Badge of Honour
Ribbon of the badge
TypeCivil decoration
Awarded forMeritorious services to the community of an exceptional or outstanding nature[1]
Presented byBritish Overseas Territories & formerly by colonies of the British Empire
Order of Wear
Next (higher)Queen's Medal for Chiefs[2]
Next (lower)Campaign medals[2]

The Badge of Honour, accompanied by the King's Certificate and Badge of Honour, is a civil award previously presented by the governments of British colonies and protectorates, and now by British Overseas Territories, to recognise loyal and valuable service by native chiefs and other non-European dignitaries.[3] The Badge of Honour and Certificate continue to be awarded for meritorious services to the local community of an exceptional or outstanding nature[1] in Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda[4][5][6][7] and St Helena.[8]

The decoration has occasionally been awarded to Europeans.[3] For example, the New Hebrides version of the Badge of Honour was awarded to the Duke of Gloucester and two British Army officers, including then-Colonel Charles Guthrie, for their role in the so-called 'Coconut War' of 1980.[9]

Different versions

There are two distinct types of badge, one for African territories established in 1922, and a non-African version, awarded since 1926.[9]

The African version was an oval bronze badge similar in appearance to the Queen's Medal for Chiefs, with non-African countries bestowing a circular silver-gilt badge. Otherwise, both types follow the same design, with the reigning Sovereign's crowned effigy on the obverse, and the name of the territory and a distinct emblem symbolic of that country on the reverse. Both have a raised ornamental rim of laurel leaves.[10]

Both versions came in two sizes, a larger badge worn around the neck and a smaller badge, introduced in 1954, for recipients who opted to wear the decoration on the left breast with other medals. Both use the same watered bright yellow ribbon,[9] with some South East Asian territories[11] adopting a red, white and blue ribbon.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 "Nomination form for Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour" (PDF). Government of Bermuda, Cabinet Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 November 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 "No. 62529". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 2019. p. 327.
  3. 1 2 The Journal of the Orders and Medals Research Society, Volume 18, No 4. Winter 1979. p. 298.
  4. ↑ "Six receive awards at Convent Investiture". Gibraltar Chronicle. 20 April 2013. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Nominations invited for Falklands award - News articles - Inside Government". GOV.UK. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Governor of the Cayman Islands invites nominations for honours - News articles - Inside Government". GOV.UK. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Her Majesty The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2013". Govsubportal.com. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  8. ↑ “Rules Governing the Award of Certificates and Badges of Honour”. St Helena Statutory Rules and Orders 1957, No. 24
  9. 1 2 3 Mussell, John, ed. (2015). The Medal Yearbook 2015. Honiton, Devon, UK: Token Publishing Ltd. p. 306. ISBN 9781908828163.
  10. 1 2 Captain H. Taprell Dorling. Ribbons and Medals. pp. 197-108. A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956.
  11. ↑ The red, white and blue ribbon was awarded by Hong-Kong, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore.
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