Emergency Service Medal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Service MedalAn Bonn Seirbhíse |
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|---|---|
 Double Lined Ribbon.  Single Lined Ribbon. |
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| Presented by |  Ireland |
The Emergency Service Medal (in Irish, An Bonn Seirbhíse Éigeandála) was a special award given in Ireland. It was a military medal for people who served during a time called The Emergency, which lasted from 1939 to 1946. This was when Ireland stayed neutral during World War II. We don't know exactly how many of these medals were given out because the records from that time aren't complete.
What the Medal Looks Like
The Emergency Service Medal is made of bronze. On the front, you can see a picture of a woman with a dog next to her. Above them, the words "Re na Práinne" are written in Irish. This means "During the Emergency."
On the back of the medal, there's an olive branch. The year "1939" is on one side of the branch, and "1946" is on the other. At the top of the back, there are also words in Irish. These words are different on each medal. They show the name of the group or organization the person belonged to. For example, one medal might say "An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil", which means "The Local Security Forces."
The Ribbon and Bars
The ribbon attached to the medal is bright red. It has either one or two white stripes in the middle. Ribbons for groups like the Local Security Forces or the Irish Red Cross had one wide stripe. Other groups had two smaller stripes that were not connected.
Every medal also came with a bar at the top that said "Seirbhís Náisiúnta" (National Service). If someone served for an extra two years during The Emergency, they would get another bar. This extra bar had "1939-1946" written on it. A person could earn up to two of these extra bars.
Who Received the Medal
The Emergency Service Medal was given to many different people who helped Ireland during The Emergency.
- Members of the 26th Infantry Battalion, Navy, and Air Corps received the medal after one year of service.
- Other groups, like the Reserve Defence Forces, Local Security Force, and the Irish Red Cross, received it after two years of service. This also included the Army Nursing Service and the Chaplaincy Service.
