Replacement Medal Ribbon

Awards and decorations of the British Military are military orders, decorations and medals which recognise service and personal accomplishments while a member of the British armed forces. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a service member's career.

Order of wear

All services use a common order of wear, the following general rules apply:

1. The Victoria Cross and the George Cross
2. United Kingdom Orders
3. United Kingdom Decorations
4. Order of St John (all classes)
5. United Kingdom Medals for Gallantry and for Distinguished Service
6. United Kingdom Operational Service Medals (including authorised United Nations Medals and Medals of other recognised International Organisations). Worn in order of date of award
7. United Kingdom Polar Medals
8. United Kingdom Police Medals for Valuable Service
9. United Kingdom Jubilee, Coronation and Durbar Medals
10. Long Service and Efficiency Awards
11. Commonwealth Orders, Decorations and Medals instituted by the Sovereign. Worn in order of date of award.
12. Commonwealth Orders, Decorations and Medals instituted since 1949 otherwise than by the Sovereign (including those of the States of Malaysia and the State of Brunei). Worn in order of date of award.
13. Foreign Orders. If approved for wear, worn in order of date of award.
14. Foreign Decorations. If approved for wear, worn in order of date of award.
15. Foreign Medals. If approved for wear, worn in order of date of award.

British military medals and ribbons

Military orders and decorations

Emblem	Description	Postnom	Established	Eligibility Period	Remarks
	Victoria Cross	VC	5 Feb 1856	Jan 1856 – present
	George Cross	GC	24 Sep 1940	1940 – present
	Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (Military Division)	GCB(Mil)	27 May 1725	27 May 1725 – present	Prior to 2 Jan 1815, this grade was known as a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath.
	Order of Merit (Military Division)	OM(Mil)	23 Jun 1902	23 Jun 1902 – present
	Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)	GBE(Mil)	24 Aug 1917	4 Jun 1917 – present
	Knight/Dame of the Order of the Bath (Military Division)	KCB(Mil) DCB(Mil)	2 Jan 1815	2 Jan 1815 – present
	Knight/Dame of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)	KBE(Mil) DBE(Mil)	24 Aug 1917	4 Jun 1917 – present
	Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division)	CB(Mil)	2 Jan 1815	1815 – present
	Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)	CBE(Mil)	24 Aug 1917	4 Jun 1917 – present
	Distinguished Service Order	DSO	09 Nov 1886	1885 – present	From Oct 1993 awarded for leadership only. Replaced for gallantry in Oct 1993 by the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
	Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)	OBE(Mil)	24 Aug 1917	4 Jun 1917 – present
	Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)	MBE(Mil)	24 Aug 1917	4 Jun 1917 – present
	Indian Order of Merit (1st Class) (Military Division)	IOM(Mil)		1837–1911	Replaced by the VC in 1911.
	Indian Order of Merit (2nd Class) (Military Division)	IOM(Mil)		1837–1947
	Indian Order of Merit (3rd Class) (Military Division)	IOM(Mil)		1837–1947
	Conspicuous Gallantry Cross	CGC	October 1993	1993 – present
	Royal Red Cross (Class I)	RRC	27 April 1883	1883 – present
	Distinguished Service Cross	DSC	June 1901	1901 – present
	Military Cross	MC	Dec 1914	1914 – present
	Distinguished Flying Cross	DFC	June 1918	1918 – present
	Air Force Cross	AFC	3 Jun 1918	1918 – present
	Royal Red Cross (Class II)	ARRC	27 April 1883	1917 – present
	Order of British India (First Class)	OBI		1837–1947
	Order of British India (Second Class)	OBI		1837–1947
	Distinguished Conduct Medal	DCM	1854	1854–1993
	Conspicuous Gallantry Medal	CGM		1874–1993
	Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying)	CGM	1874	1874–1993
	George Medal	GM	September 1940	1940 – present
	Royal West African Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medal		1907	1907–1942
	King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal		1907	1907–1942
	Indian Distinguished Service Medal	IDSM	June 1907	1907–1947
	Distinguished Service Medal	DSM	October 1914	1914–1993
	Military Medal	MM	25 March 1916	1916–1993
	Distinguished Flying Medal	DFM	June 1918	1918–1993
	Air Force Medal	AFM	3 June 1918	1918–1993
	Medal for Saving Life at Sea	SGM	10 August 1854	1854 – present
	Burma Gallantry Medal	BGM	10 May 1940	1940–1948
	Queen's Gallantry Medal	QGM	20 June 1974	1974 – present
	British Empire Medal	BEM	24 Aug 1917	04 Jun 1917 – 1993 2012–Present
	Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal	QVRM	1999	1999 – present
	Mentioned in Despatches		1920	1914 – present
	King's/Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct			1939–1994
	King's/Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air			1939–1994
	Queen's Commendation for Bravery			1994 – present
	Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air			1994 – present
	Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service			1993 – present

