Tag: Territorial Force Efficiency Medal

The institution of the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal was notified in Army Order 128 of June 1908. The award of Medals was published in Army Orders. The first awards described as “Territorial Force Efficiency Medal’ appear in Army Order 304 of December 1908.

1. His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of a medal for efficiency being granted to non-commissioned officers and men of the Territorial Force under the following conditions:-

(a) The medal may be granted to all men who enlist into the Territorial Force and who complete 12 years’ service with a minimum of 12 trainings.

(b) Past service in the Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteers will be admissible provided that the whole period of service upon which the claim is based has been continuous.

(c) The medal may also be granted to all non-commissioned officers and men of the Imperial Yeomanry serving on the 31st March, 1908, who join the Territorial Force and who complete 10 years’ service with a minimum of 10 trainings, under the conditions contained in paragraph 371, Imperial Yeomanry Regulations.

(d) The medal may further be granted to all non-commissioned officers and men of the Volunteer Force serving on the 31st March, 1908, who join the Territorial Force and who complete 12 years’ service with a minimum of 12 trainings.

2. The medal will bear on the obverse the effigy of His Majesty the King, and on the reverse the words ‘Territorial Force Efficiency Medal’.

3. The colour of the riband to be worn with the medal will be green, with a yellow stripe down the centre.

4. The form of application (Army Form E 562) which provides for a record and certificate of efficient service, will be signed by the commanding officer. This form will be submitted through the usual channel of correspondence to the general officer commanding-in-chief the command in which the unit is stationed.

5. Commanding officers will forward with Army Form E 562 a nominal roll, on Army Form E 563, arranged alphabetically. This roll will be forwarded in duplicate, one copy being retained by the general officer commanding-in-chief, and the other forwarded to the Secretary, War Office, with his recommendation.

6. The general officer commanding-in-chief will submit the nominal rolls to the Secretary, War Office, on the 1st March, 1st June, 1st September, and 1st December in each year.

7. The decision of the general officer commanding-in-chief upon the validity, or otherwise of any claim for the medal, will be final.

8. Names of recipients will be announced quarterly in Army Orders, after the publication of which, Army Form E 562 will be returned by the general officer commanding-in-chief to the headquarters of the various units of record and retention.

From its institution in 1908 until it was superseded by the Territorial Efficiency Medal, in 1922, there were a number of amendments, rulings or other decisions published in Army Orders:

Territorial Force Efficiency Medal. With reference to paragraph 523, Territorial Force Regulations, it has been decided that a period of embodied service of not less than two months in each calendar year shall be allowed to reckon as an equivalent of the ‘training’ for that year.

In no case, however, will more than one such qualifying period (whether ‘training’ or the alternative minimum period of embodiment) be allowed to count in any one calendar year for the purpose of this paragraph.

Territorial Force Regulations-Amendments.– 1. Paragraph 515 (i) add- ‘also periods of mobilized service whether on the active service list of the Territorial Force or on the general list of the Territorial Force Reserve which was instituted after the moblization of 1914’.

2. Insert new paragraph-

523A. As regards (d) and (e) of paragraph 523, if a soldier was actually serving in the Territorial Force Reserve on the date on which mobilization was ordered and he was called up and held to serve, the period of his service in the Territorial Force Reserve, although not counting towards the qualifying period, will not be considered to be a break in the continuity of the qualifying period.

1. His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve that warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Territorial Force (including the Territorial Force Reserve) who were embodied under Army Order 31 of 1914 and who, either before or after the date of embodiment, signed an agreement to serve outside the United Kingdom, shall be allowed to count embodied service in the ranks (including service with the Royal Navy, Regular Army and Royal Air Force) two-fold as qualifying service for the award of the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal.

2. In the case of these warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men, service in the ranks with any of His Majesty’s forces during the present war, which is of not less than two months in each calendar year, shall be allowed to count as an equivalent of two annual ‘trainings’ but not more than two ‘trainings’ (including equivalent service), shall be reckoned in any one calendar year for the purpose of this Army Order.

