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61-782: Sir Basil Urwin Spence , OM OBE RA (13 August 1907 – 19 November 1976) was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist / Brutalist style. Spence was born in Bombay , Bombay Presidency , British India , the son of Urwin Archibald Spence, an assayer with

122-664: A counterfeit oil terminus at Dover as part of the Operation Fortitude deception plan for the Normandy landings. Spence subsequently took part in the D-Day landings in 1944. He was demobilised in September 1945, having reached the rank of major and been mentioned in despatches twice. Spence returned to Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners briefly, before setting up his own practice, Basil Spence & Partners, with Bruce Robertson. He

183-624: A formal gallantry award. In 1920 the Minister of Defence of the Union of South Africa was empowered to award a multiple-leaved bronze oak leaf emblem to all servicemen and servicewomen mentioned in dispatches during the First World War for valuable services in action. The emblem, which was regarded as a decoration, was worn on the ribbon of the Victory Medal (Union of South Africa) . Only one emblem

244-595: A mention in a dispatch is entitled to wear an emblem, in the form of a lotus leaf on the ribbon of the relevant campaign medal. They are also issued with an official certificate from the Ministry of Defence . Under the current Pakistani military honours system, the Imtiazi Sanad is conferred upon any member of the Pakistan Armed Forces who is mentioned in dispatches for an act of gallantry that does not qualify for

305-627: A modernist Regency style, with assistance from Perry Duncan, an American architect hired by the Colvilles when Spence was too busy with exhibition work to progress the project. In 1939, Spence was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Camouflage Training and Development Centre of the British Army . He was initially based at Farnham in Surrey. His work included, prior to D-Day, the design of

366-723: A neck ribbon (as a necklet ), while women wear theirs on a ribbon bow pinned to the left shoulder, and aides-de-camp may wear the insignia on their aiguillettes . Since 1991, the insignia must be returned upon the recipient's death. number appointment There have been no honorary members of the Order of Merit since the death of the last such member, Nelson Mandela , in December 2013. Secretary and Registrar : Robin Janvrin, Baron Janvrin GCB , GCVO , QSO , PC As

427-578: A room within the office of Rowand Anderson & Paul (at that time having Arthur Forman Balfour Paul as sole partner), in Rutland Square, Edinburgh. The practice was founded on two residential commissions which Kininmonth had obtained that year. Spence also received commissions to illustrate other architects' work, including the Southside Garage, on Causewayside, Edinburgh, in an Art Deco style (although credited to Spence his name appears nowhere on

488-551: A silver nine-pointed breast star with the image of Minerva at its centre, along with a "straw-coloured" sash worn across the chest from the right shoulder. The motto of the Order would be "Omnia posthabita scientiae" (in Latin , 'Everything comes after science'). Once the King's proposal was made public, however, arguments within intellectual circles over who would be most deserving of the new order grew so heated that George ultimately dropped

549-573: A sufficiently high order to warrant the grant of gallantry awards. Eligible personnel include all Army , Navy and Air Force personnel including personnel of the Reserve Forces , Territorial Army , Militia and other lawfully constituted armed forces , members of the Nursing Service and civilians working under or with the armed forces. Personnel can be mentioned in dispatches posthumously and multiple awards are also possible. A recipient of

610-496: A year into World War II . In 1944, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott submitted a design proposal to rebuild the cathedral but this was rejected by the Royal Fine Arts Commission . In 1950, a competition was launched to find the most suitable design from a Commonwealth of Nations architect. Over 200 entries were received, and Spence's radical design was chosen. Work began in 1956 and the structure was completed in 1962. Spence

671-575: Is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms , recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII , admission into the order remains the personal gift of its Sovereign—currently Edward VII's great-great-grandson Charles III —and is restricted to a maximum of 24 living recipients from the Commonwealth realms, plus honorary members. While all members are awarded

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732-535: Is awarded, the oak leaf is worn directly on the coat after any medal ribbons. In the British Armed Forces , the despatch is published in the London Gazette . Prior to 1914, no decoration existed to signify a mention in despatches, although sometimes a medal for gallantry could be awarded in its place. For 1914–1918 and up to 10 August 1920, the device consisted of a spray of oak leaves in bronze worn on

