September 30, 1862:
Extracted from Warrants and Circulars, etc.
Circular No. 785
7377 – 453
Victoria R.
WHEREAS, with a view to reward Distinguished and Meritorious Services, and of promoting Good Conduct in our Army, we have been pleased to declare that a certain fixed sum may be granted in annuities to Sergeants in our Service, and that the Sergeants selected for the same shall be entitled to receive and wear a Silver Medal, bearing on one side the Royal Effigy and on the other the words “For Meritorious Service”, the names and rank of the Sergeant being inscribed thereon:
It is our Royal will and pleasure, that a Silver Medal, bearing on it the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field”, shall, in certain cases where especially recommended, be issued to Sergeants with Annuity in lieu of the before-mentioned Medal for “Meritorious Service” with Annuity, subject however to the conditions and limitations now in force as to the grant of Annuities.
And further, that a Medal be granted, without Annuity or Gratuity, to Sergeants, Corporals and Privates of our Army, when specially recommended by the General Commanding in Chief, and approved by our Secretary of State for War, for individual acts of Distinguished Conduct in the Field in any part of the world.
Given at our Court at St. James’, this Thirtieth day of September, 1862, in the 26th year of our Reign.
By Her Majesty’s Command
C. C. LEWIS
November 6, 1920:
68/GN/3448
GEORGE R.I.
George the Fifth by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, to all to whom these presents shall come. Greeting:
Whereas Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, by a Warrant under her Royal Sign Manual dated 30th September 1862, did institute and create a silver medal bearing the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field” t be granted to serjeants, corporals, and privates of the Regular Army, for individual acts of distinguished conduct in the Field in any part of the world:
And Whereas the rules and ordinances for the governance of the same have been amended from time to time:
And Whereas We deem it expedient that the said Royal Warrant, as well as amendments thereto, which have been heretofore promulgated, or are now to be promulgated, shall be incorporated in a Royal warrant under Our Sign Manual:
Now Therefore We do hereby declare that the rules and ordinances heretofore in force shall be abrogated, cancelled, and annulled; and We are pleased to make, ordain, and establish the following rules and ordinances in substitution for the same, which shall from henceforth be inviolably observed and kept: –
Firstly: – It is ordained that the medal, which shall be silver, shall be designated “The Distinguished Conduct Medal” and shall bear on the obverse the Royal Effigy; and on the reverse the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field”
Secondly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal may be awarded on the recommendation of a Commander-in-Chief in the Field to Warrant Officers, Class 1 and 2, non commissioned officers, and men, serving in any of our Military Forces for distinguished conduct in action in the Field.
Thirdly: – It is ordained that should anyone who has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal subsequently be recommended for such approved acts of distinguished conduct in the field as would have rendered him eligible for the Medal, had he not already received it, may be awarded a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the Medal is suspended; and that for additional such act or acts of distinguished conduct an additional Bar may be awarded.
Fourthly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall not confer and individual precedence, but shall entitle the recipient to the addition after his name of the letters “D.C.M.”
Fifthly: – It is ordained that the names of those upon whom We may be pleased to confer the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall be published in the London Gazette, and that a register thereof shall be kept in the office of our Principal Secretary of State of War.
Sixthly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall [be worn] before war medals in such order as We may from time to time assign to it, and that it shall be worn on the left breast pendant from the riband, of one inch and one quarter in with, which shall be in colour crimson, having in the centre a dark blue stripe of width equal to the crimson stripes on each side of it.
Seventhly: – It is ordained: –
(1) that a Warrant Officer Class 1 or 2 non-commissioned officer, or man, belonging to any of Our military forces who has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall be paid a gratuity of £20 on promotion to a Commission, on transfer to Our Army Reserve, or on discharge without pension;
(2) that if he is discharged with a pension he shall be eligible for an additional pension of 6d per day for Europeans, and 3d a day for non-Europeans;
(3) that, if he is awarded a Bar or Bars to his Distinguished Conduct Medal, and he comes under sub-paragraph (1) above, each Bar shall for gratuity purposes regarded as an original award of the medal. If, however, he comes under sub-paragraph (2) above, no gratuity or further addition to pension shall be issuable in respect of a Bar or Bars, and;
(4) that soldiers of an Allied or Associated Army, of ranks equivalent to those of Our Military Forces specified in the second clause of this Our Royal Warrant, who have been associated in operations with Our Military Forces shall be eligible for the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal but no pension shall accompany such award.
Eighthly: – It is ordained: –
(1) that a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal who suffers death by sentence of Court-Martial; or if an officer, is cashiered, dismissed or removed from Our Naval, Military, or Air Force for misconduct; or if a soldier, sailor, or airman is discharged from Our Naval, Military, or Air Forces with ignominy, or for misconduct, or on account of a conviction with the Civil Power, or for having been sentenced to penal servitude, shall forfeit the Distinguished Conduct Medal (unless otherwise recommended by Our Army Council);
(2) that if a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal is convicted by the Civil Power, or is dealt with under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1907, he shall be liable to a like forfeiture at the discretion of the Army Council;
(3) that the forfeiture of the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall involve: –
(a) the erasure of the recipient’s name from the register of persons upon whom the Distinguished Conduct Medal has been conferred; and
(b) the cessation of any pension or gratuity to which the possession of the medal might entitle the recipient, but no such forfeitures shall extend to any sum of money which has already been paid;
(4) that a forfeited Distinguished Conduct Medal and any forfeited annuity, pension or gratuity attached to it, may be restored to its former holder under regulations approved by Our Army Council:
Provided that We, Our Heirs and Successors, shall at all times have power to restore a forfeited Distinguished Conduct Medal and with it such pension or gratuity as may have been forfeited;
(5) that a notice of forfeiture and of restoration under this Clause shall in every case be published in the London Gazette.
Lastly: – We reserve to Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting or dispensing with these Regulations, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Royal Sign Manual.
Given at Our Court at St. James’ this 6th day of November 1920, in the eleventh year of Our Reign.
By His Majesty’s Command
W.S. Churchill