Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal

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Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal
Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal Edward VII.jpg
King Edward VII version
TypeMilitary long service medal
Awarded for18 years service and good conduct
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Presented by the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India
EligibilityPermanent Force Other Ranks of the Dominions and Colonies
StatusDiscontinued in 1930
Established1910
Last awarded1930
Ribbon - Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal.png
Order of Wear
Next (higher) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
Equivalent Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Flag of the Cape Colony 1876-1910.svg Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
Flag of the Natal Colony 1875-1910.svg Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)
Next (lower) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830)

The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal is a long service and good conduct medal, instituted for award to other ranks of the Permanent Forces of the Dominions and Colonies of the British Empire. The medal, also known as the Permanent Overseas Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, was established in 1910 as a single common award to supersede the several local versions of the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal which were being awarded by the various territories. [1] [2]

Contents

Along with the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal was, in turn, superseded in 1930 by the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military), which once again had various territorial versions. [3]

Origin

The United Kingdom's Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was instituted by King William IV in 1830. The original medal had the Royal Coat of Arms with the badge of Hanover on the obverse, while on the Queen Victoria version, introduced upon her succession to the throne in 1837, the Hanover emblem was replaced by a Trophy of Arms which incorporated a central shield bearing the Royal Coat of Arms. Upon the succession of King Edward VII to the throne in 1901, his effigy was placed on the medal's obverse. The medal's ribbon was plain crimson from 1830 until 1917, when white bands were added to the edges. [4]

On 31 May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt, amongst others, the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and to award it to other ranks of their local permanent military forces. Territories which took advantage of the authorisation include Canada, Cape of Good Hope, India, Natal, New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. Their respective versions of the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal were identical to the Queen Victoria version of the United Kingdom's medal, but with the names of the respective territories inscribed in a curved line above the inscription "FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT" on the reverse. All these territorial medals had ribbons in the same crimson colour as that of the British medal, but with a 4 millimetres wide band in the centre in a colour to represent each territory. [1] [3] [5] [6] [7]

Second versions of most of these medals, with the effigy of King Edward VII on the obverse, were awarded from 1902. The reverse of these medals remained the same for all but the five Australian territories. Since the Commonwealth of Australia had been formed on 1 January 1901, the five Queen Victoria versions of the medal for New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria were replaced by a single King Edward VII version with the inscription "COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA" in a curved line on the reverse. [5] [8]

Institution

The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal was established by King Edward VII in 1910 and superseded the several territorial versions of the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal which were being awarded by the various territories of the British Empire. [1]

Like the United Kingdom's Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal was instituted as an Army award, since members of the Royal Navy were eligible for the award of the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal instead. From 1 February 1920, when the South African Air Force was established as the first independent Air Force outside the United Kingdom, eligibility for award was extended to members of the Air Forces of the Empire as they were being established as independent Air Forces, separate from the respective Armies. [1] [9]

Award criteria

The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal could be awarded to warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men who had completed eighteen years of irreproachable service in the ranks of a Permanent Force of any of the Dominions and Colonies of the British Empire. The medal was unique to the Empire "beyond the seas" and could not be awarded for long service in the Permanent Force in the United Kingdom, where the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal continued to be awarded. [2] [5]

While the medal was created by Royal Warrant, issued by the British Government, and was struck and named by the Royal Mint in London, the actual administration of each award of the medal was delegated to the respective territorial governments of the Empire. [1]

Order of wear

In the order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal ranks on par with the United Kingdom's Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and its territorial versions, and the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military). They all take precedence after the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal and before the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830). [10]

South Africa

With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals which were applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African orders, decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. Of the official British medals which were applicable to South Africans, the Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal takes precedence as shown. [10] [11] [12]

Ribbon - Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Natal).png Ribbon - Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal.png Ribbon - Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military).png

Description

The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal was struck in silver and is a disk, 36 millimetres (1.42 inches) in diameter and 3 millimetres (0.12 inches) thick. The medal is mounted from a single-toe claw, affixed to the medal by means of a horizontal pin through the upper edge of the medal and with double-scroll claw supports on the rim. The mount attaches to a straight, swiveling suspension bar. [2] [13]

King George V version Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal.jpg
King George V version
Obverse

The obverse of the first version of the medal has a raised rim and depicts the effigy of King Edward VII in the uniform of a Field Marshal, facing left. It is inscribed "EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR" around the perimeter. [2] [13]

