The Emergency Reserve Decoration (ERD) was a British

military decoration Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...

for long service, instituted on 17 November 1952 and given for service up to 1967.

Eligibility

It was awarded to officers of the Army Supplementary Reserve or Army Emergency Reserve of Officers for 12 years continuous or aggregate service, with war service counting as double and previous service in the ranks counting as half. Officers commissioned in either reserve between 8 August 1942 and 15 May 1948 who transferred to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers after 10 years service were also eligible. The Emergency Reserve Decoration was not awarded for service after 1967, on the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, when it was replaced by the Efficiency Decoration with brooch bar inscribed '' T.& A.V.R.'', although a number of retrospective awards were later made. The official order of wear specifies that the ERD is worn after the

Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal The Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal was a long service medal awarded to members of the Hong Kong Disciplined Services in British Hong Kong. Established by Royal Warrant 8 July 1986, the award of the medal was intended to replace the awarding ...

and before the

Volunteer Officers' Decoration The Volunteer Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the decoration was discontinued in the United Kingdom ...

. Recipients may use the letters ''ERD'' after their name. Other ranks in the Emergency Reserve were eligible for the Army Emergency Reserve Efficiency Medal.

Appearance

The obverse is a silver and

silver-gilt Silver-gilt or gilded/gilt silver, sometimes known in American English by the French term vermeil, is silver (either pure or sterling) which has been gilded with gold. Most large objects made in goldsmithing that appear to be gold are actually ...

oval

wreath A wreath () is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs, or various materials that is constructed to form a circle . In English-speaking countries, wreaths are used typically as household ornaments, most commonly as an Advent and Chri ...

of oak leaves, 55mm high and 37mm wide. Queen Elizabeth II's Royal cypher (EIIR) is in the centre, surmounted by a crown, both gilded. The reverse is plain, with the year of award engraved at the bottom. The dark blue ribbon with a central yellow stripe is attached to a ring on top of the crown, and is finished at the top with a brooch bar bearing the inscription ''ARMY EMERGENCY RESERVE''. Save for the different ribbon and bar brooch inscription, the award is identical to the

Efficiency Decoration The Efficiency Decoration, post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces, was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twe ...

. A clasp, to be worn on the ribbon, was awarded upon the completion of each further period of six years of qualifying service. The clasp is silver and has the Royal Cypher in the centre, surmounted by the Royal Crown, with the year of the award engraved on the reverse. When ribbons alone are worn, a silver rosette is worn on the ribbon to denote each clasp. The maximum number of clasps awarded to any one officer is four.

References

{{Efficiency and long service decorations and medals Decorations of the British Army Awards established in 1952 Long service medals Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth