Special Constabulary Long Service Medal
Special Constabulary Long Service Medal | |
---|---|
Obverse (George VI issue) and reverse | |
Type | Long service medal |
Awarded for | 9 years service |
Presented by | United Kingdom |
Eligibility | Members of the Special Constabulary |
Clasps | The Great War 1914 - 1918 Bar for 10 subsequent years of service (5 years after 11 March 2022) |
Established | 30 August 1919 |
Clasp for Great War service Clasp for second award Ribbon bar | |
Order of Wear | |
Next (higher) | H.M. Coastguard Long Service and Good Conduct Medal[1] |
Next (lower) | Canadian Forces' Decoration[1] |
The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal is a long service medal awarded in the United Kingdom to members of the Special Constabulary who have completed a specified period of service. Established in 1919 by King George V, the medal was initially created to reward members of the Special Constabulary for their service during World War I.
History
Established on 30 August 1919 by Royal Warrant, the medal was initially known as the Special Constabulary Medal. The intent of the original warrant was to recognise the service of the members of the Special Constabulary during World War I, with further regulations to recognise nine years of service as a member of the Special Constabulary.[2] A new Royal Warrant was promulgated in 1920 changing the name of the medal to the Special Constabulary Long Service Medal.[3] In 1929, subsequent awards could be recognised by a clasp inscribed Long Service.[4]
The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal was also awarded to members of the British South Africa Police Reserve for service in Southern Rhodesia after 1939, with recommendations made by the Governor of Southern Rhodesia to the Dominions Office in London. By 1965, when the last awards were made, a total of 559 medals, 71 first clasps and six second clasps had been received by members of the Reserve.[5]
Criteria
The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal may be awarded under one of four different sets of criteria:
Great War service
Special Constables who served during World War I from 1914 to 1918 for three years, and performed at least 150 police duties were eligible to be awarded the medal. Recipients who received the medal under these conditions were entitled to a clasp inscribed The Great War 1914 - 18 to denote their World War I service.[6]
Special Constabulary
The medal may be awarded to Special Constables who are recommended by the Chief Officer of Police of the department in which they serve so long as they have served for at least nine years, and willingly and competently discharged their duty as a Special Constable. Years of service during World War I from 1914 to 1918 and service during World War II from 3 September 1939 to 31 December 1945 are counted as triple.[6]
Bar Eligibility
Special Constables who completed an additional period of ten years service were eligible for a clasp to the medal, upon the recommendation of the Chief Officer of Police.[6]
On 11 March 2022, the Queen approved amendments to the medal's Royal Warrant reducing the service threshold for eligibility for the awarding of clasp from 10 years to 5 years additional period of service. [7]
Ulster Special Constabulary
Members of the Ulster Special Constabulary were eligible for award of the medal after fifteen years of service where they willingly and competently discharged their duty. Members who were serving their fifteenth year on 30 April 1970, the date the Ulster Special Constabulary was disbanded, were also eligible for award of the medal. Eligible individuals must have been recommended for award by the Chief Officer of Police, Royal Ulster Constabulary.[6]
Special Constables who completed an additional period of ten years service were eligible for a clasp to the medal, upon the recommendation of the Chief Officer of Police. Members of the Ulster Special Constabulary who were in at least the ninth year of a subsequent ten-year period of service on 30 April 1970 were eligible for award of a clasp.[6]
Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve
The medal was awarded to members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve upon the recommendation of the Chief Constable, Royal Ulster Constabulary, who served fifteen years and willingly and competently discharged their duty as a member of the RUC Reserve. Service in the Ulster Special Constabulary which was not counted for the award of the medal or bar, could be counted with service as a member of the RUC Reserve.[6]
Special Constables who completed an additional period of ten years service were eligible for a clasp to the medal, upon the recommendation of the Chief Officer of Police.[6]
Appearance
The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal is a circular bronze medal.[8]
The obverse bears the effigy of the reigning sovereign, surrounded by a suitable inscription.[6]
The reverse bears the inscription in six lines FOR / FAITHFUL / SERVICE / IN THE / SPECIAL / CONSTABULARY, with a wreath below and to the right of the inscription.[9]
In 1956, a separate reverse was created for the Ulster Special Constabulary. The only difference was in the inscription which read in seven lines: FOR / FAITHFUL / SERVICE / IN THE / ULSTER / SPECIAL / CONSTABULARY. In 1982, the reverse was modified again to recognise service in the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve.[9]
Each issued medal has the name of the recipient impressed on the rim.[6] Rank is shown for recipients above the rank of Constable.[10]
The medal hangs from a ribbon 1 3/8 inches wide with a red centre stripe, at the edges are a white stripes bisected by an equal black stripe.[11]
Clasps
The first clasp to the medal was created upon the establishment of the medal which denoted that the medal was awarded for service during World War I. This bronze clasp bears the inscription The Great War 1914 - 18.[2] For subsequent awards of the medal, recipients are entitled to wear a bronze clasp with the words Long Service followed by the year the clasp was awarded.[6] Since 1953, recipients entitled to a clasp to the medal for long service may wear a silver rosette on the service ribbon.[12]
References
- ^ a b "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3353.
