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54-707: The Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, or of the other Auxiliary Military Forces throughout the British Empire . At the same time a clasp was instituted for award to holders of the medal upon completion of further periods of six years of efficient service. The medal superseded

108-446: A break in the twelve years of continuous service qualifying for the medal. Clasps could initially be awarded to holders of the medal upon completion of eighteen and twenty-four years of efficient service. This was amended on 26 August 1944 to authorise the award of additional clasps for each additional completed period of six years of efficient service after twenty-four years. Post war, the maximum number of clasps awarded to one recipient

162-654: A clasp to either for service in the ranks, was not permitted to wear the medal or clasp together with the decoration until the full service periods prescribed for each medal or clasp and the decoration had been completed. From 1949, the required period of qualifying service was reduced to a minimum twelve years of commissioned service in the Territorial Force and the Auxiliary forces of the Commonwealth. In respect of officers whose service terminated before 3 September 1939,

216-573: A clasp was instituted, for award to recipients of the medal upon completion of further periods of efficient service. The medal consolidated the various existing long service medals for part-time service into one medal to reward the long service and good conduct of warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men throughout the British Empire. It superseded the Volunteer Long Service Medal, the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and

270-626: A miniature is depicted above to illustrate the first Queen Elizabeth II version of the obverse, was never awarded since the medal was superseded within a few months of the Queen's succession to the throne. The reverse is smooth with a raised rim and bears the inscription "FOR EFFICIENT SERVICE" in three lines. On the South African version, the Afrikaans and English inscriptions are "VIR BEKWAME DIENS" and "FOR EFFICIENT SERVICE", each language in three lines and

324-477: Is affixed to the medal by means of a single-toe claw and a horizontal pin through the upper edge of the medal. The suspender is decorated on the obverse with a scroll-pattern bar, inscribed to indicate the military force in which the recipient was serving at the time of qualification for the award. Six versions of the medal have been awarded, the sixth only in Canada. The obverse has a raised rim on all versions and bears

378-620: Is also unofficially known as the Territorial Decoration, the name of its predecessor. The Royal Warrant of 23 September 1930 was amended by Royal Warrants dated 1 February 1940, 4 April 1946, 8 April 1949, 8 August 1949 and 6 August 1951. On 17 November 1952, these earlier warrants were annulled and, along with some new amendments, incorporated in one new Royal Warrant. The decoration could be awarded to part-time officers after twenty years of commissioned service, not necessarily continuous, as an efficient and thoroughly capable officer on

432-601: Is six. A further amendment on 10 May 1946 made part-time officers who served during the Second World War also eligible for the award of the medal and clasp, provided they were serving on the active list of the Territorial Army, the Auxiliary Territorial Service or any Auxiliary Military Force on 2 September 1939 and were embodied or called up for war service. The reason for this amendment originated from

486-834: The Canadian Forces' Decoration in 1951, in the Union of South Africa by the John Chard Decoration in 1952 and in Australia by the Reserve Force Decoration in 1982. In the United Kingdom, the decoration was superseded by the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in 1999. New Zealand continues to award the Efficiency Decoration (New Zealand) and is one of a few countries still to do so. In 1892

540-635: The 7th Division . After the Napoleonic Wars, the Militia fell into disuse, although regimental colonels and adjutants continued to appear in the Army List . Whilst muster rolls were still prepared during the 1820s, the element of compulsion was abandoned. For example, the City Of York Militia & Muster Rolls run to 1829. They used a pre-printed form with a printer's date of Sept 1828. The Militia

594-737: The British Army , in the Army Reserve . These are the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (formed in 1539) and the Jersey Field Squadron (The Royal Militia Island of Jersey) (formed in 1337). Efficiency Decoration The Efficiency Decoration , post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces ,

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648-643: The Canadian Forces' Decoration in 1951, in the Union of South Africa by the John Chard Medal in 1952 and in Australia by the Reserve Force Medal in 1982. In the United Kingdom the medal was superseded by the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in 1999. New Zealand continues to award the Efficiency Medal (New Zealand) and is one of a few countries to still do so. The Volunteer Long Service Medal

702-708: The Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal and before the Territorial Efficiency Medal . The decoration is an oval skeletal design and was struck in silver, with parts of the obverse in silver-gilt. The original badge is the same as that of the King George V version of the Territorial Decoration , 43 millimetres (1.69 inches) high and 35.5 millimetres (1.40 inches) wide, but with the decoration's subsidiary title inscribed on

