Commendation for Gallantry
TypeMedal
Awarded for"Acts of great heroism or conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of great peril"[1]
Presented byAustralia
EligibilityMembers of the Australian Defence Force
StatusCurrently awarded
Established15 January 1991
First awarded1998
Last awarded2023 Special Honours
Total113[2]
Ribbon bar of the Medal
Order of Wear
Next (higher)Royal Victorian Medal[3]
Next (lower)Commendation for Brave Conduct[3]

The Commendation for Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force, it recognises acts of gallantry in action considered worthy of recognition. The award was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent of the Mentioned in Despatches. It is ranked fourth in the Gallantry Decorations in the Australian Honours System. Since its inception 68 awards have been made.

Description

  • The insignia of the Commendation for Gallantry is a Federation Star superimposed centrally on a gold-plated silver row of flames.
  • The insignia is attached to a plain orange ribbon. The centre of the Federation Star is 19 mm from the bottom of the ribbon and 16 mm from either edge.

Recipients

On 6 March 2011 the Commendation for Gallantry was posthumously awarded to 20 Australian prisoners of war who were either killed attempting to escape from the Japanese or were executed after their recapture during the Second World War. The awards followed a review by the independent Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal which found that the men should have been awarded a Mentioned in Despatches under the wartime policy then in place, and consequently were awarded the modern equivalent.[4]

Since its inception 70 awards have been made, with the most recent being announced in the 2015 Australia Day Honours.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Commendation for Gallantry". It's an Honour. Government of Australia. 13 April 2007. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2007.
  2. ↑ Medal Yearbook 2023. Honiton, Devon: Token. 2022. p. 466. ISBN 978-1-908828-63-7.
  3. 1 2 "The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards" (PDF). Government House. 25 September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  4. ↑ McBean, Graham (14 April 2011). "Prisoners' Gallantry Recognised". Army News. Canberra: Australian Department of Defence. p. 2.
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