Civil Defence Long Service Medal | |
---|---|
Type | Long service medal |
Presented by | the United Kingdom and Crown dependencies |
Established | 1961 |
Second award clasp | |
Order of Wear | |
Next (higher) | Royal Observer Corps Medal [1] |
Next (lower) | Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal [1] |
The Civil Defence Medal (CDM) is a long service award by the United Kingdom, instituted by Queen Elizabeth II in March 1961 and awarded for 15 years continuous service in a variety of different organisations including the Civil Defence Corps (CD), the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS), the National Hospital Service Reserve (NHSR) and the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation. [2] Qualification was extended in 1963 to Civil Defence personnel in Gibraltar, Hong Kong and Malta. [3]
With most of the eligible organisations disbanded, the medal is currently only awarded to civil defence volunteers on the Isle of Man.
An oval medallion measuring 38mm in height by 32mm wide in silver coloured cupronickel.
Obverse: The crowned head of Queen Elizabeth II and the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF.
Reverse: The original 1961 medal depicted three shields, each bearing the initials of one of the three main services: CD, AFS and NHSR, with an oak branch in the background. A separate Northern Ireland version had the initials AFRS (Auxiliary Fire and Rescue Service) and HSR (Hospital Service Reserve) on the last two shields. When the award was extended to Gibraltar, Hong Kong and Malta in 1963, a new reverse was designed, [4] bearing the words CIVIL DEFENCE and LONG SERVICE, separated by a design of laurel wreaths and palms. This was the only design in use after 1968. [5]
A bar clasp bearing the words LONG SERVICE, attached on the ribbon, was issued for each further period of 12 years service. [6]
The medal hangs from a straight bar, with a 32mm wide ribbon of dark blue with three narrow stripes of yellow red and green, with the yellow being worn farthest from the left shoulder. [5]
Miniature medals for wear at black tie events remain available from several commercial sources.
The medals were issued unnamed. [5]
The Auxiliary Fire Service, National Hospital Service Reserve and Civil Defence Corps were disbanded in 1968, with those serving in their fifteenth year, or twenty-seventh year for the bar, receiving the medal even though they had not completed their full qualifying service. [3] On the UK mainland, only members of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation continued to qualify after 1968, [6] until it too was disbanded in 1992 (the Warning and Monitoring Organisation on the Channel Islands of Jersey continued until 2007 [7] ). The medal was awarded in Hong Kong until the territory was transferred to China in 1997. [8] The medal is still awarded to members of the Isle of Man Civil Defence Corps, with two members receiving clasps to the medal in 2011 from the Lieutenant Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Paul Haddacks KCB KStJ. [9]
The Canadian Forces' Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. 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. The decoration is awarded to all ranks, who must have a good record of conduct during the final eight years of claimed service.
The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) (RHKR(V)) (Chinese: 皇家香港軍團(義勇軍), formed in May 1854, was a local auxiliary militia force funded and administered by the colonial Government of Hong Kong. Its powers and duties were mandated by the Royal Hong Kong Regiment Ordinance.
The United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation (UKWMO) was a British civilian organisation operating to provide UK military and civilian authorities with data on nuclear explosions and forecasts of fallout across the country in the event of nuclear war.
The Emergency Reserve Decoration (ERD) was a British military decoration for long service, instituted on 17 November 1952 and given for service up to 1967.
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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.
The De Wet Decoration, post-nominal letters DWD, is a military long service decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1965. It could be awarded to members of the Commandos, the rural civil defence component of the South African Defence Force, for twenty years of efficient service and good conduct. The decoration was initially reserved for officers, but it was made available to all ranks in 1986. A clasp could be awarded after thirty years service.
The Reserve Force Decoration is an Australian Military award given for long service by officers of the Reserve Forces. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Defence Force Service Medal and the Reserve Force Medal. However, the RFD is the only one of the three to carry a postnominal entitlement.
The Volunteer Reserves Service Medal (VRSM) is a medal which may be awarded to members of the Volunteer Reserves of all branches of the British Armed Forces - the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. It replaced the separate decorations and medals awarded respectively to officers and other ranks in each of the services - the Royal Navy's Reserve Decoration and Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, the British Army's Territorial Decoration and Efficiency Medal, and the Royal Air Force's Air Efficiency Award - from 1 April 1999.
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.
The Royal Observer Corps Medal was instituted in 1950 by King George VI for long service by members of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) in the United Kingdom. It was awarded until December 1995, when the ROC was stood down.
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 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.
The Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal was a long service medal awarded to members of the Hong Kong Disciplined Services in British Hong Kong. Established by Royal Warrant 8 July 1986, the award of the medal was intended to replace the awarding of the Imperial Service Medal. This medal was replaced by both the Hong Kong Customs & Excise Long Service Medal and the Hong Kong Immigration Service Long Service Medal, for long service to members of the respective disciplined services, upon the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, however the same ribbon continues to be used for the Hong Kong Immigration Service Long Service Medal.
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.
The Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was established in June 1954 as a long service medal awarded to members of fire and rescue services throughout the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It was first designated The Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and subsequently renamed in 2022 following an updated royal warrant. The medal is awarded for 20 years of good and efficient service.
H.M. Coastguard Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a long service medal awarded by the United Kingdom. Awarded for twenty years full or part-time service, with members of His Majesty's Coastguard, Coastguard Rescue Service, Isle of Man Coastguard and auxiliary coastguards eligible.
The Isle of Man Civil Defence Corps is one of the five emergency services maintained by the Isle of Man Government, to provide a range of emergency responses on the Isle of Man, an independent Crown dependency located in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland. The Corps operates under the Department of Home Affairs.
The Women's Voluntary Service Medal was instituted in 1961 to reward fifteen years of exemplary service in the Women's Voluntary Service. In 1966 Queen Elizabeth II granted the organisation the prefix "Royal" in recognition of its valued work and the title of the medal was changed to Women's Royal Voluntary Service Medal.
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