756-819: The Isle of Man , Bermuda and the Indian Empire . The Militia Long Service Medal and the Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal were instituted in the United Kingdom in 1904 and 1908 respectively. Also in 1908, when the Territorial Force was formed, the Volunteer Long Service Medal was superseded by the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal , which itself was superseded by the Territorial Efficiency Medal in 1921 when

810-885: The Volunteer Long Service Medal , the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies , the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal , the Militia Long Service Medal , the Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and the Territorial Efficiency Medal . In the British Commonwealth , the Efficiency Medal was gradually superseded by national medals in some member countries, in Canada by

864-525: The Army Emergency Reserve from 1948. Awards were made on the same basis as the Efficiency Medal, with the same design of medal, save for the scroll bar which bore the inscription "Army Emergency Reserve" and the ribbon, which was dark blue ribbon with three yellow stripes towards the centre. The medal ceased to be awarded after 1967 on the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, when it

918-522: The Auxiliary Military Forces, but no country awarded all six versions. The South African version of the medal was unique since the inscriptions on the scroll bar and the reverse of the medal were bilingual, in English and Afrikaans on the scroll bar and in Afrikaans and English on the medal's reverse. The English-only Queen Elizabeth II version of the Efficiency Medal (South Africa), of which

972-473: The Blood Royal. The equivalent award for other ranks was the Efficiency Medal . Recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom are entitled to use the post-nominal letters TD, while recipients serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces are entitled to use the post-nominal letters ED. A recipient who had earlier been awarded any Long Service and Good Conduct Medal or the Efficiency Medal or

1026-546: The Colonies was superseded in 1899 by the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. In the United Kingdom, the Volunteer Officers' Decoration was superseded by the Territorial Decoration in 1908, but it continued to be awarded in a few Crown Dependencies until 1930. The Efficiency Decoration was instituted by Royal Warrant on 23 September 1930 as a long service award for part-time officers of

1080-696: The Colonies, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal, the Militia Long Service Medal, the Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and the Territorial Efficiency Medal. The medal bears a subsidiary title to denote whether the recipient qualified for its award while serving in the Militia or the Territorial Army or in one of the other Auxiliary Military Forces of the Empire. The subsidiary title

1134-550: The Home Office administered the Militia and Yeomanry, until such time as they were Embodied. The resultant ‘confusion and inconvenience’ it caused, from 1854 to 1855, resulted in being administered exclusively by the War Office from that time onwards. Under the reforms introduced by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, the remaining militia infantry regiments were redesignated as numbered battalions of regiments of

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1188-457: The Militia which engaged a recruit for a term of service, a volunteer could quit his corps with fourteen days notice, except while embodied for war or training with the regular forces. Volunteer Corps required recruits to fund their own equipment, however, effectively barring those with low incomes. The militia was transformed into the Special Reserve by the military reforms of Haldane in

1242-520: The Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch in the centre below the Royal Crown, both in gold. Four versions of the decoration have been awarded. The medal ribbon is suspended from a rectangular silver bar-brooch, inscribed "TERRITORIAL" in respect of the Territorial Army or with the name of the applicable country in respect of other Auxiliary Military Forces. In South Africa a bilingual subsidiary title

1296-486: The Territorial Army of the United Kingdom and of the Auxiliary Military Forces of the British Dominions, Colonies and Protectorates and India. It superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Territorial Decoration. The decoration bore a subsidiary title to denote whether the recipient qualified for its award while serving in the Territorial Army or in one of

1350-399: The Territorial Force became the Territorial Army. The Efficiency Medal was instituted by Royal Warrant on 23 September 1930, as a long service award for part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, and of the Auxiliary Military Forces of the British Dominions, Colonies and Protectorates and India. At the same time

1404-483: The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was instituted as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force . In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended to officers of volunteer forces throughout the British Empire by instituting a separate new decoration, the Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies . The Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and

1458-559: The active list of the Militia, the Territorial Army or of any other Auxiliary Military Force of the British Empire. War service was reckoned two-fold, as did service in West Africa, although service by natives of West Africa and periods spent on leave counted only singly. Service during the period from 3 September 1939 to 1 March 1950 inclusive need not have been continuous, while breaks in service under certain specified conditions, though not counting as qualifying service, were not considered as

1512-425: The active list of the Territorial Army or of any other Auxiliary Military Force of the British Empire. Half of the time served in the ranks could be reckoned as qualifying service for the decoration. Service in West Africa, natives of West Africa and periods spent on leave excluded, and war service was reckoned two-fold as qualifying service for the decoration. The award could also be made to any Princes or Princesses of

