Distinguished Flying Medal

Distinguished Flying Medal
Obverse (top left) and reverse (top right) of the medal.
Awarded by UK and Commonwealth
Type	Military decoration.
Eligibility	British and (formerly) Commonwealth forces
Awarded for	for exceptional valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy
Status	Discontinued in 1993
Statistics
Established	3 June 1918
First awarded	1918
Precedence
Next (higher)	Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Equivalent	Distinguished Service Medal Military Medal Air Force Medal
Next (lower)	Mention in Despatches

The Distinguished Flying Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force (United Kingdom) and the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy".

The medal was established on 3 June 1918. It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers (although WOs could also be awarded the DFM), although it ranked below the DFC in order of precedence, between the Military Medal and the Air Force Medal. Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "DFM". In 1993 the DFM was discontinued, and since then the Distinguished Flying Cross has been awarded to personnel of all ranks.

During World War I, approximately 105 DFMs were awarded, with 2 first award bars. During World War II, 6,637 DFMs were awarded, with 60 first award bars. Some 165 were awarded to aircrew from other non- Commonwealth countries.

A second bar to the DFM was uniquely awarded to Flight Sergeant Donald Ernest Kingaby in November 1941.

Description

An oval, silver medal, 35 mm wide and 41 mm long. The obverse shows a bareheaded effigy of the reigning sovereign.
The reverse shows Athena Nike seated on an aeroplane, a hawk rising from her right arm above the words FOR COURAGE, all within a laurel wreath.
A bomb is attached to the clasp and ribbon by two wings.
The ribbon is 32 mm wide, and consists of alternate violet and white stripes (1/16 inch wide) leaning 45 degrees to the left. A violet stripe is to appear in the bottom left and upper right corners when viewed on the wearer's chest. Until 1919, the stripes were horizontal.
Further awards are signified by a straight slip-on silver bar with an eagle in the centre.

Distinguished Flying Medal ribbon bars
	DFM	DFM and Bar
1918–1919
1919–1993

Level 1	Victoria Cross (VC) • George Cross (GC)

Level 2A	Distinguished Service Order (DSO) • Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) • Royal Red Cross Class I (RRC)

Level 3A	Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) • Military Cross (MC) • Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) • Air Force Cross (AFC) • Royal Red Cross Class II (ARRC)

Level 2B	George Medal (GM) Queen's Police Medal, for Gallantry (QPM) Queen's Fire Service Medal, for Gallantry (QFSM)

Level 3B	Constabulary Medal (Ireland) • Medal for Saving Life at Sea (SGM) • Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM) • Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) • British Empire Medal (BEM) • Queen's Police Medal, for Distinguished Service (QPM) • Queen's Fire Service Medal, for Distinguished Service (QFSM) • Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM) • Queen’s Medal for Chiefs • Polar Medal

Level 4	Mentioned in Despatches • Queen's Commendation for Bravery • Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air • Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service

Other awards	Badge of Honour

Obsolete awards

Levels 1 / 2A	Indian Order of Merit (First Class) (IOM) • Indian Order of Merit (Second Class) (IOM)

Level 3A	Order of British India (First Class) (OBI) • Order of British India (Second Class) (OBI) • Kaisar-i-Hind, Gold • Kaisar-i-Hind, Silver • Kaisar-i-Hind, Bronze

Level 2B	Albert Medal (AM) • Edward Medal (EM) • Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM) • Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery (Gold) • Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) • Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM) • Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) (CGM)

Level 3B	Royal West African Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medal • King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal • Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM) • Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery (Silver) • Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) • Military Medal (MM) • Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) • Air Force Medal (AFM) Indian Order of Merit (Third Class) (IOM) • Burma Gallantry Medal (BGM) • Indian Police Medal, for Gallantry • Ceylon Police Medal, for Gallantry • Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Gallantry • Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Gallantry • Colonial Police Medal, for Gallantry (CPM) • Canada Medal (CM) • Indian Police Medal, for Meritorious Service • Ceylon Police Medal, for Merit • Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Meritorious Service • Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Meritorious Service • Colonial Police Medal, for Meritorious Service (CPM)

Level 4	King's/Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct • King's/Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

Distinguished Flying Medal

Description

See also