- ^ a b "No. 31539". The London Gazette. 5 September 1919. p. 11242.
- ^ "No. 31770". The London Gazette. 6 February 1920. p. 1557.
- ^ "No. 33527". The London Gazette. 20 August 1929. p. 5403.
- ^ Robert Brewster. The British South Africa Police long service awards, 1916-82. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, December 2018, page 171.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "No. 49051". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 July 1982. p. 9255.
- ^ "Special Constabulary changes". Orders & Medals Research Society Journal. 61 (3): 195. September 2022. ISSN 1474-3353.
- ^ Originally to be silver, it was changed to bronze before production commenced. Long service awards to the Metrpolitan Police Constabulary before August 1919, Mick Kippin. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, June 2019, pp 132-133
- ^ a b John W. Mussell; Editorial Team of Medal News, eds. (2014). Medal Yearbook 2015. Devon, UK: Token Publishing Ltd. p. 256. ISBN 9781908828163.
- ^ D. W. Collett. Medal Year Book 1981. p. 198. Published Medal Year Book, Chingford, Essex. 1981. ISBN 0950694312.
- ^ "No. 38974". The London Gazette. 21 July 1950. p. 3749.
- ^ "No. 39754". The London Gazette. 16 January 1953. p. 357.
- v
- t
- e
meritorious
and long
service medals
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal (Australia)
- Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
- Meritorious Service Medal (Natal)
- Meritorious Service Medal (New Zealand)
- Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa)
- Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
- Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
- Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)
- Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal
- Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military)
- Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa)
- Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830)
- Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848)
- Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)
- Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)
- Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Ulster Defence Regiment)
- Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Indian Army)
- Royal West African Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- King's African Rifles Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Trans-Jordan Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army)
service medals
- Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- African Police Medal for Meritorious Service
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal
- Ceylon Police Long Service Medal
- Ceylon Fire Services Long Service Medal
- Sierra Leone Police Long Service Medal
- Colonial Police Long Service Medal
- Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Long Service Medal
- Mauritius Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Mauritius Fire Services Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Mauritius Prisons Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Colonial Fire Brigades Long Service Medal
- Colonial Prison Service Medal
- Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal
- Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal
- Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Ulster Constabulary Service Medal
- Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal
- National Crime Agency Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Police Service of Northern Ireland Service Medal
- Border Force and Immigration Enforcement Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
and part-time
long service
decorations
and medals
- Emergency Reserve Decoration
- Volunteer Officers' Decoration
- Volunteer Long Service Medal
- Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies
- Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
- Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
- Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
- Militia Long Service Medal
- Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal
- Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Territorial Decoration
- Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
- Efficiency Decoration
- Territorial Force Efficiency Medal
- Territorial Efficiency Medal
- Efficiency Medal
- Army Emergency Reserve Efficiency Medal
- Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve
- Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
- Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Naval Wireless Auxiliary Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Long Service Medal
- Air Efficiency Award
- Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
- Ulster Defence Regiment Medal
- Northern Ireland Home Service Medal
- Cadet Forces Medal
- H.M. Coastguard Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Special Constabulary Long Service Medal
- Royal Observer Corps Medal
- Civil Defence Long Service Medal
- Jersey Honorary Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
- Service Medal of the Order of St John
- Voluntary Medical Service Medal
- Women's Royal Voluntary Service Medal
- South African Medal for War Services
- Colonial Special Constabulary Medal