Civil Defence Medal

Civil Defence Long Service Medal
Civil Defence Long Service Medal
	Obverse and original reverse
Type	Long service medal
Presented by	the United Kingdom and Crown dependencies
Established	1961
	; Second award clasp; Ribbon bar of the medal
Order of Wear
Next (higher)	Royal Observer Corps Medal
Next (lower)	Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

The Civil Defence Medal (CDM) is a long service award by the United Kingdom, instituted by Queen Elizabeth II in March 1961 and awarded for 15 years continuous service in a variety of different organisations including the Civil Defence Corps (CD), the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS), the National Hospital Service Reserve (NHSR) and the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation.^[2] Qualification was extended in 1963 to Civil Defence personnel in Gibraltar, Hong Kong and Malta.^[3]

With most of the eligible organisations disbanded, the medal is currently only awarded to civil defence volunteers on the Isle of Man.

Description

An oval medallion measuring 38mm in height by 32mm wide in silver coloured cupronickel.
Obverse: The crowned head of Queen Elizabeth II and the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF.
Reverse: The original 1961 medal depicted three shields, each bearing the initials of one of the three main services: CD, AFS and NHSR, with an oak branch in the background. A separate Northern Ireland version had the initials AFRS (Auxiliary Fire and Rescue Service) and HSR (Hospital Service Reserve) on the last two shields. When the award was extended to Gibraltar, Hong Kong and Malta in 1963, a new reverse was designed,^[4] bearing the words CIVIL DEFENCE and LONG SERVICE, separated by a design of laurel wreaths and palms. This was the only design in use after 1968.^[5]

A bar clasp bearing the words LONG SERVICE, attached on the ribbon, was issued for each further period of 12 years service.^[6]

The medal hangs from a straight bar, with a 32mm wide ribbon of dark blue with three narrow stripes of yellow red and green, with the yellow being worn farthest from the left shoulder.^[5]

Miniature medals for wear at black tie events remain available from several commercial sources.

Naming

The medals were issued unnamed.^[5]

Disestablishment of the recipient organisations

The Auxiliary Fire Service, National Hospital Service Reserve and Civil Defence Corps were disbanded in 1968, with those serving in their fifteenth year, or twenty-seventh year for the bar, receiving the medal even though they had not completed their full qualifying service.^[3] On the UK mainland, only members of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation continued to qualify after 1968,^[6] until it too was disbanded in 1992 (the Warning and Monitoring Organisation on the Channel Islands of Jersey continued until 2007^[7]). The medal was awarded in Hong Kong until the territory was transferred to China in 1997.^[8] The medal is still awarded to members of the Isle of Man Civil Defence Corps, with two members receiving clasps to the medal in 2011 from the Lieutenant Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Paul Haddacks KCB KStJ.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "No. 62529". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 2019. p. 327.
^ North East Medals, Medal Guide. Civil Defence Long Service Medal.
^ ^a ^b Captain W.W.F. Chatterton Dickson, RN. The Civil Defence Long Service Medal. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, Vol 25 No 4, pages 224-226, Winter 1986.
^ Civil Defence Long Service Medal. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, Vol 26 No 3, page 165, Autumn 1987.
^ ^a ^b ^c J. Mussell (ed). Medal Yearbook 2015. p. 251. Published by Token Publishing. Honiton, Devon.
^ ^a ^b D. W. Collett. Medal Year Book 1981. p. 215. Published Medal Year Book, Chingford, Essex. 1981.
^ Gov.je Jersey's Warning and Monitoring Organisation stands down, 27 June 2007.
^ M.A.Tamplin. Hong Kong: A summary of Long Service Medals ending 1997. Miscellany of Honours number 11, 1997, page 24, Autumn 1987.
^ Isle of Man Guide, News. Civil Defence stalwarts receive rare honour, 10 March 2011.

[LG-1] "No. 62529". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 2019. p. 327.

[2] North East Medals, Medal Guide. Civil Defence Long Service Medal.

[OMRS-3] Captain W.W.F. Chatterton Dickson, RN. The Civil Defence Long Service Medal. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, Vol 25 No 4, pages 224-226, Winter 1986.

[4] Civil Defence Long Service Medal. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, Vol 26 No 3, page 165, Autumn 1987.

[yearbook-5] J. Mussell (ed). Medal Yearbook 2015. p. 251. Published by Token Publishing. Honiton, Devon.

[Collett-6] D. W. Collett. Medal Year Book 1981. p. 215. Published Medal Year Book, Chingford, Essex. 1981.

[7] Gov.je Jersey's Warning and Monitoring Organisation stands down, 27 June 2007.

[8] M.A.Tamplin. Hong Kong: A summary of Long Service Medals ending 1997. Miscellany of Honours number 11, 1997, page 24, Autumn 1987.

[9] Isle of Man Guide, News. Civil Defence stalwarts receive rare honour, 10 March 2011.

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v t e Long and Meritorious Service Medals of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations
Regular military meritorious and long service medals	Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (Australia) Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Meritorious Service Medal (Natal) Meritorious Service Medal (New Zealand) Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) Accumulated Campaign Service Medal Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal) Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa) Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830) Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848) Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Ulster Defence Regiment) Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Indian Army) Royal West African Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal King's African Rifles Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal‎ Trans-Jordan Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army)
Civilian long service medals	Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal African Police Medal for Meritorious Service Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal Ceylon Police Long Service Medal Ceylon Fire Services Long Service Medal Sierra Leone Police Long Service Medal Colonial Police Long Service Medal Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Long Service Medal Mauritius Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Mauritius Fire Services Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Mauritius Prisons Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Colonial Fire Brigades Long Service Medal Colonial Prison Service Medal Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Ulster Constabulary Service Medal Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal National Crime Agency Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Police Service of Northern Ireland Service Medal Border Force and Immigration Enforcement Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Volunteer and part-time long service decorations and medals	Emergency Reserve Decoration Volunteer Officers' Decoration Volunteer Long Service Medal Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal Militia Long Service Medal Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Territorial Decoration Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal Efficiency Decoration Territorial Force Efficiency Medal Territorial Efficiency Medal Efficiency Medal Army Emergency Reserve Efficiency Medal Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Wireless Auxiliary Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Long Service Medal Air Efficiency Award Volunteer Reserves Service Medal Ulster Defence Regiment Medal Northern Ireland Home Service Medal Cadet Forces Medal H.M. Coastguard Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Special Constabulary Long Service Medal Royal Observer Corps Medal Civil Defence Long Service Medal Jersey Honorary Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Service Medal of the Order of St John Voluntary Medical Service Medal Women's Royal Voluntary Service Medal South African Medal for War Services Colonial Special Constabulary Medal