Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration |
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First King George V version, 32 mm ribbon
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| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Type | Military long service decoration |
| Eligibility | Officers of part-time Colonial Forces |
| Awarded for | Twenty years meritorious service |
| Status | Discontinued in 1930 |
| Post-nominals | VD |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1899 |
| Order of wear | |
| Next (higher) | Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies |
| Equivalent | Indian Volunteer Forces Officers' Decoration |
| Next (lower) | Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal |
| Related | Volunteer Officers' Decoration |
  32 mm and 38 mm ribbon bars |
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The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration was a special award. It was given to officers who served for a long time. These officers were part-time soldiers in the British Colonies. The award was created in 1899.
It was a way to say "thank you" for their excellent service. People who received it could use the letters VD after their name. This award was replaced in 1930 by the Efficiency Decoration. This new award was for all part-time officers across the British Empire.
Contents
What is the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration?
This decoration was like a medal for officers. It was for those who served in the military forces of British Colonies. These forces were often part-time, like a reserve army.
The award was officially created by Queen Victoria. This happened through a special document called a Royal Warrant. It was established on May 18, 1899.
Why was this award created?
Before this award, there was another one called the Volunteer Officers' Decoration. It was for officers in the United Kingdom. In 1894, this award was extended to officers in other British territories. These included India, Canada, and other Colonies.
However, a new, separate award was needed for the Colonial forces. So, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration was made. It recognized their unique service.
Who could receive this award?
To get this decoration, an officer needed to serve for twenty years. This service had to be as a part-time officer. It could be in any of the organized military forces. This included forces in Canada or other British Colonies.
- Officers could combine service from different Colonies.
- Service in the UK's forces also counted.
- But at least half of the service had to be in the Colonies.
- Serving on the West Coast of Africa counted as double time.
- Half the time served as a regular soldier before becoming an officer also counted.
- However, service on the permanent staff (full-time) did not count.
What does the award look like?
The decoration is shaped like an oval. It is made of silver. Some parts on the front are silver-gilt, which means they are covered in a thin layer of gold.
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Queen Victoria version
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King Edward VII version
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Second King George V version
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Third King George V version miniature
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The Front (Obverse)
The front has an oval silver band. It says "COLONIAL AUXILIARY FORCES" on it. In the middle, there's a special symbol. This symbol is the Royal Cypher of the King or Queen at the time. It's made of silver-gilt.
Above the oval is a silver-gilt Imperial Crown. There are five different versions of this decoration. Each version has the Royal Cypher of a different monarch:
- Queen Victoria: Her symbol was "VRI". This stood for "Victoria Regina Imperatrix".
- King Edward VII: His symbol was "ERI VII". This meant "Edwardvs Rex Imperator VII".
- King George V (first version): His symbol was "GRI". This stood for "Georgivs Rex Imperator".
- King George V (second version): This one also had "GRI", but with the Roman numeral "V" below it.
- King George V (third version): This version had the Roman numeral "V" to the right of "GRI".
The Back (Reverse)
The back of the decoration is plain. Usually, the name of the person who received the award was engraved there. It was either on the back of the crown or around the edge of the oval.
The Ribbon
The ribbon for the award was dark green. It was originally about 3.2 cm wide. It hung from a silver bar decorated with oak leaves.
For a short time, from 1921 to 1927, the ribbon was wider. It was about 3.8 cm wide. But this wider ribbon was later changed back.
Where did it rank?
Awards have an "order of wear." This means there's a specific order to wear them. The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration came after the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies. It came before the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal.
When was it discontinued?
The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration was stopped on September 23, 1930. It was replaced by the Efficiency Decoration. This new award was created to be a single award for all part-time officers. It covered those in Great Britain and across the entire British Empire.