Note Eligibility period start dates reflect respective establishment dates, except where available evidence indicates otherwise.

Military campaign medals

Emblem	Description	Established	Eligibility Period	Remarks
18th Century Campaign Medals
Yellow Cord	Morighyr Mutiny Medal	1766	1766	HEIC Issue.[C 1]
Yellow Cord	Decan Medal	1784	1778–1784	HEIC Issue. Awarded in gold to Subadars, silver gilt to Jemadars and other native officers, and silver to 'native' non-commissioned officers and soldiers.
Yellow Cord	Mysore Medal	1 Apr 1793	1790–1792	HEIC Issue. Awarded in gold to Subadars, silver gilt to Jemadars and Serrangs, and silver to 'native' non-commissioned officers and soldiers.
19th Century Campaign Medals
	Siege of Seringapatam Medal	1801	March 1799 – 8 May 1799	HEIC Issue. Awarded in gold, silver gilt, silver, bronze and tin dependant upon rank and position to both British subjects and 'native' soldiers. Authorised for British Army wear on 29 Aug 1815. Several other ribbons were worn unofficially.
Yellow Cord	Medal for Egypt 1801	31 Jul 1802	08 Mar 1801 – 31 Aug 1801	HEIC Issue. Awarded in gold to senior officers, and silver to all others eligible.
	Army Gold Medal	1806	1808–1814	Issued with battle/action claps where appropriate.
Yellow Cord	Capture of Ceylon Medal	15 May 1807	1795–1796	HEIC Issue. Awarded in gold to 'native' officers, and silver to 'native' non-commissioned officers and soldiers.
	Army Gold Cross	1810	1808–1814	Issued with battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	Waterloo Medal	1816	16 Jun 1815 – 18 Jun 1815
	Ghuznee Medal	1839	21 Jul 1839 – 23 Jul 1839	HEIC Issue.
	Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal	1842	1839–1842	HEIC Issue.
	Jellalabad Medals	1842		HEIC Issue.
	Medal for the Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie	1842		HEIC Issue.
	China War Medal (1842)	1843	5 Jul 1840 – 29 Aug 1842	Issued with clasps for Second China War where appropriate.
	Scinde Medal	22 Sep 1843	1842–1843	HEIC Issue. Issued in one of three types: "Meeanee 1943", "Hyderabad 1843" and "Meeanee/Hyderabad 1843".
See Below	Gwalior Star	1843		HEIC Issue, issued for the Battle of Gwalior, which was fought at Maharajpur and Panihaar. Medals indicated in central disc of star the battleground for which it was issued
	Maharajpoor Star	1843	29 Dec 1843	HEIC Issue.
	Punniar Star	1843	29 Dec 1843	HEIC Issue.
	Sutlej Medal	17 Apr 1846	7 Sep 1845 – 14 Mar 1849	HEIC Issue. Issued with battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	Naval General Service Medal	1847	1793–1840	Always issued with battle/action clasps.
	Military General Service Medal	1 Jun 1847	1793–1814	Always issued with battle/action clasps.
	Punjab Medal	2 Apr 1849	7 Sep 1848 – 14 Mar 1849	HEIC Issue. Issued with battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	Army of India Medal	21 Mar 1851	1803–1826	HEIC Issue. Always issued with battle/action clasps.
	India General Service Medal (1854)	11 Mar 1854	1852–1895	Issued in silver. From 1885, issued in bronze to non-enlisted support personnel. Always issued with battle/action clasps.
	South Africa Medal (1854)	1854	1834–1835 1846–1847 1850–1853
	Crimean War Medal	15 Dec 1854	1854–1856	Issued with battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	Baltic Medal	23 Apr 1856	1854–1855
	Indian Mutiny Medal	1858	1857–1858	HEIC Issue. Issued with battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	Second China War Medal	6 Mar 1861	1856–1860	Issued with battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	New Zealand Medal	1869	1845–1848 1860–1866	Issued in bronze and silver.
	Abyssinian War Medal	1869
	Canada General Service Medal		1866–1870
	Ashantee Medal		1873–1874
	South Africa Medal (1877)	Aug 1880	1877–1879	Issued with campaign clasp where appropriate.
	Afghanistan Medal	1881	1878–1880
	Kabul to Kandahar Star		1880
	Egypt Medal		1882–1889
	East and West Africa Medal	1892	13 Nov 1887 – 8 May 1900	Issued in silver to officers and enlisted personnel and in bronze to non-enlisted support personnel. Issued with campaign and battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	India General Service Medal (1895)	1 Apr 1896	3 Mar 1895 – 10 Mar 1902	Always issued with appropriate campaign clasps.
	Ashanti Star	1896
	Queen's Sudan Medal	1899
	East and Central Africa Medal	1899	20 Jul 1897 – 2 May 1899	Always issued with appropriate campaign clasps.
	Queen's South Africa Medal	Apr 1901	11 Oct 1899 – 31 May 1902	Issued in silver to officers and enlisted personnel and in bronze to non-enlisted support personnel. Issued with appropriate battle or state clasps where appropriate.