793-681: The Africa Service Medal , for valuable services in connection with the Second World War . It could be awarded posthumously and was the equivalent of a mention in dispatches for services rendered away from the battlefield. The MiD and the King's Commendation (SA) were the only decorations that could be approved by the South African Minister of Defence without reference to the King. Since the French Revolution, France has had

854-443: The Commonwealth who are mentioned in despatches are not awarded a medal for their actions, but receive a certificate and wear an oak leaf device on the ribbon of the appropriate campaign medal. A smaller version of the oak leaf device is attached to the ribbon when worn alone. Prior to 2014, only one device could be worn on a ribbon, irrespective of the number of times the recipient was mentioned in despatches. Where no campaign medal

915-609: The Dominions of the British Empire became independent countries within the empire, equal in status to the UK, the Order of Merit continued as an honour open to all these realms and, in many, became a part of their newly developing national honours systems. The order's statutes were amended in 1935 to include members of the Royal Air Force and, in 1969, the definition of honorary recipients

976-535: The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia , stated that the Order of Merit was the highest civilian award for merit a Canadian could receive. Some orders of precedence are as follows: Order of wear Mentioned in despatches In some countries, a service member's name must be mentioned in dispatches as a condition for receiving certain decorations. Servicemen and women of the United Kingdom or

1037-527: The Royal Academy of Arts , advised against the new order, primarily because of its selection process. It was Victoria's son Edward VII who eventually founded the Order of Merit on 26 June 1902 (the date for which his coronation had been originally scheduled ) as a means to acknowledge "exceptionally meritorious service in Our Navy and Our Army, or who may have rendered exceptionally meritorious service towards

1098-661: The Royal Mint . He was educated at the John Connon School, operated by the Bombay Scottish Education Society, and was then sent back to Scotland to attend George Watson's College in Edinburgh from 1919 to 1925. He enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) in 1925, studying architecture, where he secured a maintenance scholarship on the strength of the "unusual brilliance" of his work. He won several prizes at

1159-628: The Viceroy's House in New Delhi , India. While in London he attended evening classes at the Bartlett School of Architecture under A. E. Richardson . Returning to ECA in 1930 for his final year of studies, he was appointed a junior lecturer, despite the fact that he was still a student. He continued to teach at ECA until 1939. After graduating in 1931, Kininmonth and Spence set up in practice together, based in

1220-506: The 1938 Empire Exhibition in Glasgow , and country houses. The first two of these, Broughton Place at Broughton near Biggar , and Quothquan in Lanarkshire , were executed in traditional Scottish styles at the client's request. The third was entirely modern. Gribloch was designed for John Colville, grandson of the founder of Colville's Iron Works, and his American wife. It was designed in

1281-597: The Commendation for Gallantry and the Commendation for Distinguished Service. Similarly, the equivalents of the MiD for acts of bravery by civilians and by soldiers not engaged with the enemy have also been reformed. The reformed and comprehensive system is now as follows: A mention in dispatches – in French, Citation à l'ordre du jour – gives recognition from a senior commander for acts of brave or meritorious service, normally in

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1342-635: The French military or its allies and are, depending on the degree, roughly the equivalent of the US Bronze Star Medal or Silver Star and the UK Mention in Dispatches or Military Cross and, formerly, the Military Medal . Mentions made during the two World Wars or colonial conflicts were accompanied with awards of a Croix de Guerre or a Croix de la Valeur Militaire , with attachments on

1403-525: The Mentioned in Despatches device can be worn on United Nations , NATO and EU medals. In a change introduced in 2014, up to three devices may be worn on a single campaign medal and ribbon bar for those with multiple mentions, backdated to 1962. Prior to this change, even if the serviceman was mentioned in despatches more than once, only a single such device was worn. Prior to 1979, a mention in despatches

1464-577: The Order of Merit is open to the citizens of 15 countries, each with their own system of orders, decorations, and medals, the order's place of precedence varies from country to country. While, in the United Kingdom, the order's postnominal letters follow those of Knights and Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath , membership in the Order of Merit itself gives members no place in any of the orders of precedence in

1525-425: The Order of Merit, members are entitled to use the post-nominal letters OM and are entrusted with the badge of the order. The insignia consists of a badge, which consists of a golden crown from which is suspended a red enamelled cross pattée , itself centred by a disk of blue enamel, surrounded by a laurel wreath . The obverse of the badge's central disk bears the words FOR MERIT in gold lettering, while