3. Continuity of qualifying service shall be admitted in the case of any of these warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men who, having been discharged from the Territorial Force during the present war by reason of wounds or illness contracted on service, subsequently, during the present period of embodiment, re-enlisted into the Force voluntarily after recovery.

4. Sub-paragraphs (e) and (g) of paragraph 523, Territorial Force Regulations, as amended by Army Order 83 of 1915, will be modified accordingly as regards the references to service in the Regular Army.

3. For paragraphs 523 and 523A (promulgated by Army Order 470 of 1915) substitute-

Efficiency Medal.

523. A medal designated the ‘Territorial Force Efficiency Medal’ will be granted to warrant officers, N.C.Os. and men of the Territorial Force who complete 12 years’ continuous service,* with a minimum of 12 trainings, and who are recommended by their C.O., subject to the conditions mentioned

below:-

(a) Service in the Imperial Yeomanry or the Volunteer Force,† before the formation of the Territorial Force, will be admissible for every year in which a man was returned as efficient, provided that he was serving on the 31st March, 1908, and enlisted in the Territorial Force before the 30th June, 1908.

An Imperial Yeoman who enlisted into the same arm of the Territorial Force may be awarded the medal after 10 years’ service and 10 trainings in that arm.

(b) Men in the possession of the Imperial Yeomanry Long Service and Good Conduct Medal or the Volunteer Long Service Medal, in respect of their services in the Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteer Force, may also be granted the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, provided that they have fulfilled the required conditions for award of that medal, and that no particular period of service is counted for more than one medal.

(c) Men already in possession of the Efficiency Medal, who either received it in respect of their past Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteer service on enlistment into the Territorial Force, or have earned it subsequent to such enlistment, and who have served for a further period which would qualify them for the award of a second Efficiency Medal, may be awarded a clasp to be worn with the original medal.

No particular period of service will be allowed to count as qualifying service for both medal and clasp.

(d) Service qualifying for the Colonial Auxiliary Forces, or the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, Long Service Medals, will be admissible provided that the last 5 years have been served in the Territorial Force.

(e) Commissioned service will be admissible in the case of those men who were commissioned after service in the ranks of the Territorial Force during the period of embodiment of the force subsequent to the Royal Proclamation of the 4th August, 1914, and who within 3 months of the date of relinquishing their commissions re-enlist in the ranks of the Territorial Force. Such officers who relinquished their commissions owing to wounds, or sickness contracted on service during the above- mentioned period of embodiment, will also be allowed to count such commissioned service as qualifying service towards the award of the medal.

f) Service in a Cadet unit will not be admissible except when rendered in the ranks of a Cadet Corps or Cadet Battalion which belonged to the organization existing prior to the 21st May, 1910, and then only provided that a Cadet enlisted into the Territorial Force within 6 months of leaving his Cadet unit, and that no service rendered before the age of 15 or after the age of 17 is permitted to count.

(g) Continuity of service in the Imperial Yeomanry, Volunteer Force, Colonial Auxiliary Forces, or Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve must not have been broken for periods of more than 12 months at a time, and in the case of the Imperial Yeomanry and Volunteer Force such breaks must have been prior to the 31st March, 1908. (See sub-paragraph (l).)

(h) Men of the Territorial Force (including the Territorial Force Reserve) who were serving in the force on the 4th August, 1914, and were embodied under the Royal Proclamation of that date, and who before the 11th November, 1918, signed an agreement to serve outside the United Kingdom, will be allowed to count embodied service (including service specified in sub-paragraphs (e) and (j) double towards qualifying service.

Continuity of qualifying service will be admitted in the case of any of these men, who, having been discharged from the Territorial Force subsequent to the 4th August, 1914, by reason of wounds or illness contracted on service, subsequently during the period of embodiment re-enlisted into the force voluntarily after recovery.

(j) Men of the Territorial Force who are permitted to enlist in the Royal Navy, the Regular Army, or the Royal Air Force, for the period of a war may count such service as qualifying for the award of the medal, and if within 3 months of the date on which they ceased to be required for service with such force, these men re-enlist into the Territorial Force, their service will be deemed to be continuous.

