Early Gallantry and Service Awards
By Lt.-Col. (Ret’d) John N. Stuart, OMM, CD
As mentioned in a previous column, the Victoria Cross is the foremost Commonwealth gallantry decoration that is awarded for very exceptional gallantry. As such, it is the most prestigious gallantry award that any citizen of a British Commonwealth country can earn.
When the Victoria Cross was introduced in 1856, it stood alone as a decoration that could be awarded for gallantry to a member of a Commonwealth military force — there was no decoration for civilians who may have performed an act of gallantry. There were no other decorations for acts of gallantry or distinguished services performed by members of the military, save for award of Orders that were generally awarded to the upper class in the British social structure.
This all started to change in 1866. That year the Albert Medal (AM), named after Prince Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria, was instituted. Since Prince Albert allegedly suggested the creation of the Victoria Cross, the naming of the Albert Medal seems fitting.
Initially, the Albert Medal was a one-class award to recognize distinguished acts of gallantry at sea. This was changed in 1867 to include two classes: gold for first class and bronze for second class. In 1877, the Albert Medal was extended to recognize distinguished acts of gallantry on land. The Albert Medal quickly gained esteem, becoming known as “the civilian Victoria Cross”, even though it could never be considered equal.
Wording around the edge indicated where the acts took place — land or sea — with blue and white ribbons for sea and red and white for land. Like the Victoria Cross, a gratuity is attached to the Albert Medal. Up to the time it was replaced by the George Cross in 1940, the Albert Medal was awarded 568 times. The youngest recipients of the award were: Canadians Antony Fraser, 8, and Dorothy Ashburn, 11, who saved each other during a cougar attack; and David Weston, 10, who tried to save the lives of three buddies who had fallen through the ice surface of a frozen lake.
In 1886, it was recognized that no suitable award was available to recognize distinguished service for junior military officers. The Victoria Cross was available for all ranks for very exceptional gallantry and the Order of the Bath in the rank of CB was sometimes awarded to junior officers. This deficiency was corrected by introduction of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), which was meant to be awarded for services under fire or in combat with the enemy.
The DSO is a cross with curved ends overlaid with white enamel with a green enamel laurel wreath enclosing the sovereigns crown on the obverse side. Originally it was manufactured in gold and enamel, which later gave way to silver gilt in 1889. It is un-named and since 1938, the date of award is engraved in the lower suspension bar. The award is suspended on a swivel ring and straight laureated bar from a crimson ribbon with dark blue edges.
An additional award was recognized by a laureated bar placed in the centre of the ribbon and by a rosette on the undress ribbon. Circumstances for its award changed over the years, although it is not awarded posthumously. In the early days of the First World War, the DSO was sometimes awarded in circumstances that did not involve service under fire. This changed in 1917, limiting the DSO to circumstances in which the individual was under fire. Similarly, it could only be awarded to military officers until 1942, when it was extended to officers of the Merchant Marine who served under fire.
Up to 1943, the DSO could only be awarded to an officer if that officer had first been awarded the MID. During Second World War, it also became the practise to award the DSO to officers of Major or Lieutenant-Colonel rank who held command appointments for gallantry or leadership.
In his book Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals, John Blatherwick reported that there have been 1,220 DSOs, with 119 First Bars and 20 Second Bars awarded to Canadians.
Edward VII instituted the Imperial Service Order (ISO) in 1902 — extended in 1908 to include women — to reward the meritorious efforts of the lesser members of the civil service throughout the realm. The ISO was issued in the Companion class only and was limited to 700 members. The badge is a circular gold plaque bearing the royal cipher surrounded by the words “FOR FAITHFUL SERVICE” all in blue enamel, which overlays a seven-pointed silver, star surmounted with a crown. A ring above the crown is used to suspend the ribbon which has three equal crimson, blue, and crimson stripes.
Recipients had to have 25 years service or 16 years in “unhealthy” places abroad. One wonders what the British thought of Canada’s climate when compared to Great Britain and places in the far-east. Simultaneously, the Imperial Service Medal was issued for junior grades of the civil service under the same circumstances. It was a seven-pointed star in silver and bronze until 1920, when the medal was changed to a round shape and the reverse showed a seated male with a background of trees and a wall. The inscription was moved to three lines on the bottom. The ribbon has three equal red, blue and red stripes.
John Blatherwick reports that the ISO was awarded to 97 Canadians — none of whom were women — and that 7,121 medals were issued to Canadians, the last in 1948.
Nurses who served with military forces were not considered eligible for war medals until the start of the Egyptian Campaign in 1882, when it was decided that they were so qualified. For special distinction, Queen Victoria approved the institution of the Royal Red Cross in 1883 for award to nurses for exceptional service in the field of naval and military nursing.
Issued unnamed, the award is a cross, enameled red with a gold (or gilt) edge, suspended from a blue ribbon with thin blue edges. Initially issued in gold and enamel, it was changed in 1887 to silver gilt and enamel. The obverse has a circular medallion in the centre containing the uncrowned effigy of the sovereign. The arms are lettered in gold at the top Faith, left Hope and right Charity and 1883 at the bottom. Alone, it can be worn from a bow.
The obverse of the Associate Royal Red Cross award introduced as a Second Class in 1915 is the same except there is no lettering in gold. From 1938, the year of issue is engraved on the reverse of the lower arm. Holders of the Royal Red Cross may be awarded a bar to denote a second award while holders of the Associate Royal Red Cross award are upgraded to the Royal Red Cross award, instead of being awarded a bar.
This brings us to the George Cross and George Medal, which were instituted Sept. 24, 1940. They are intended to reward civilians in all walks of life and members of the armed forces for acts of gallantry arising from enemy action, but not for services in the face of enemy action. For military personnel, award of the George Cross or George Medal would occur when no military gallantry medal would be appropriate.
From the start, the George Cross has been a prestigious award ranking immediately after the Victoria Cross. The George Cross replaced the Edward Medals, the Empire Gallantry Medal and the Albert Medal. The George Cross award is a silver, plain bordered cross with a circular medallion in the centre depicting the effigy of St. George and the Dragon surrounded by the words “FOR GALLANTRY”. The plain reverse bears the name of the recipient and the date of award. The cross hangs by a ring from a bar of laurel leaves and is suspended from a dark blue ribbon. The name (including rank and service for military personnel) and the entry date in the London Gazette are engraved on the reverse.
The George Medal award is a circular, silver medal that shows St. George on horseback slaying the Dragon. The words “THE GEORGE MEDAL” are placed around the top edge of the medal. It is suspended on a red ribbon that has five equally spaced thin blue stripes. The civilian surname and initials are engraved on the rim of the George Medal and for military personnel the first name and surname are engraved along with the rank and regiment or corps.
The most famous George Cross is the one awarded to the island of Malta in recognition of the population’s gallantry during Second World War. Only ten Canadians have been awarded the George Cross, five posthumously. In 1971, surviving Canadian recipients of the Albert Medal were invited to exchange their medals for the George Cross. Seventy eight Canadians have been awarded the George Medal and four have bars.
