George Medal
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| George Medal | |
|---|---|
   Obverse (top left) and reverse (top right) of the medal. Ribbon: 32mm, crimson with five narrow blue stripes. |
|
| Awarded by United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |
| Type | Civil decoration. |
| Eligibility | Those performing acts of bravery in, or meriting recognition by, the United Kingdom. |
| Awarded for | "... acts of great bravery." |
| Status | Currently awarded. |
| Description | Silver disk, 36mm diameter. |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 24 September 1940 |
| Total awarded | approx 2,000 |
| Precedence | |
| Next highest | (for non-operational bravery) George Cross |
| Next lowest | (for non-operational bravery) Queen's Gallantry Medal |
The George Medal (GM) is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.[1]
The GC was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI.[2] At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage. The existing awards open to civilians were not judged suitable to meet the new situation, therefore it was decided that the George Cross and the George Medal would be instituted to recognise both civilian gallantry in the face of enemy action and brave deeds more generally.
Announcing the new award, the King said: "In order that they should be worthily and promptly recognised, I have decided to create, at once, a new mark of honour for men and women in all walks of civilian life. I propose to give my name to this new distinction, which will consist of the George Cross, which will rank next to the Victoria Cross, and the George Medal for wider distribution."[citation needed]
The Warrant for the GM (along with that of the GC), dated 24 January 1940, was published in the London Gazette on 31 January 1941.
The medal is granted in recognition of "acts of great bravery."[3] The GM was originally not issued posthumously, however the warrant was amended in 1977 to for such awards, several of which have been subsequently made.[4]
The medal is primarily a civilian award; however the George Medal may be awarded to military personnel for gallant conduct which is not in the face of the enemy.[5] As the Warrant states:
- The Medal is intended primarily for civilians and award in Our military services is to be confined to actions for which purely military Honours are not normally granted.[6]
Bars are awarded to the GM in recognition of the performance of further acts of bravery meriting the award. In undress uniform or on occasions when the medal ribbon alone is worn, a silver rosette is worn on the ribbon to indicate each bar.[7] Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters GM.[8]
The details of all awards to British and Commonwealth recipients are published in the London Gazette.
[edit] Notable Recipients
- Nancy Wake
- Arthur Cobby
- Leon Goldsworthy
- Hugh Randall Syme (GM and Bar)
- John Bridge (GM and Bar)
[edit] Notes
- ^ Although certain Commonwealth Realms have now instituted their own indigenous honours systems, replacing the GM and other Commonwealth awards so far as their citizens are concerned.
- ^ British Gallantry Medals, p138
- ^ London Gazette, 31 January 1941 - Warrant, Fifth clause
- ^ Warrant of 30 November 1977, published in London Gazette on 5 December 1977
- ^ Which could not therefore be recognised by a military decoration, given that they typically require gallantry in the face of the enemy.
- ^ London Gazette, 31 January 1941 - Warrant, Second clause
- ^ London Gazette, 31 January 1941 - Warrant, Seventh clause
- ^ London Gazette, 31 January 1941 - Warrant, Ninth clause
[edit] Bibliography
- Abbott, PE and Tamplin, JMA - British Gallantry Awards, (1981), Nimrod Dix and Co.
- Duckers, P - British Gallantry Awards 1855-2000, (2001), Shire Publications
- Mackay, J and Mussell, J (eds) - Medal Yearbook - 2005, (2004), Token Publishing.
