Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)

Last updated
Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
HEIC LS&CG medal.png
Obverse and reverse of the medal
TypeLong service medal
Awarded for21 years of long service and good conduct
Presented by HEIC and the British Raj
EligibilityEuropeans in the British Indian Army
StatusReplaced by Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Established1848
Last awarded1873
LS&GC and MSM early version ribbons.png
Ribbon of the medal
Order of Wear
Next (higher) Medal for Meritorious Service (Royal Navy) [1]
Next (lower) Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) [1]

The Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) was a medal to recognize long and efficient service by Europeans in service of the East India Company's Army.

Contents

History

Established by the East India Company in 1848, the Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was established along the same lines as the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for other ranks in the British Army. European troops were recognized by the award of the medal for long and efficient service totaling at least 21 years. Even after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 brought the end of company rule, the medal continued to be awarded to those eligible European personnel serving in the British Indian Army. This practice continued until 1873 when it was decided that European personnel would be awarded the same Long Service and Good Conduct Medal as was awarded to the members of the British Army. [2]

Appearance

The medal was circular, made of silver, and 1.4 inches in diameter. The obverse of the medal depicts a military trophy of arms, with the arms of the East India Company in the centre. This design is based upon the design used by the British Army and designed by Benedetto Pistrucci. The reverse is blank in the center to allow the recipients name and details to be engraved and is surrounded by a ring. Upon the ring is the inscription FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT. [3]

The medal is mounted from a silver scrolled bar with a claw attachment to the medal. The ribbon for the medal was not spelled out by regulation, but by convention used a 1.25 inch wide crimson ribbon, the same as the British Army's Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. [3]

Related Research Articles

Volunteer Officers Decoration Award

The Volunteer Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the decoration was discontinued in the United Kingdom when it was superseded by the Territorial Decoration in 1908, but it continued to be awarded in some Crown Dependencies until 1930.

Army of India Medal

The Army of India Medal (AIM) was a campaign medal approved in 1851 for issue to officers and men of the British Army and the Army of the Honourable East India Company. A retrospective award following the precedent set by the Naval General Service Medal and the Military General Service Medal, it served to reward service in various actions from 1803 to 1826.

Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 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.

Efficiency Medal 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.

Efficiency Decoration 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.

Efficiency Decoration (South Africa) Award

The Efficiency Decoration , post-nominal letters ED, was instituted in 1930 for award to efficient and thoroughly capable part-time officers in the Citizen Force of the Union of South Africa after twenty years of service. The decoration superseded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration.

Efficiency Medal (South Africa) 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 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.

Seringapatam Medal East India Company medal for 1799 Battle of Seringapatam during Mysore Wars

The Seringapatam Medal, or Sri Ranga Pattana, is a campaign medal that was awarded by the Governor-General of India to all British and Indian soldiers who participated in the British victory in the Battle of Seringapatam in 1799.

Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers Decoration Award

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was established in 1899 as recognition for long and meritorious service as a part-time commissioned officer in any of the organized military forces of the British Colonies, Dependencies and Protectorates. It superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies in all these territories, but not in the Indian Empire.

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Award

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.

Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)

The Indian Meritorious Service Medal was a medal to recognize long and meritorious service by European non-commissioned officers in service of the East India Company's Army.

Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army)

The Indian Meritorious Service Medal was a long and meritorious service medal awarded to Indian non-commissioned officers in the British Indian Army.

Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Award

The Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was a long service medal awarded to Indian other ranks in the British Indian Army.

Volunteer Long Service Medal Award

The Volunteer Long Service Medal was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks and some officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the medal was discontinued when it was superseded by the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal in 1908.

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Award

The Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was instituted by King William IV in 1830. The medal remained in use for 100 years, until it was replaced by the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) in 1930. During that time the reverse of the medal remained virtually unchanged, while the design of the obverse was altered during the reigns of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V.

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Award

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Cape of Good Hope introduced this system in September 1895 and, in 1896, instituted the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal .

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal) British Colonial Army medal

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, instituted the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal).

Volunteer Officers Decoration for India and the Colonies UK long service medal for volunteer officers

The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended to commissioned officers of Volunteer Forces throughout the British Empire. A separate new decoration was instituted, the Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies, post-nominal letters VD.

Nepal Medal Award

The Nepal Medal was awarded by the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) to native Indian officers, and Indian soldiers for particularly distinguished conduct, during the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814–16.

Burma Medal Award

The Burma Medal is a campaign medal awarded by the Governor-General of India to native Indian soldiers of the armies of the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) who participated in the First Burma War from April 1824 to February 1826.

References

  1. 1 2 "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3352.
  2. Mayo, 473
  3. 1 2 Mayo, 472

Works cited