provinces), 36 millimetres across the flats, with raised busts. [1] The King George VI medal is .800 fine silver and gilded. The Queen Elizabeth II medal is tombac (a copper-zinc alloy). A gilded copper version was introduced in 2008. The King George VI medal has the uncrowned coinage head of King George VI, facing left, with the inscription Georgivs VI D: G: Britt: omn: Rex Fid: Def [lower-alpha 1] around the edge. The Queen Elizabeth II medal has the uncrowned coinage head of Queen Elizabeth II, facing right, with the inscription around the edge Elizabeth II Dei gratia Regina [lower-alpha 2] with the word Canada at the bottom. The reverse of the medal has a naval crown, three maple leaves and an eagle representing the navy, army and air force from top to bottom. The word service is on a scroll at the base and a fleur-de-lis is on each side of the crown. The royal cypher is superimposed on the centre of the King George VI medal, but is omitted from the Queen Elizabeth II medal. [3] The King George VI medal has the name and rank of the person to whom the medal was awarded engraved on the reverse of the solid bar while the Queen Elizabeth II medal has the name and rank engraved around the edge of the medal. Early Queen Elizabeth II medals had the letters stamped rather than engraved. [3]

A clasp, also known as a bar, is awarded for every 10 years of subsequent service. [1] The clasp is tombac and is 14 inch (6.4 mm) high, has the Canadian coat of arms in the centre surmounted by a crown, and is gold in colour. This is indicated on the undress ribbon by a rosette. [1]

Recipients of the Canadian Forces Decoration are entitled to use the post nominal letters "CD". This post-nominal is not affected by the awarding of clasps. [1]

Notable recipients

Notes and references

Explanatory notes

  1. Latin: Dei gratia Britanniarum omnium Rex Fidei Defensor, lit. 'By the grace of God of all the Britains King, Defender of the Faith'
  2. lit.'By the grace of God Queen'

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD) – Canadian Honours Chart – Directorate of Honours and Recognition". Department of National Defence – Government of Canada. 2008. Archived from the original on 21 March 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  2. "Efficiency and Long Service Decorations and Medals – Canadian Forces Decoration – CD". Veterans Affairs Canada. 2001. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 McCreery, Christopher (2005). The Canadian Honours System. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN   9781550025545.
  4. McCreery
  5. "The Duke receives a 5th Clasp to his Canadian Forces Decoration for 62 years' service in The Royal Canadian Regiment". Twitter. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  6. 12 Jan 2015 story accessed 5 December 2023, https://wawataynews.ca/home/longest-serving-ranger-honoured

General and cited references

Related Research Articles

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 Gulf and Kuwait Medal was a campaign medal created in 1990 to recognize members of the Canadian Forces who had directly participated in the Gulf War, either in the hostilities themselves or during the troop build-up prior to the invasion of Iraq. It is, within the Canadian system of honours, the third highest of the war and operational service medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Service Medal (1918)</span> Award

The General Service Medal was instituted to recognise service in minor Army and Royal Air Force operations for which no separate medal was intended. Local forces, including police, qualified for many of the clasps, as could units of the Indian Army prior to 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Efficiency Award</span>

The Air Efficiency Award, post-nominal letters AE for officers, was instituted in 1942. It could be awarded after ten years of meritorious service to officers, airmen and airwomen in the Auxiliary and Volunteer Air Forces of the United Kingdom and the Territorial Air Forces and Air Force Reserves of the Dominions, the Indian Empire, Burma, the Colonies and Protectorates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korea Medal</span> Award

The Korea Medal, sometimes referred to as the Queen's Korea Medal to distinguish it from the United Nations Service Medal, is a campaign medal created in 1951 to recognize troops from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom who had given either one day's service in an air sortie over Korea, or 28 days service offshore, during the Korean War. The medal was identical in all countries where it was awarded, except for Canada where it contained unique elements. An award distributed across the Commonwealth, the Korea Medal holds a different place in each country's order of precedence for honours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve</span> Award

The Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, post-nominal letters VD until c. 1947 and VRD thereafter, was instituted in 1908. It could be awarded to part-time commissioned officers in the United Kingdom's Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve after twenty years of service as efficient and thoroughly capable officers. The decoration was a Naval version of the Volunteer Officers' Decoration and its successor, the Territorial Decoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Efficiency Medal</span> Award

The Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, or of the other Auxiliary Military Forces throughout the British Empire. At the same time a clasp was instituted for award to holders of the medal upon completion of further periods of six years of efficient service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Efficiency Decoration</span> Award

The Efficiency Decoration, post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces, was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twenty years of service as an efficient and thoroughly capable officer. The decoration superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Territorial Decoration.

