Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (ALSGCM)

This medal was authorised by Army Circular 685 of 1830, and is on current issue. It was the first officially-issued medal which recognised long service. The basic requirement on institution was that the recipient should have served 21 years in the ranks with a high standard of conduct. The service requirement was subsequently reduced to 18 years. During the Second World War, due to the large number of commissions from the ranks, the award of this medal was extended to officers who had served 18 years, provided that they had served a minimum of 12 years in the ranks. Due to the length of time this medal has been issued, there are 12 issues: Wm IV, issued 1830-31, with Hanoverian arms of the obverse, large letters on the reverse, and a small ring and steel clip suspender; Wm IV, issued 1831-37, similar to the first type but with a large ring or rectangular suspender; QV type, issued 1837-55, with large letters on reverse and ring or rectangular suspender; QV type issued 1855-74 with large letters on reverse and a scroll suspender; QV type, issued 1874-1901, with scroll suspender and small reverse letters; EVIIR; GVR (Field-Marshal bust); GVR with top bar; GVIR first and second types; and EUR first and second types. The Wm IV types were impressed on the same machine that had been used to name Waterloo Medals, and they are dated on the rim, as are some early QV issues. The 1855 issue of the QV type was impressed as the MGS and Crimea medals. Later QV types are found in various forms of engraving; a scarce issue of the QV type, those medals to Europeans serving in the Indian Army, are engraved in running script. From the EVIIR issue onwards, the vast majority of these medals are named in small impressed capitals of various types. The medal is always found named. During the reign of George V, bars were sanctioned to those who completed a further period of 18 years in the ranks. There is generally great continuity in the issue of the medal over the last 150 years, although there was one major change in 1930, when the medal became the 'Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Military)'. This medal, which started with the GVR second type issue, had a suspender bar on which various titles appear. The British issue had the bar 'Regular Army', whilst other bars such as 'India' and 'Canada' are found. This had the effect of standardising all such awards to regular forces of the Empire, and replaced the Permanent Forces of the Empire LSGC. The medal was discontinued in Canada in 1950, being replaced by the Canadian Forces Decoration, and in the same year South Africa replaced it with the John Chard Medal. The ribbon was of plain crimson until 1917, when its similarity with that of the Victoria Cross led to a white stripe being added at each edge. There are 3 basic types of reverse: the large letter type, small letter type, and the type used after 1930 with large, thin letters. There are 12 obverse types: two Wm IV, three QV; EVIIR; GVR (1st); GVR (2nd); GVIR (1st and 2nd) and EUR (1st and 2nd).

[Source: Medals Year Book 1981 ]