	Queen's Mediterranean Medal	1902	1899–1902
20th Century Campaign Medals
	Third China War Medal	1901	1900	Issued in silver to officers and enlisted personnel and in bronze to non-enlisted support personnel. Issued with battle/action clasps where appropriate.
	Ashanti Medal	1901
	King's South Africa Medal	1902	1 Jan 1902 – 1 Jun 1902	Issued with clasps and where appropriate.
	Africa General Service Medal	1902	? – 1962
	Transport Medal	1903		For South Africa or China.
	Tibet Medal	1 Feb 1905	13 Dec 1903 – 23 Sep 1904	Issued in silver to officers and enlisted personnel and in bronze to non-enlisted support personnel.
	India General Service Medal (1909)	1 Jan 1909	1908–1935	Issued in silver to officers and enlisted personnel and, during 1908–1912, in bronze to non-enlisted support personnel. Always issued with appropriate campaign clasps.
	1914 Star	Apr 1917	5 Aug 1914 – 22 Nov 1914	Issued with clasp where appropriate.
	1914-15 Star	Dec 1918	5 Aug 1914 – 31 Dec 1915
	British War Medal	26 Jul 1919	5 Aug 1914 – 11 Nov 1918	Issued in silver to officers and enlisted soldiers and in bronze to non-enlisted support personnel.
	Victory Medal	1 Sep 1919	5 Aug 1914 – 11 Nov 1918 1919–1920 11 Nov 1918 – 30 Nov 1919	World War 1. Issued with MID oak leaf cluster where appropriate. British Naval Mission to Russia North Sea mine clearance
	Territorial Force War Medal	Apr 1920	4 Aug 1914 – 11 Nov 1918
	Mercantile Marine War Medal	01 Sep 1919	4 Aug 1914 – 11 Nov 1918
	Naval General Service Medal (1915)	6 Aug 1915	1909 – 23 Dec 1962	Always issued with appropriate campaign clasps.
	General Service Medal (1918)	19 Jan 1923	12 Nov 1918 – 23 Dec 1962	Always issued with appropriate campaign clasps.
	India General Service Medal (1936)	3 Aug 1938	1936–1939	Always issued with appropriate campaign clasps. Issued with MID oak leaf where appropriate.
	1939-45 Star	1945	3 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945	Issued with clasps or where appropriate.
	Atlantic Star		3 Sep 1939 – 8 May 1945	Issued with clasps or where appropriate.
	Air Crew Europe Star		3 Sep 1939 – 5 Jun 1944	Issued with clasps or where appropriate.
	Africa Star		10 Jun 1940 – 12 May 1943	Issued with clasps or or where appropriate.
	Pacific Star		8 Dec 1941 – 2 Sep 1945	Issued with clasp where appropriate.
	Burma Star		11 Dec 1941 – 2 Sep 1945	Issued with clasp where appropriate.
	Italy Star		11 Jun 1943 – 8 May 1945
	France and Germany Star		6 Jun 1944 – 8 May 1945	Issued with clasp where appropriate.
	Arctic Star		3 Sept 1939 – 8 May 1945
	Defence Medal	16 Aug 1945	3 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945	Issued with KCBC silver oak leaf where appropriate.
	War Medal 1939–1945	16 Aug 1945	3 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945	Issued with MID bronze oak leaf or KCBC silver oak leaf where appropriate.
	India Service Medal	6 Jun 1946	3 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945
	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal	22 Oct 1943	3 Sep 1939 – 1 Mar 1947	Issued with , , or clasps where appropriate.
	Africa Service Medal	23 Dec 1943	6 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945	Issued with KCSA (1939–45) bronze protea where appropriate.
	Australia Service Medal	Nov 1949	3 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945
	New Zealand War Service Medal	30 Sep 1948	3 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945
	Southern Rhodesia Medal for War Service
	Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal	17 Dec 1993	3 Sep 1939 – 2 Sep 1945
	Korea Medal	Jul 1951	1 Jul 1950 – 27 Jul 1953
	General Service Medal (1962)	06 Oct 1964	24 Dec 1962 – 31 Jul 2007	Always issued with appropriate campaign clasps. Replaced 1918 GSM.
	South Atlantic Medal	1982	2 Apr 1982 – 12 Jul 1982	Issued with for service south of 35th Parallel where appropriate.
	Gulf Medal	1992	2 Aug 1990 – 7 Mar 1991	Issued with clasp or where appropriate.
21st Century Campaign Medals
See below	Operational Service Medal	1 Jan 2000	See below	Replaced GSM 1962. Issued with a separate ribbon for each campaign.
	OSM Sierra Leone	2002	5 May 2000 – 31 Jul 2002	Issued with for Op BARRAS or Op MAIDENLY where appropriate.
	OSM Afghanistan	2003	11 Sep 2001 – present	Issued with clasp where appropriate.
	OSM Democratic Republic of Congo	2005	14 Jun 2003 – 10 Sep 2003	Always issued with Clasp .
	Iraq Medal	23 Feb 2004	20 Jan 2003 – present	Issued with clasp where appropriate.
	Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal	26 Jun 2004	19 Mar 2003 – present