The South-West Asia Service Medal is a campaign medal created in 2002 by the Canadian monarch-in-Council to recognize members of the Canadian Forces who had directly participated in efforts to combat terrorism in Southwest Asia following the Al-Qaeda attacks on the United States in 2001. It is, within the Canadian system of honours, the fifth highest of the war and operational service medals.

The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea was a campaign medal created in 1991 by the Canadian monarch-in-Council to recognize former members of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force who had volunteered to participate in the Korean War, either on the Korean Peninsula itself or in surrounding areas. It is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest of the war and operational service medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military)</span> Award

The Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) is a medal awarded to regular members of the armed forces. It was instituted by King George V in 1930 and replaced the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal as well as the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal. The medal was originally awarded to Regular Army warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the UK Armed Forces. It also had a number of territorial versions for the Permanent Forces of the British Dominions. The eligibility criteria were relaxed in 1947 to also allow the award of the medal to officers who had served a minimum period in the ranks before being commissioned. Since 2016, the eligibility was widened to include officers who had never served in the ranks, and so the medal can now be awarded to all regular members of the British Armed Forces who meet the required length of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Efficiency Medal (South Africa)</span> Award

The Efficiency Medal (South Africa) was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Citizen Force of the Union of South Africa. At the same time, a clasp was instituted for award to holders of the medal upon completion of further periods of six years of efficient service. The medal superseded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal</span> Award

The Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a decoration for police officers of the United Kingdom. First instituted in 1951, the medal is presented for twenty aggregate years of service in the police services of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Volunteer Reserves Medal</span> Award

The King's Volunteer Reserves Medal (KVRM), originally the Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM), was created by Royal Warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 29 March 1999. Only 13 King's Volunteer Reserves Medals may be awarded in a year. The medal is presented only to members of the Volunteer Reserves of the British Armed Services for exemplary meritorious service in the conduct of their duties. The KVRM is a Level 3 award and ranks in military order of wear immediately after the British Empire Medal. It is the first exclusive award to Volunteer Reserves that is presented at an investiture. The first awards were announced in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours with these first awards presented at an investiture on 5 November 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal</span> Award

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal was established by royal warrant on 6 March 1934 by King George V. It is the oldest continually awarded honour within the Canadian honours system, and the first created specifically for Canadian service within Canada. Initially proposed by the Royal North-West Mounted Police Veterans’ Association, it took more than ten years for the proposal to be realized. The determination of the veterans was aided by the interest of Commissioner Cortlandt Starnes and Prime Minister R.B. Bennett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal</span> British Empire naval volunteer medal for part time ratings

The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, initially designated the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service Medal, was instituted in 1908. It could be awarded to part-time ratings in the United Kingdom's Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve after twelve years of service and good conduct. The medal was a Naval version of the Volunteer Long Service Medal and its successor, the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848)</span> Award

The Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848) is a long service medal awarded to regular members of His Majesty's Naval Service. It was instituted by Queen Victoria to replace the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830), and could be awarded to other ranks and men serving in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Since 2016, after a number of changes in eligibility, all regular members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines who have completed fifteen years of reckonable service can be awarded the medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal</span> Award

The Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a medal awarded to regular members of the Royal Air Force in recognition of long service. It was instituted by King George V in 1919, the year following the establishment of the world's first independent air force. At first, the medal was awarded to Regular Force non-commissioned officers and airmen of the Royal Air Force. The award criteria were later relaxed to also allow the award of the medal to officers who had served a minimum period in the ranks before being commissioned. Since 2016, it is awarded to all regular members of the RAF, including officers who had never served in the ranks.