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Volunteer Long Service Medal

The Volunteer Long Service Medal was introduced by Army Order Army Order 85 of 1894.

Volunteer Long Service Medal
Volunteer Long Service Medal. Medal created and awarded by the British Government c. 1901, image created by uploader, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

ARMY ORDER, June, 1894. No. 85.
SPECIAL
WAR OFFICE,
26th May, 1894
THE VOLUNTEER LONG SERVICE MEDAL
1. Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to institute a medal for the Volunteer Force, which will be designated as-
“The Volunteer Long Service Medal.”
The following instructions, to form part of the Volunteer Regulations, are issued for the guidance of all concerned.
2. The medal will be granted to all Volunteers (including officers who have served in the ranks, but have not qualified for the Volunteer Officers’ Decoration) on completion of 20 years’ service in the Volunteer Force, provided that they were actually serving on the 1st January, 1893, and that they are recommended by their present, or former, commanding officers in the manner hereinafter prescribed.
3. In all cases, the commanding officer will be the medium through whom applications will be made, and retired Volunteers will apply through the officer commanding the corps in which they last served.
4. A Form of Application (Army Form E 593) which provides for a record and a Certificate of Meritorious Service, to be signed by the commanding officer, is given in Appendix I., page 23. This form will be submitted through the usual channel of correspondence to the general officer commanding the district, to whom a supply of the form, for distribution throughout the force, will shortly be issued.
5. The decision of the general officer commanding the district upon the validity, or otherwise, of any claim for the medal, will be absolutely final.
6. Service, whether as officer, non-commissioned officer, or private, must have been consecutive. Any officer who is subsequently awarded the “Volunteer Officers’ Decoration,” will surrender the medal.
7. The Volunteer Long Service Medal will be worn with the tunic only, and upon the left breast.
8. Commanding officers will forward with Army Form E 593 a nominal roll, arranged alphabetically, according to the form shown in Appendix II., page 24. This roll will be forwarded in duplicate, one copy being retained by the general officer commanding the district, and the other forwarded to the Adjutant-General with his recommendation.
9. General officers commanding districts will, on the 1st January, 1st April, 1st July or 1st October, submit these nominal rolls to the Adjutant-General.
10. Names of recipients will be promulgated quarterly in Army Orders, after the publication of which the original individual applications will be returned by general officers commanding to the head-quarters of the various Volunteer corps for record and retention.

By Command,
‘REDVERS BULLER, A.-G.’

This Army Order was amended by Orders 109 and 126 of 1894 and Order 34 of 1895.

ARMY ORDER, July, 1894. No. 109.
The following will be substituted for the first sentence of paragraph 6 of Army Order 85 of 1894:-
“The service of every applicant for the medal, whether as officer, non-com- missioned officer, or private, must have been consecutive, except when any interruption may have been caused in his service by change of residence, or by other circumstances of civil life, which may have forced him to quit his corps, provided that in such cases he shall have rejoined the Volunteer force as soon as practicable, and that no longer period than 12 months shall have elapsed in the interval.” [Cancelled.]’

ARMY ORDER, August, 1894. No. 126.
1. Army Order 85 of 1894 will be amended as under :-
“The following will be substituted for paragraph 2:-
“2. The medal will be granted to all Volunteers (including Volunteers who have retired, and officers who have served in the ranks but have not qualified for the Volunteer Officers’ Decoration) on completion of 20 years’ service in the Volunteer Force, provided that they are recommended by their present, or former, commanding officers in the manner hereinafter prescribed.”
The following will be added to paragraph 8:-
“The individual applications (Army Form E 593) will not be forwarded to the War Office.”
2. A reprint of Army Order 85 of 1894, as amended by Army Order 109 of 1894 and this Army Order, is issued herewith to all concerned.”

ARMY ORDER, February, 1895. No. 34.
Special.
WAR OFFICE, 17th January, 1895.
Amendments as under will be made in the Regulations for the Volunteer Force, 1894:-
1. The following will be substituted for paragraph 458 G:-
“458 G. The service rendered after the 25th May, 1894, by every applicant for the medal, whether as officer, non-commissioned officer, or private, must be continuous. When a break in service rendered prior to the 26th May, 1894, occurs, the case will be dealt with as follows:-
(1.) When the break does not exceed one year, the decision upon the validity or otherwise of a claim for the medal will be given by the general officer commanding the district, and will in such cases be final.
(2.) When the break exceeds one year, the general officer will investigate the case and submit it with his recommendation for the decision of the Secretary of State.
“2. In paragraph 458 H, the words ‘except as provided by paragraph 458 G (2)’ will be inserted in the last line but one, after the word ‘decision.'”
The Regulations on this subject are now included in Volunteer Regulations.