1566-526: The anomaly that, during the war, a large number of officers were commissioned from the ranks, and merely by the fact that they were so promoted owing to their efficiency, would be denied the right to the Efficiency Medal. Such officers were allowed to reckon their service as officers as qualifying service for the medal and clasps. Officers who had already qualified for the award of the Efficiency Decoration before that date were, however, not eligible. In

1620-421: The bar-brooch. The subsequent King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II versions are of a new design, 54 millimetres (2.13 inches) high and 37 millimetres (1.46 inches) wide, with a 15 millimetres (0.59 inches) diameter ring suspender, formed of silver wire, which passes through a small ring affixed to the top back of the crown. The obverse is an oval oak leaf wreath in silver, tied with gold, with

1674-414: The crowned effigy of the reigning monarch. Three suspender scroll bar inscriptions were used on medals awarded to members of part-time forces in the United Kingdom. Medals awarded to members of the Auxiliary Military Forces of the British Dominions, Colonies and Protectorates and India bore scroll bars inscribed with the names of the respective countries. All six obverse versions of the medal were used for

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1728-475: The decoration, all 38 millimetres (1.50 inches) wide. In the United Kingdom, an alternative ribbon is used when the decoration is awarded to officers of the Honourable Artillery Company, while a new regular ribbon was introduced in 1967. New Zealand continues to award the Efficiency Decoration (New Zealand) and is one of a few countries to still do so. In the United Kingdom and some countries of

1782-510: The languages separated by a 13 millimetres long line. The name of the recipient was impressed on the rim of the medal. Two versions of the clasp were created. The King George V version, illustrated at the bottom alongside, is decorated with an embossed Tudor Crown and remained unaltered during the reign of King George VI. The Queen Elizabeth II version, illustrated at the top alongside, is decorated with an embossed Saint Edward's Crown. The clasps were struck in silver and were designed to be sewn onto

1836-570: The line, ranking after the two regular battalions. Typically, an English, Welsh or Scottish regiment would have two militia battalions (the 3rd and 4th) and Irish regiments three (numbered 3rd – 5th). The militia must not be confused with the volunteer units created in a wave of enthusiasm in the second half of the nineteenth century. In contrast with the Volunteer Force , and the similar Yeomanry Cavalry, they were considered rather plebeian. Volunteer units appealed to better-off recruits as, unlike

1890-540: The medal ribbon. Three ribbons are used with the medal, all 32 millimetres wide. In the United Kingdom, an alternative ribbon is used when the medal is awarded to members of the Honourable Artillery Company, while a new regular ribbon was introduced in 1967. A separate Army Emergency Reserve Efficiency Medal was instituted in September 1953 to reward long service in the Army Supplementary Reserve from 1924, and

1944-478: The militia were an entirely infantry force, but the 1852 Act introduced Militia Artillery units whose role was to man coastal defences and fortifications, relieving the Royal Artillery for active service. Some of these units were converted from existing infantry militia regiments, others were newly raised. In 1877 the militia of Anglesey and Monmouthshire were converted to Royal Engineers . Up to 1855,

1998-525: The order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood , the Efficiency Medal takes precedence after the Territorial Efficiency Medal and before the Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal . The medal was struck in silver and is oval, 39 millimetres (1.54 inches) high and 32 millimetres (1.26 inches) wide. The fixed suspender bar, a pair of laurel leaves,

2052-399: The other Auxiliary Military Forces of the Empire. The subsidiary title was inscribed on the bar-brooch of the decoration, "TERRITORIAL" in respect of the Territorial Army or the name of the applicable country in respect of other Auxiliary Military Forces. When the medal was awarded to Territorial Army officers, it is officially known as the Efficiency Decoration (Territorial). However, it

2106-417: The perimeter in some countries. The clasps have either the Royal Cypher of King George VI (GVIR) or Queen Elizabeth II (EIIR) in the centre, surmounted by the Royal Crown, with the year of the award impressed on the reverse. In undress uniform or when ribbon bars alone are worn, a recipient of one or more clasps would wear a silver rosette on the ribbon bar to denote each clasp. Three ribbons are used with

2160-431: The qualifying period of commissioned service remained twenty years. At the same time, a clasp was instituted which could be awarded upon the completion of each further period of six years of qualifying service. The maximum number of clasps awarded to one recipient is five. In the order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood , the Efficiency Decoration takes precedence after

2214-526: The reforming post 1906 Liberal government. In 1908 the militia infantry battalions were redesignated as "reserve" and a number were amalgamated or disbanded. Altogether, 101 infantry battalions, 33 artillery regiments and two engineer regiments of special reservists were formed. In contrast with the soldier serving in the militia, those who served under Special Reserve terms of service had an obligation to serve overseas, as stipulated in paragraph 54. The standards of medical fitness were lower than for recruits to