1586-510: The Order, having been admitted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1968, when he was 47 years old. Robin Eames , Baron Eames represented the order at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla on 6 May 2023. All citizens of the Commonwealth realms are eligible for appointment to the Order of Merit. There may be, however, only 24 living individuals in the order at any given time, not including honorary appointees, and new members are personally selected by

1647-506: The United Kingdom . However, Stanley Martin says in his book The Order of Merit 1902–2002: One Hundred Years of Matchless Honour , that the Order of Merit is the pinnacle of the British honours system. Similarly, though it was not listed in the Canadian order of precedence for honours, decorations, and medals until December 2010, Christopher McCreery, an expert on Canadian honours and secretary to

1708-552: The advancement of Art, Literature and Science". All modern aspects of the order were established under his direction, including the division for military figures. From the outset, prime ministers attempted to propose candidates or lobbied to influence the monarch's decision on appointments. But, the Royal Household adamantly guarded information about potential names. After 1931, when the Statute of Westminster came into effect and

1769-671: The bequest of Spence's drawings and office papers, the Sir Basil Spence Archive project was begun by the RCAHMS (now part of HES). A centennial exhibition Basil Spence Back to the Future was organised in Edinburgh, Coventry and London in 2007-8. In 2006, he was the subject of a BBC Scotland documentary, Rebuilding Basil Spence , which revised his place in 20th-century British architecture and asked why he had been for so long overlooked. In 2012,

1830-510: The book Basil Spence Buildings and Projects was published by the RIBA as the culmination of the RCAHMS archive project and the work of the AHRC research project led by Louise Campbell of Warwick University . In 1993 Spence's Hutchesontown C complex was listed by the international conservation organisation DoCoMoMo as one of Scotland's sixty key monuments of the post-war years, in the same year as it

1891-495: The by then long-widowed Queen a draft constitution for an Order of Merit in Science and Art, consisting of one grade split into two branches of knighthood: the Order of Scientific Merit, for Knights of Merit in Science, with the post-nominal letters KMS , and the Order of Artistic Merit, for Knights of Merit in Art, with the post-nominal letters KMA . However, Frederic Leighton , President of

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1952-454: The college, and meanwhile carried out paid work drawing architectural perspectives for practising architects including Leslie Grahame-Thomson, Reginald Fairlie and Frank Mears . In 1929–1930, he spent a year as an assistant, along with William Kininmonth , in the London office of Sir Edwin Lutyens , whose work was to have a profound influence on Spence's style, where he worked on designs for

2013-460: The custom of declaring deserving citizens or groups to have bien mérité de la Patrie ("well deserved the recognition of the Country"). This sentiment is continued to this day in the formulation of the citations that accompany medals. In the French military, mentions in dispatches – or more accurately, mention in orders ( citation dans les ordres ) – are made by senior commanders, from

2074-699: The device consisted of a single bronze oak leaf, worn on the ribbon of the appropriate campaign medal, including the War Medal for a mention during the Second World War. The Canadian Armed Forces still use the bronze oak leaf device. Since 1993 changes have been made in respect of United Kingdom armed forces: For awards made from September 1993, the oak leaf has been in silver. The criteria were also made more specific, it now being defined as an operational gallantry award for acts of bravery during active operations. From 2003, in addition to British campaign medals,

2135-566: The enemy. The mention in dispatches (MiD) was one of only four awards which could be made posthumously. The others were the Victoria Cross , the George Cross , and the King's Commendation (South Africa). The oak leaf emblem was worn on the ribbon of the War Medal 1939–1945 . The King's Commendation (South Africa) (1939–45) was denoted by a bronze King Protea flower emblem worn on the ribbon of

2196-820: The field. The Mention in dispatches is among the list of awards presented by the governor general of Canada . Recipients receive a bronze oak leaf insignia, worn on the ribbon of the relevant mission medal. Historically, MID was awarded during both World Wars and the Korean War , later reintroduced in 1990. To date, 283 MIDs have been awarded, each accompanied by a citation certificate. Master Corporal Graham Ragsdale 's performance During Operation Anaconda in Southeast Afghanistan, earned him Mention in Dispatches. Mention in dispatches has been used since 1947, in order to recognize distinguished and meritorious service in operational areas and acts of gallantry which are not of

2257-614: The idea, though he briefly reconsidered it in 1789; on 6 February of that year, he revised the design of the order, with the breast star to have sixteen points, the motto to be the Latin for "Learning improves character" and with membership to include distinguished scientists. Following the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, First Lord of the Admiralty Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham and William Pitt exchanged correspondence concerning

2318-414: The last person so honoured. Honorary members form another group, to which there is no numerical limit, though such appointments are rare; individuals from countries in the Commonwealth of Nations that are not headed by King Charles are therefore considered foreigners, and thus are granted only honorary admissions, such as Nelson Mandela (South Africa) and Mother Teresa (India). Upon admission into

2379-465: The level of a Regimental commanding officer to the Commander-in-Chief, in the orders they give to their unit, recognizing the gallantry of an action performed some time before. There are two kinds of mentions: mentions with cross, for bravery in presence of the enemy, and mentions without cross, for bravery not in presence of the enemy. The citations are given for acts of gallantry by any member of

2440-471: The matter; it was recorded in his diary that he met Sir Robert Peel on 16 January 1844 to discuss the "idea of institution of a civil Order of Merit" and, three days later, he conferred with the Queen on the subject. Though nothing came of the idea at the time, the concept did not wither and, more than 40 years later, on 5 January 1888, Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury submitted to

2501-465: The official warrant drawings and only appears as a signature on the artist's perspective). In 1934 Spence married, and the Kininmonth & Spence practice merged with Rowand Anderson & Paul. Balfour Paul died in 1938, leaving Kininmonth and Spence in charge of the renamed Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. Spence's work was now concentrated on exhibition design, including three pavilions for

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2562-532: The possible creation of an order of merit, though nothing came of the idea. Later, Queen Victoria , her courtiers , and politicians alike, thought that a new order, based on the Prussian order Pour le Mérite , would make up for the insufficient recognition offered by the established honours system to achievement outside public service, in fields such as art, music, literature, industry and science. Victoria's husband, Albert, Prince Consort , took an interest in

2623-447: The reigning monarch of the realms, currently Charles III , with the assistance of his private secretaries; the order has thus been described as "quite possibly, the most prestigious honour one can receive on planet Earth." Within the limited membership is a designated military division, with its own unique insignia; though it has not been abolished, it is currently unpopulated, Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma having been

2684-414: The reverse bears the royal cypher of the reigning monarch in gold. The insignia for the military grouping is distinguished by a pair of crossed swords behind the central disk. The ribbon of the Order of Merit is divided into two stripes of red and blue. The neck ribbon is 50mm in width, while the ribbon bar width is the standard British 32mm size for military or civilian wear. Men wear their badges on

2745-416: The ribbon depending on the mention's degree : the lowest degree is represented by a bronze star while the highest degree is represented by a bronze palm. A unit can also be mentioned in dispatches. The unit standard is then decorated with the corresponding Croix. After two mentions, the men of the unit are entitled to wear a fourragère . Since 2004, mentions for bravery not involving actual combat with

2806-462: The ribbon of the Victory Medal . Those who did not receive the Victory Medal wore the device on the British War Medal . Established in 1919, it was retrospective to August 1914. It was not a common honour with, for example, only twenty-five (out of 1,000) members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the First World War mentioned in despatches. In all, 141,082 mentions were recorded in the London Gazette between 1914 and 1920. From 1920 to 1993,

2867-425: The right to use the post-nominal letters OM and wear the badge of the order, the Order of Merit's precedence among other honours differs between countries. In around 1773, George III considered establishing an order of knighthood to be called the "Order of Minerva " with membership restricted to 24 distinguished artists and authors. Knights would be entitled to the post-nominal letters KM , and would wear

2928-432: The same angled fin concept as found at Coventry Cathedral). He also designed Trawsfynydd nuclear power station, which was unveiled in Snowdonia , north Wales , in 1968. Also in 1964, with support from the Nuffield Foundation, the University of Southampton built a theatre on its campus. Spence worked closely with Sir Richard Southern as consultant for the interior design and layout of the theatre. The Spence practice

2989-426: The second phase, which was finished in 1959. A third phase was completed in 1966 and included a museum to showcase Lord Kelvin 's old experimental apparatus. Some of this is still on display in the Kelvin Building today, with other items having been moved to form part of an exhibit at the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery . On 14 November 1940, Coventry's Anglican Cathedral was extensively damaged by German bombing,

