Efficiency Decoration
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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 twenty years of service as an efficient and thoroughly capable officer. The decoration superseded the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 ...
, the
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was established in 1899 as recognition for long and meritorious service as a part-time commissioned officer in any of the organized military forces of the British Colo ...
and the
Territorial Decoration __NOTOC__ The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the Te ...
. In the
British Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
, the decoration was gradually superseded by national decorations in some member countries, in Canada by the
Canadian Forces Decoration The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to t ...
in 1951, in the
Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa ( nl, Unie van Zuid-Afrika; af, Unie van Suid-Afrika; ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, Natal, Trans ...
by the
John Chard Decoration The John Chard Decoration, post-nominal letters JCD, was a military long service decoration which was instituted by the Union of South Africa on 6 April 1952. It was awarded to members of the Citizen Force of the South African Defence Force for ...
in 1952 and in Australia by the
Reserve Force Decoration The Reserve Force Decoration (postnominal RFD) is an Australian Military award given for long service by officers of the Reserve Forces. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Defence ...
in 1982. In the United Kingdom, the decoration was superseded by the
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal The Volunteer Reserves Service Medal (VRSM) is a medal which may be awarded to members of the Volunteer Reserves of all branches of the British Armed Forces - the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Royal Auxil ...
in 1999. New Zealand continues to award the
Efficiency Decoration (New Zealand) The Efficiency Decoration is a medal awarded to New Zealand military officers. This medal is awarded to officers who have both served for twelve years continuously and been models of efficiency in that time. First awarded in 1931, it was a replace ...
and is one of a few countries still to do so.South African Medal Website - Union Defence Forces (1939-52)
(Accessed 3 May 2015)
Government Notice no. 1982 of 1 October 1954 - ''Order of Precedence of Orders, Decorations and Medals'', published in the Government Gazette of 1 October 1954.Australian Government - It's an Honour - Reserve Force Decoration
(Accessed 18 July 2015)
Gov.UK - Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility - Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
(Accessed 9 July 2015)


Origin

In 1892 the Volunteer Officers' Decoration was instituted as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's
Volunteer Force The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated ...
. In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended to officers of volunteer forces throughout the British Empire by instituting a separate new decoration, the
Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended to commissioned officers of Volunteer ...
. The Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies was superseded in 1899 by the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. In the United Kingdom, the Volunteer Officers' Decoration was superseded by the Territorial Decoration in 1908, but it continued to be awarded in a few Crown Dependencies until 1930.The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment - Territorial Decorations and Medals
(Accessed 13 January 2019)


Institution

The Efficiency Decoration was instituted by Royal Warrant on 23 September 1930 as a long service award for part-time officers of the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom and of the Auxiliary Military Forces of the British Dominions, Colonies and Protectorates and India. It superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Territorial Decoration. The decoration bore a subsidiary title to denote whether the recipient qualified for its award while serving in the Territorial Army or in one of the other Auxiliary Military Forces of the Empire. The subsidiary title was inscribed on the bar-brooch of the decoration, "TERRITORIAL" in respect of the Territorial Army or the name of the applicable country in respect of other Auxiliary Military Forces. When the medal was awarded to Territorial Army officers, it is officially known as the Efficiency Decoration (Territorial). However, it is also unofficially known as the Territorial Decoration, the name of its predecessor. The Royal Warrant of 23 September 1930 was amended by Royal Warrants dated 1 February 1940, 4 April 1946, 8 April 1949, 8 August 1949 and 6 August 1951. On 17 November 1952, these earlier warrants were annulled and, along with some new amendments, incorporated in one new Royal Warrant.
(Accessed 11 July 2015)


Award criteria

The decoration could be awarded to part-time officers after twenty years of commissioned service, not necessarily continuous, as an efficient and thoroughly capable officer on the active list of the Territorial Army or of any other Auxiliary Military Force of the British Empire. Half of the time served in the ranks could be reckoned as qualifying service for the decoration. Service in West Africa, natives of West Africa and periods spent on leave excluded, and war service was reckoned two-fold as qualifying service for the decoration. The award could also be made to any Princes or Princesses of the Blood Royal. The equivalent award for other ranks was the
Efficiency Medal The Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, or ...
. Recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom are entitled to use the post-nominal letters TD, while recipients serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces are entitled to use the post-nominal letters ED. A recipient who had earlier been awarded any Long Service and Good Conduct Medal or the
Efficiency Medal The Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, or ...
or a clasp to either for service in the ranks, was not permitted to wear the medal or clasp together with the decoration until the full service periods prescribed for each medal or clasp and the decoration had been completed.2nd Battalion The Royal Berkshire Regiment - Efficiency Decoration
(Accessed 11 July 2015)
From 1949, the required period of qualifying service was reduced to a minimum twelve years of commissioned service in the Territorial Force and the Auxiliary forces of the Commonwealth. In respect of officers whose service terminated before 3 September 1939, the qualifying period of commissioned service remained twenty years. At the same time, a clasp was instituted which could be awarded upon the completion of each further period of six years of qualifying service. The maximum number of clasps awarded to one recipient is five.


Order of wear

In the order of wear prescribed by the British
Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain’s department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of or ...
, the Efficiency Decoration takes precedence after the
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal The Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal ( Sinhala: සන්නද්ධ සේවා දීර්ඝ සේවා පදක්කම ''ārakśaka sēvā dhīrgha sēvā padakkama'') was a service medal of Ceylon from 1968 to 1972. It was g ...
and before the
Territorial Efficiency Medal The Territorial Efficiency Medal (TEM) was a United Kingdom award for long service in the Territorial Army. It superseded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal when the Territorial Force became the Territorial Army in 1921. It was superseded by ...
.