(k) A period of embodied service of not less than two months in each calendar year, reckoned from 1st January to 31st December, will be allowed to count as the equivalent of the training for that year, or, in the case of the men referred to in sub-paragraph (h), as the equivalent of two trainings. In no case, however, will more than one such qualifying period (whether training or the alternative minimum period of embodiment) be allowed to count in any one calendar year.

(l) Service in the Regular Army will not be considered as qualifying service, except as provided for in sub-paragraph (j), but will not be reckoned in the breaks mentioned in sub-paragraph (g).

(m) Commissioned service is not admissible as qualifying service, except as specified in sub-paragraph (g).

(n) Service in the Territorial Force Reserve, the Technical Reserve or the National Reserve, is not admissible, but if a man were actually serving in the Territorial Force Reserve on the date on which embodiment was ordered and was called up and held to serve, the period of his service in the Territorial Force Reserve, although not counting towards the qualifying period, will not be considered to be a break in the continuity of the qualifying period.

(o) Men of the Territorial Force who are released from military service for the purpose of being employed on work of national importance* during the continuance of a war, will not count the period of such release as qualifying service for the medal, but they will not be considered to have broken their continuity of service.

Territorial Force Regulations-Amendments.-Paragraph 523 (as amended by Army Order 322 of 1919). For last line of sub-paragraph (f) substitute- ’15 or after the minimum age laid down at the time for enlistment in the Territorial Force is permitted to count.’.

(j) Men who enlist in the Royal Navy, the Regular Army or the Royal Air Force for the period of a war, including men of the Territorial Force who are permitted so to enlist, may count such service as qualifying for the award of the medal provided, in the case of men other than men of the Territorial Force, that they subsequently enlist in the Territorial Force without break in continuity of service.

(jj) Continuity of qualifying service will be admitted in the case of all men of the Territorial Force who serve in any of His Majesty’s Forces during a war, and of men who enlist in the Royal Navy, the Regular Army or the Royal Air Force for the period of a war, provided that they re-enlist (or enlist, as the case may be) in the Territorial Force within three months from the date of their discharge from any of the forces or from the date of the re-opening of recruiting for unembodied service in the Territorial Force, whichever is later.

1. His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the design of the riband suspending the Territorial Force Efficiency medal being altered to green with yellow edges.

2. The new riband will be taken into wear by all officers, non-commissioned officers and men who are in possession of the medal and are now serving.

1. Paragraph 474, note (c), as amended by Army Order 77 of 1921. Delete ‘and’ and after ‘R.A.S.C.’ insert ‘and R.A.O.C.’.

2. Paragraph 523, as amended by Army Orders 322 and 426 of 1919 and 375 and 414 of 1920. Insert new sub-paragraph-

(p) Men of the Territorial Force will not count periods of desertion or absence without leave during embodiment or training either in camp or barracks towards the qualifying period for the award of the medal. They will not however be deemed to have broken their service, provided that they continue to serve after their offence has been dealt with.

For paragraph 523, as amended by Army Orders 322 and 426 of 1919; 173, 375 and 414 of 1920; and 187 and 241 of 1921, substitute-

Efficiency Medal.

523. A medal designated the ‘Territorial Force Efficiency Medal,’ will be granted to warrant officers, N.C.Os. and men of the Territorial Force provided that-

(i) They complete 12 years’ qualifying service, and

(ii) They attend a minimum of 12 trainings and are recommended by their C.O., and

(iii) There has been no break in the continuity of their service except between 4th August, 1914, and 31st December, 1921, and as specified in sub- paragraphs (A) (i) (b), (A) (ii), (A) (iv), and (F).

(A) Other service as specified below only may be counted towards the qualifying period-

(i) Service in the Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteer Force, before the formation of the Territorial Force, for every year during which a man was returned as efficient, provided that-

(a) He was serving on 31st March, 1908, and enlisted into the Territorial Force before 30th June, 1908; and,

(b) There was no break of service in the Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteer Force of more than 12 months.