3050-401: Was knighted in 1960 for his work at Coventry, while the cathedral was still being built. On 23 February 2012 the Royal Mail released a stamp featuring Coventry Cathedral as part of its "Britons of Distinction" series. In 1959, Spence secured two important commissions, for the British Embassy in Rome (completed 1971), and for the Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks in London (completed 1970). He

3111-413: Was also responsible for designing the high-rise Hutchesontown C housing in Glasgow. These were intended to replace the notorious slum tenements in the Gorbals area of the city. A combination of social deprivation and exclusion in the relevant areas, coupled to poor execution of his designs meant that the developments created as many problems as they solved, and led to their demolition in 1993. Spence

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3172-510: Was also responsible for modernist buildings on The Canongate in Edinburgh, opposite the new Scottish Parliament and in view of Holyrood Palace . This area is named Brown's Close and was listed in 2008. Other work in the 1960s included the concept design for the executive wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings in Wellington , nicknamed "The Beehive", and Abbotsinch Airport (now Glasgow Airport). In 1960, Spence designed Mortonhall Crematorium in Edinburgh's Braid Hills area (based on

3233-445: Was awarded an OBE in 1948 for his work in exhibition design, work which he continued with the Sea and Ships Pavilion for the 1951 Festival of Britain . That year he opened a London office, moving there permanently from 1953. A second office was opened in 1956 at Canonbury, which became the creative hub of the practice. Spence was External Professor of Architecture at the University of Leeds from 1955 to 1957 and from 1958 to 1960 he

3294-406: Was demolished. In August 2010, English Heritage recommended that the Spence-designed Sydenham School be given Grade II listed status: the building was due to be demolished to make way for a new building. However the government's decision was that the school was not of sufficient merit to warrant listing. Member of the Order of Merit The Order of Merit (French: Ordre du Mérite )

3355-429: Was expanded to include members of the Commonwealth of Nations that are not realms. The order has always been open to women, Florence Nightingale being the first woman to receive the honour, in 1907. Several individuals have refused admission into the Order of Merit, including Rudyard Kipling , A. E. Housman , and George Bernard Shaw . Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , remains the youngest person ever inducted into

3416-457: Was for an unexecuted cultural centre for Bahrain , which he worked on during illness in 1976. Some of his final commissions were built after his death; for example, his design for the new Glasgow Royal Infirmary was completed in 1981. Spence died in November 1976 at his home at Yaxley, Suffolk and was buried at nearby Thornham Parva . His practice, Spence, Ferguson and Glover, continued until 1992 before being disbanded. In 2004, following

3477-425: Was mentioned in despatches a total of eight times during the First World War, as was Field Marshal Sir John Dill . Below are illustrations of thedevice being worn on a variety of campaign medal ribbons: Australian service personnel are no longer eligible to be mentioned in dispatches. Since 15 January 1991, when the Australian Honours System was established, the MiD has been replaced by the Australian decorations:

3538-472: Was one of three awards that could be made posthumously , the others being the Victoria Cross and George Cross . The 1979 reform allowed all gallantry decorations to be awarded posthumously. Soldiers can be mentioned multiple times. The British First World War Victoria Cross recipient John Vereker , later Field Marshal Viscount Gort, was mentioned in despatches nine times, as was the Canadian general Sir Arthur Currie . The Australian general Gordon Bennett

3599-495: Was rearranged in 1964, with the Canonbury office being renamed Sir Basil Spence OM RA, and the second London office Spence Bonnington & Collins. The Edinburgh office was also renamed for its partners, Spence Glover & Ferguson. From 1961 to 1968, Spence was Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy . Through the 1970s, Spence continued to work on public and private commissions, universities and offices including Aston University Library and Management Centre. His last work

3660-433: Was the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects . Basil Spence & Partners were responsible for the redevelopment and extension of the University of Glasgow 's Kelvin Building, which houses its School of Physics and Astronomy. The project was carried out in three phases. The first, 1947–1952, added a new lecture theatre and housed a synchrotron. Teaching laboratories and another lecture theatre were added in

3721-478: Was worn, irrespective of the number of times a recipient had been mentioned. The Afrikaans rendition of mentioned in dispatches is Eervolle Vermelding in Berigte . In 1943, the Union Defence Force confirmed the availability of the British award, the bronze oak leaf, for acts of bravery, in contact with the enemy, which fell just short of the standard required for the granting of a decoration, or for valuable services not necessarily in immediate contact with

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