Queen's Regulations - Decorations and Awards Quiz

Answer: 4

The four categories under which decorations and awards are made, are, in order of precedence:

1. Operational and non-operational awards for gallantry and distinguished service.

2. The New Year's and Sovereign's Birthday Honours Lists.

3. Medals for meritorious and long service and good conduct.

4. Medals for service in specific operations or operational areas.

Examples of awards from under each of these headings will include, amongst others; The 'Victoria Cross' (VC) or the 'Conspicuous Gallantry Cross' (CGC) for acts of gallantry and distinguished service in operational areas. The 'George Cross' (GC) or the 'Air Force Cross' (AFC) for non-operational gallantry whilst not engaged in operations against an enemy. The New Year and Birthday Honours lists may include an elevation into the 'Order of the Bath' or the award of an OBE - making the holder an "Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". Medals presented for meritorious service and for good conduct are common to all three branches of the services and are made routinely, as are awards from the last category; Medals for service in a specified operation or operational area. This will include campaign medals such as those awarded for service in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.
(QR.J10.001)

Answer: Yes

The award of a bar to a VC has only occurred on three occasions since the decoration was instituted. The first person ever to win a bar to his VC was Arthur Martin Leake, an officer with the army medical services. Leake won his first VC in 1902 during the Boer War and won his bar in 1914 at the first Battle of Ypres. Leake ended his career in 1937 with the rank of Major (acting Lieutenant Colonel) but also saw service during WW2 when he commanded an ARP unit. Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse, also of the Royal Army Medical Corps, was the most decorated British soldier of WW1.

His first VC was awarded after the battle of Guillemont during September 1916 and his bar was awarded for actions during the fighting at Passchendaele during 1917. Captain Chavasse who was wounded during this action died from his wounds two days later on the 4th of August. Captain Charles Upham, a New Zealander, was awarded his first VC during the fighting on the Greek island of Crete in May 1941 and his second at the Battle of Alamein during July 1942.

A modest man, Upham always said that the decorations he had been awarded were "the property of the men of my unit". (QR. J10.002.c)

Answer: Buckingham Palace

These are not the only awards that would demand your presence at Buckingham Palace. Any award for gallantry, whether operational or not, will demand your presence at an investiture at Buckingham Palace, although Windsor Castle or Holyrood Palace are sometimes used as well.

The award is usually made by HM The Queen, but on occasion HRH the Prince of Wales has taken the ceremony. Other gallantry awards that might be made include the 'Military Cross' (MC), the 'Distinguished Service Order' (DSO) and the 'Queens Gallantry Medal' (QGM).

The presentation of other awards, such as the 'Long Service & Good Conduct Medal' (LS&GC) and some campaign medals are usually made by a local dignitary or by a unit's Commanding Officer at a parade held especially for the purpose.

Many of you may have seen a medal presentation parade taking place in public after a unit has returned from service in Afghanistan or Iraq. (QR. J10.015)

Answer: No

A foreign qualification badge is not deemed as a decoration or award in accordance with Queens Regulations, and therefore awards of this nature would not be permitted to be worn on a soldier's uniform. Any award, whether foreign or domestic, can only be worn whilst in uniform or civilian clothes on the provision that its display has been approved by HM The Queen. (QR. J10.017.d)

Answer: Desertion during Hostilities

Queens Regulations list a number of offences for which an officer or soldier may be liable to the forfeiture of his awards which include being dismissed from the service in disgrace, treason, sedition, cowardice and mutiny. There is another expression used within Queens Regulations which is that of 'great infamy'.

This expression is used to describe a civil offence that results in a conviction and an award of more than six months imprisonment. There are separate regulations appertaining to awards for gallantry. Holders of some awards will not only lose their medals themselves but also any annual gratuities payable. (QR. J10.021)

Answer: Distinguished Service Cross

Although the Distinguished Service Cross is available to all ranks of all three services, it is presented for acts of gallantry during active operations against an enemy whilst at sea. The Distinguished Service Cross is the equivalent of the Military Cross (MC) which is awarded for acts of gallantry during active operations against an enemy on land and the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for acts of gallantry during active operations against an enemy in the air.
(QR. J10.002.a)

All other awards listed are, or were, decorations presented by foreign powers. The Military Merit Cross was a decoration awarded by the German Empire until the month of November 1918. The Military Medal for Gallantry is a current award given by the Republic of Ireland and is that nations highest military award. Finally, The Star of Military Valour is the second highest award that might be presented by the Canadian government and which is a relatively new decoration, instituted very recently in February 1993.

Answer: False

On the contrary, the DSO is never awarded posthumously. It is the only award where the recipient must be alive and kicking! The Distinguished Service Order is a decoration that is only presented to commissioned officers, usually of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and above for distinguished or meritorious service whilst in combat with the enemy.

There have been occasions where this medal has been presented to officers at the rank of Major, but very rarely has it been awarded to officers of junior rank.

The DSO was often presented when the actions carried out were not judged to be quite worthy of an award of the VC. (QR. J10.002.e)

Answer: The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (LS&GC)

An award of the LS&GC is not automatically made. The Commanding Officer will make a recommendation that a soldier under his command warrants the award. If, after a further fifteen years of service, a soldier may also qualify further award of a clasp to his medal.

It was often the case that a Commanding Officer would only recommend a soldier for his LS&GC if there were no disciplinary entries on the soldiers 'Regimental Conduct Sheet'. The LS&GC is not a medal that is often seen displayed on the uniform of commissioned officers. Those that do display it are often those that have been commissioned from the ranks. Any officer eligible for an LS&GC must have also completed fifteen years service at least twelve of which must have been served within the ranks.

A long-standing joke within the Army states that a soldier who possesses his LS&GC is not necessarily an exemplary soldier - Just one that has completed fifteen years of undetected crime! (QR.10.008 - 10.010)

Answer: The right breast

Before a civil gallantry award can be worn it must first be reported to and authorised by the Ministry of Defence. Once authority has been granted the ribbons may only be worn on the right breast. The left breast is the sole preserve of military decorations that have been approved and authorised by HM The Queen.

The civilian awards permitted to be worn include the 'Life Saving Medal of the Order of St John of Jerusalem', medals of the 'Royal Humane Society' and the 'Medal of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution'. (QR. J10.013.b)

Answer: From official notification of the award

The finer details that apply to the wearing of decorations, medals and ribbons at unit level are actually covered in a publication known as Dress Regulations Pamphlet No1. A soldier who has been given an award is to wear the appropriate ribbon immediately that the official notification has been received.

It is also at this stage that the recipient may use the appropriate letters after their name. During time of war, HM The Queen has authorised the holding of a limited quantity of awards by Commanders-in-Chief or Force Commanders for presentation 'in the field'. If an award is been made immediately, during combat operations for example, the recipient can wear the ribbon and use the appropriate letters after their name once the award has been confirmed by the Force Commander. (QR. J10.017)