(c) None of the service has previously been counted as qualifying for the grant of the Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteer Long Service Medal.

An Imperial Yeoman who enlisted into the same arm of the Territorial Force may be awarded the medal after 10 years’ service and 10 trainings in that arm.

(ii) Service qualifying for the Colonial Auxiliary Forces or the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service Medals, provided that the last 5 years have been served in the Territorial Force, and that the former service has not been broken for periods of more than 12 months.

(iii) Commissioned service in the case of those men who were commissioned after service in the ranks of the Territorial Force during the period of embodiment of the force consequent on the Royal Proclamation of 4th August, 1914, and who, having relinquished their commissions, re-enlist in the ranks of the Territorial Force prior to 1st January, 1922. Such officers as were compelled to relinquish their commissions owing to wounds or sickness contracted on service during the above-mentioned period of embodiment, will also be allowed to count such commissioned service as qualifying service towards the award of the medal without re-enlistment.

(iv) Service in a cadet unit, only when rendered in the ranks of a cadet corps or cadet battalion which belonged to the organization existing prior to 21st May, 1910, and then only provided that the cadet enlisted into the Territorial Force within 6 months of leaving his cadet unit, and that no service rendered before the age of 15 years or after the minimum age laid down at the time for enlistment in the Territorial Force is permitted to count.

(v) Service in the Royal Navy, the Army or the Royal Air Force, only during the period 4th August, 1914, to 31st December, 1921.

(B) Men of the Territorial Force (including the Territorial Force Reserve) who were serving in the force on 4th August, 1914, and were embodied under the an agreement to serve outside the United Kingdom, will be allowed to count Royal Proclamation of that date, and who before 11th November, 1918, signed embodied service, including service in sub-paragraphs (A) (iii) and (A) (v), double towards qualifying service.

(C) A period of embodied service of not less than 2 months in each calendar year, reckoned from 1st January to 31st December, will be allowed to count as the equivalent of the training for that year, or, in the case of men referred to in sub-paragraph (B), as the equivalent of two trainings. In no case, however, may more than one training (or two in the case of men referred to in sub- paragraph (B)) be allowed to count in any one calendar year.

(D) Men in possession of the Imperial Yeomanry Long Service and Good possession of Conduct Medal or the Volunteer Long Service Medal in respect of their services in the Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteer Force, may also be granted the Efficiency Medal, provided that they have fulfilled the required conditions for award of that medal, and that no particular period of service is counted for more than one medal.

(E) Men already in possession of the Efficiency Medal, who either received it in respect of their past Imperial Yeomanry or Volunteer service on enlistment into the Territorial Force, or have earned it subsequent to such enlistment, and who have served for a further period which would qualify them for the award of a second Efficiency Medal, may be awarded a clasp to be worn with the original medal. No particular period of service will be allowed to count as qualifying service for both medal and clasp.

(F) The following periods, although inadmissible as qualifying service, will not be reckoned as breaking continuity of service:-

(i) Service in the Royal Navy, the Army or Royal Air Force, otherwise than between 4th August, 1914, and 31st December, 1921.

(ii) Intervals in service in the Royal Navy, the Army, Royal Air Force or the Territorial Force during the period 4th August, 1914, to 31st December, 1921.

(iii) Service of men of the Territorial Force whilst released from military service for the purpose of being employed on work of national importance, which will be defined as occasion arises, during the period of embodiment.

(iv) Service in the Territorial Force Reserve, if a man is embodied whilst so serving and is held to serve with the Territorial Force.

(v) Periods of desertion or absence without leave of men of the Territorial Force during an embodiment or training either in camp or barracks, provided that they continue to serve after their offence has been dealt with.

Territorial Efficiency Medal

This Medal was the successor to the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal. By Army Order 396 of September 1921, the Territorial Force became the Territorial Army. The same conditions of award applied for the Territorial Efficiency Medal as for those on 1 October 1921, following the “Territorial Army and Militia Act, 1921′.

The award of Medals was published in Army Orders. The first awards described as “Territorial Efficiency Medal’ appear in Army Order 51 of February 1922.