The second version of the medal was instituted after the coronation of King George V on 22 June 1911 and depicts his effigy in the uniform of a Field Marshal, facing left. It is inscribed "GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:" around the perimeter. [2] [13]

Reverse

The reverse is smooth with a raised rim. Around the perimeter, between the circumferences of two concentric circles, it bears the inscription "PERMANENT FORCES OF THE EMPIRE BEYOND THE SEAS" and, in the centre "FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT" in four lines. [2] [13]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with an 11½ millimetres wide crimson band and a 2½ millimetres wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 4 millimetres wide dark blue band. [2]

Recipients

In Canada, 839 medals were awarded to members of the Canadian Army, and one to a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. [13]

Discontinuation

The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal and the United Kingdom's Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal were both superseded on 23 September 1930, when a new Royal Warrant was promulgated by King George V to establish a single Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) for the British Army and all regular and permanent military forces of the British Empire. This medal once again had various territorial versions, but this time in the form of subsidiary titles inscribed on a bar attached to the suspender of the medal, rather than on the medal reverse. One exception was the South African version, which had a bilingual inscription on the medal reverse. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

Permanent Force Good Service Medal Award

The Permanent Force Good Service Medal was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1961, when South Africa became a republic, to replace the Union Medal. It was awarded to Permanent Force members of the South African Defence Force for eighteen years of service and good conduct.

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 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.

Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) 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 Army who meet the required length of service.

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.

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.

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.

Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa) Award

The Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct is a distinctive South African version of the British Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military). It was awarded to members of the Permanent Force of the Union of South Africa who had completed eighteen years of reckonable service.

Distinguished Conduct Medal (Natal) Award

In 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military decorations and 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 Distinguished Conduct Medal (Natal), post-nominal letters DCM.

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).

Meritorious Service 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 members of their local permanent military forces. The Cape of Good Hope introduced this system in September 1895 and, in 1896, instituted the Meritorious Service Medal .

Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal Award

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1899 as a military long service award for part-time members of all ranks in any of the organized military forces of the British Colonies, Dependencies and Protectorates throughout the British Empire. The medal gradually superseded the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies in all these territories, with the exception of the Isle of Man, Bermuda and the Indian Empire.

Meritorious Service Medal (Natal) Award

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

Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) Award

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local permanent military forces. The Cape of Good Hope and Colony of Natal instituted their own territorial versions of the Meritorious Service Medal in terms of this authority. These two medals remained in use in the respective territories until after the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

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.

Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies 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. In 1896, the grant of the medal was extended to other ranks and officers who had served in the ranks of the Volunteer Forces throughout the British Empire. A separate new medal was instituted, the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies. Awarding of this medal was discontinued in stages when it was superseded in most territories by the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal in 1899 and in the remainder by the Efficiency Medal in 1930.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 McCreery, Christopher (2011). The Canadian Forces' Decoration (PDF). Ottawa: Directorate of Honours and Recognition National Defence Headquarters. pp. 6–9. (Accessed 26 May 2015)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 South African Medal Website – Union Defence Forces (1913–1939) (Accessed 9 May 2015)
  3. 1 2 3 "No. 33653". The London Gazette . 17 October 1930. p. 6313.
  4. 1 2 Stephen Stratford Medals site - British Military & Criminal History - 1900 to 1999 - Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 26 May 2015)
  5. 1 2 3 South African Medal Website – Colonial Military Forces (Accessed 6 May 2015)
  6. Museum Victoria - Medal - Queensland Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, Specimen, Queen Victoria, Queensland, Australia, 1895-1901 Archived 30 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 29 May 2015)
  7. Museum Victoria - Medal - South Australia Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, Specimen, Queen Victoria, South Australia, Australia, 1895-1901 Archived 30 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 29 May 2015)
  8. Museum Victoria - Medal - Commonwealth of Australia Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, King Edward VII, Australia, 1903-1910 Archived 30 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 29 May 2015)
  9. History of the South African Air Force Archived 5 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 29 May 2015)
  10. 1 2 "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3352.
  11. Government Notice no. 1982 of 1 October 1954 - Order of Precedence of Orders, Decorations and Medals, published in the Government Gazette of 1 October 1954.
  12. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Long Service Decorations and Medals - Permanent Overseas Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal". Orders, Decorations and Medals. Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 1 July 2013.