Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
Queen Victoria version
Country	United Kingdom
Type	Military long service medal
Eligibility	All ranks of part-time Colonial Forces
Awarded for	Twenty years service
Status	Discontinued in 1930
Statistics
Established	1899
Order of Wear
Next (higher)	Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Next (lower)	Medal for Good Shooting (Naval)
Related	Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
Ribbon bar

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal was created by Queen Victoria in 1899. It was a special award for soldiers who served for a long time. This medal was given to part-time members of the military. These soldiers served in the British Colonies, Dependencies, and Protectorates. These places were all part of the large British Empire.

This medal slowly took the place of an older medal. That older medal was called the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies. The new medal was used in most British territories. However, it was not used in the Isle of Man, Bermuda, or the Indian Empire.

In 1930, this medal was replaced by a new one. It was replaced along with several other long service medals. The new medal was called the Efficiency Medal. This change was made to make awards more similar across the entire British Empire.

Why Was This Medal Created?

The Volunteer Long Service Medal was first made in 1894. It was for soldiers in the part-time Volunteer Force in the United Kingdom. In 1896, Queen Victoria decided to give this medal to volunteers across the British Empire. A new, separate medal was then created for them. It was called the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies.

When Was the Medal Started?

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal was officially started. This happened with a special order from Queen Victoria. The order was called a Royal Warrant. It was issued on May 18, 1899.

This medal could be given to part-time soldiers of all ranks. They had to serve in organized military groups. These groups were in places like the Dominion of Canada, Crown Colonies, and Protectorates. These forces might have been called militia or volunteers. The new medal replaced the older Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies. This happened in most of these territories. But it did not happen in the Isle of Man, Bermuda, or the Indian Empire.

Different colonies started using the medal at different times. For example, in what is now Union of South Africa, it was adopted gradually. The Colony of Natal started using it in 1900. The Cape of Good Hope followed in 1901. The Transvaal Colony adopted it in 1906. In Canada and New Zealand, the medal was approved in 1902.

How Could You Earn This Medal?

To earn this medal, a soldier needed to serve for twenty years. This service had to be as a part-time member. It could be in any of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces. A soldier could serve in forces from more than one Colony or Protectorate. This service would still count towards the medal.

Service in the United Kingdom's Militia and Volunteer Forces also counted. But at least half of the service had to be in the forces of the Dominions, Colonies, or Protectorates. Service on the West Coast of Africa counted as double time. This means one year of service there counted as two years. However, serving on the permanent staff did not count.

If an officer already had this medal, they might later get another award. This was the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. They did not have to give back the medal. But they could not wear it until they completed enough service for both awards.

In 1923, the rules for the medal changed. This was for part-time soldiers who served during the First World War. If they served outside their home territory, their active service counted double. This applied to service in the Naval, Military, or Air Forces.

How Medals Are Worn

Medals are worn in a specific order. This order is set by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal is worn after the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. It is worn before the Medal for Good Shooting (Naval).

Medals in South Africa

On April 6, 1952, South Africa created its own awards. These new awards replaced the British ones. However, older British medals still applied to South Africans. They continued to be worn in the same order. But they were worn after all South African medals. The only exception was the Victoria Cross. The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal is worn in a specific place among these medals.

• It is worn after the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (VD).
• It is worn before the Efficiency Decoration (South Africa) (ED).

What the Medal Looks Like

King Edward VII version

King George V version

The medal is made of silver and is round. It is about 1.42 inches across. It has a raised edge on both sides. The medal hangs from a straight silver bar. This bar can swivel. It is attached to the medal with a claw and a pin.

Front (Obverse)

The front of the medal shows the picture of the King or Queen at the time. There were three different versions of the medal's front.

• The first version was for Queen Victoria in 1899. It shows her wearing a crown and veil. Her name "VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX" is around the edge. The initials "TB" for the artist, Sir Thomas Brock, are at the bottom.
• The next version was for King Edward VII. It was made after he became King in 1901. It shows him in a Field Marshal's uniform. His name "EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR" is around the edge. The initials "DES" for the artist, George William de Saulles, are at the bottom.
• The third version was for King George V. It was made after he became King in 1910. It shows him in a Field Marshal's uniform. His name "GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:" is around the edge. The initials "BM" for the artist, Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal, are under his shoulder.

Back (Reverse)

The back of the medal has a fancy shield. On the shield, it says "FOR LONG SERVICE IN THE COLONIAL AUXILIARY FORCES". This is written in five lines. Above the shield is the Imperial Crown. There are also oak leaves on the left and laurel leaves on the right.

Ribbon

The ribbon for the medal is plain dark green. It is about 1.25 inches wide. This same ribbon was used for several other medals. These included the Volunteer Long Service Medal and the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers Decoration.

When the Medal Stopped Being Given Out

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal was replaced. This happened on September 23, 1930. It was replaced by the Efficiency Medal. This change was made to make all awards for part-time service similar. The goal was to have one standard medal across the entire British Empire.