Coronation and Jubilee medals

Emblem	Description	Established	Eligibility Period	Remarks
	Queen Victoria Golden Jubilee Medal	1887		Issued in Gold, Silver or Bronze
	Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal	1897		Issued in Gold, Silver or Bronze
	King Edward VII Coronation Medal	1902	26 Jun 1902
	King George V Coronation Medal	1911	23 Jun 1911	Civil/Military award
	King George V Coronation Medal	1911	23 Jun 1911	Police award
	King George V Silver Jubilee Medal	1935	6 May 1935
	King George VI Coronation Medal	1937	12 May 1937
	Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal	1953	2 Jun 1953
	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	1977	6 Feb 1977
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002	6 Feb 2002
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012	6 Feb 2012

Efficiency and long service decorations and medals

Emblem	Description	Post nom	Estab.	Eligibility Period	Remarks
See below	Meritorious Service Medal	—
	Meritorious Service Medal	—		1845 – present	Army
	Meritorious Service Medal (Royal Navy)	—	1919	1928 – present
	Meritorious Service Medal (Royal Marines)	—	1849	1947 – present
	Meritorious Service Medal (Royal Air Force)	—	1918	1928 – present
	Accumulated Campaign Service Medal	—	1994	1969 – present
	Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military)	—		1830 – present	Army
	Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal	—		1831 – present
	Medal for Meritorious Service (Royal Navy)	MSM		1918–1928
	Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal	—			For Europeans of the Indian Army.
	Indian Meritorious Service Medal	—			For Europeans of the Indian Army.
	Royal Marines Meritorious Service Medal	—		1849–1947
	Royal Air Force Meritorious Service Medal	—		1918–1928
	Royal Air Force Long