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2268-457: The regular infantry. The possibility of enlisting in the army under Regular terms of service were facilitated under paragraph 38, one precondition was that the recruit 'fulfils the necessary physical requirements.' A further contrast was the replacement of several weeks of preliminary training with six months of full time training upon enlisting in the Special Reserve. Upon mobilisation,

2322-426: The rest of the army. Only single men aged 20–22 were to be conscripted (given a free suit of civilian clothes as well as a uniform), and after six months full-time training would be discharged into the reserve. The first intake was called up, but the Second World War was declared soon afterwards, and the militiamen lost their identity in the rapidly expanding army. Two units still maintain their militia designation in

2376-572: The special reserve units would be formed at the depot and continue training while guarding vulnerable points in Britain. The special reserve units remained in Britain throughout the First World War , but their rank and file did not, since the object of the special reserve was to supply drafts of replacements for the overseas units of the regiment. The Special Reserve reverted to its militia designation in 1921, then to Supplementary Reserve in 1924, though

2430-519: The units were effectively placed in "suspended animation" until disbanded in 1953. The term militiaman was briefly revived in 1939. In the aftermath of the Munich Crisis Leslie Hore-Belisha , Secretary of State for War , wished to introduce a limited form of conscription , an unheard of concept in peacetime. It was thought that calling the conscripts 'militiamen' would make this more acceptable, as it would render them distinct from

2484-480: Was also a significant source of recruits for the Regular Army, where men had received a taste of army life. An officer's commission in the militia was often a 'back door' route to a Regular Army commission for young men who could not obtain one through purchase or gain entry to Sandhurst . Under the act, Militia units could be embodied by Royal Proclamation for full-time service in three circumstances: Until 1852

2538-665: Was created in 1808 before being disbanded in 1816. By 1813 the British Army was experiencing a shortage of manpower to maintain their battalions at full strength. Some consideration was given to recruiting foreign nationals; however, on 4 November 1813 a bill was introduced to Parliament to allow Militia volunteers to serve in Europe. In the event only three battalions were raised, and these were sent to serve under Henry Bayly . On 12 April 1814 they arrived in Bordeaux , where they were attached to

2592-491: Was for 56 days on enlistment, then the recruits would return to civilian life but report for 21–28 days training per year. The full army pay during training and a financial retainer thereafter made a useful addition to the men's civilian wage. Of course, many saw the annual camp as the equivalent of a paid holiday. The militia thus appealed to agricultural labourers, colliers and the like, men in casual occupations , who could leave their civilian job and pick it up again. The militia

2646-542: Was inscribed on a scroll bar attached to the medal suspender, "MILITIA", "TERRITORIAL" or "T.& A.V.R." in respect of the United Kingdom's Militia, Territorial Army and Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve respectively, or the name of the applicable country in respect of other Auxiliary Military Forces. The equivalent award for commissioned officers was the Efficiency Decoration . The medal could be awarded to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of continuous efficient service on

2700-456: Was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks in the part-time Volunteer Force of the United Kingdom. In 1896 the grant of this medal was extended to members of Volunteer Forces throughout the British Empire and a separate new medal was instituted, the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies. The latter medal was superseded by the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal in 1899, but continued to be awarded by

2754-496: Was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twenty years of service as an efficient and thoroughly capable officer. The decoration superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration , the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Territorial Decoration . In the British Commonwealth , the decoration was gradually superseded by national decorations in some member countries, in Canada by

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2808-605: Was replaced by the Efficiency Medal with scroll bar inscribed T. & A.V.R. Officers in the Emergency Reserve were eligible for the Emergency Reserve Decoration . New Zealand continues to award the Efficiency Medal (New Zealand) and is one of a few countries to still do so. In the United Kingdom and some countries of the Commonwealth the medal was gradually superseded by new national medals. Militia (United Kingdom) A separate voluntary Local Militia

2862-452: Was revived by the Militia Act 1852 ( 15 & 16 Vict. c. 50), enacted during a period of international tension. As before, units were raised and administered on a county basis, and filled by voluntary enlistment (although conscription by means of the militia ballot might be used if the counties failed to meet their quotas). It was intended to be seen as an alternative to the army. Training

2916-399: Was used, with the bar-brooch inscribed "UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA" and "UNIE VAN SUID-AFRIKA" in two lines. On the reverse the bar-brooch is impressed with silver hallmarks. The reverse is smooth and undecorated, with the year the decoration was awarded impressed at the bottom on decorations awarded in the United Kingdom, or with the rank, initials and surname of the recipient impressed around

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