Description

The decoration is an oval skeletal design and was struck in silver, with parts of the obverse in silver-gilt. The original badge is the same as that of the King George V version of the
Territorial Decoration __NOTOC__ The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the Te ...
, high and wide, but with the decoration's subsidiary title inscribed on the bar-brooch. The subsequent King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II versions are of a new design, high and wide, with a diameter ring suspender, formed of silver wire, which passes through a small ring affixed to the top back of the crown.


Obverse

The obverse is an oval oak leaf wreath in silver, tied with gold, with the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch in the centre below the Royal Crown, both in gold. Four versions of the decoration have been awarded. * On the decoration's original King George V version of 1930, the Royal Cypher "GvR", for "Georgivs V Rex", and the crown are both encircled by the wreath. * The first King George VI version has his Royal Cypher "GRI" for "Georgivs Rex Imperator". On this and the subsequent versions, the crown is located higher and covers the top part of the wreath. * The second King George VI version, introduced after India became independent in 1947, has his Royal Cypher "GviR" for "Georgivs VI Rex". * The Queen Elizabeth II version, with her Royal Cypher "EIIR" for "Elizabeth II Regina", was introduced after her succession to the throne in 1952. This version of the badge of the decoration is identical to that of the
Emergency Reserve Decoration The Emergency Reserve Decoration (ERD) was a British military decoration 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 Emergenc ...
, instituted in 1952.Gentleman's Military Interest Club - Emergency Reserve Decoration - Post #8 by Tony Farrell on 17 September 2010
(Accessed 11 July 2015)


Subsidiary title

The medal ribbon is suspended from a rectangular silver bar-brooch, inscribed "TERRITORIAL" in respect of the Territorial Army or with the name of the applicable country in respect of other Auxiliary Military Forces. In South Africa a bilingual subsidiary title was used, with the bar-brooch inscribed "UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA" and "UNIE VAN SUID-AFRIKA" in two lines. On the reverse the bar-brooch is impressed with silver hallmarks.Mackay, J., Mussell, J.W., Editorial Team of Medal News, (2005), ''The Medal Yearbook'', page 236, (Token Publishing Limited)


Reverse

The reverse is smooth and undecorated, with the year the decoration was awarded impressed at the bottom on decorations awarded in the United Kingdom, or with the rank, initials and surname of the recipient impressed around the perimeter in some countries.


Clasps

The clasps have either the Royal Cypher of King George VI (GVIR) or Queen Elizabeth II (EIIR) in the centre, surmounted by the Royal Crown, with the year of the award impressed on the reverse. In undress uniform or when ribbon bars alone are worn, a recipient of one or more clasps would wear a silver rosette on the ribbon bar to denote each clasp.


Ribbons

Three ribbons are used with the decoration, all wide. In the United Kingdom, an alternative ribbon is used when the decoration is awarded to officers of the Honourable Artillery Company, while a new regular ribbon was introduced in 1967. * The decoration's original ribbon, which is still being used for awards outside the United Kingdom, is dark green with a 7 millimetres wide lime yellow band in the centre. It is identical to the ribbon of the superseded
Territorial Decoration __NOTOC__ The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the Te ...
. * Decorations awarded to members of the
Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...
(HAC) are suspended from a half dark blue and half red ribbon with yellow edges, representing the racing colours of King Edward VII. An administrative oversight resulted in members of the HAC, the oldest regiment of the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
, not being made eligible for the
Volunteer Long Service Medal The Volunteer Long Service Medal was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks and some officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the medal was discontinued when it was superseded by the Territorial Force ...
until 1906. To compensate the HAC for this omission, that medal was awarded to its members with this special ribbon to distinguish it from regular awards,
a distinction continued with subsequent Territorial and reserve long service awards, including the current
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal The Volunteer Reserves Service Medal (VRSM) is a medal which may be awarded to members of the Volunteer Reserves of all branches of the British Armed Forces - the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Royal Auxil ...
. * Following the formation of the
Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve The Army Reserve is the active-duty volunteer reserve force of the British Army. It is separate from the Regular Reserve whose members are ex-Regular personnel who retain a statutory liability for service. The Army Reserve was known as the Ter ...
in 1967, the subsidiary title on the bar-brooch was changed from "TERRITORIAL" to "T. & A.V.R." and the dark green and lime yellow ribbon was replaced by a half blue, half green ribbon with a 7 millimetres wide lime yellow band in the centre. In 1982 the title "Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve" reverted to the earlier "Territorial Army" and the subsidiary title on the decoration reverted to "TERRITORIAL", but this new ribbon remained in use.


Discontinuation

New Zealand continues to award the Efficiency Decoration (New Zealand) and is one of a few countries to still do so. In the United Kingdom and some countries of the Commonwealth, the decoration was gradually superseded by new decorations. * Canada was the first to institute another decoration to supersede the Efficiency Decoration (Canada) from 1951, after the
Canadian Forces Decoration The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to t ...
was instituted on 15 December 1949. * In South Africa, the Efficiency Decoration (South Africa) was superseded on 6 April 1952 by the
John Chard Decoration The John Chard Decoration, post-nominal letters JCD, was a military long service decoration which was instituted by the Union of South Africa on 6 April 1952. It was awarded to members of the Citizen Force of the South African Defence Force for ...
, which could be awarded to all ranks of the Citizen Force for twenty years of efficient service and good conduct. * In Australia, the Efficiency Decoration (Australia) was superseded by the
Reserve Force Decoration The Reserve Force Decoration (postnominal RFD) is an Australian Military award given for long service by officers of the Reserve Forces. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Defence ...
on 20 April 1982. * In the United Kingdom, the Efficiency Decoration was superseded by the
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal The Volunteer Reserves Service Medal (VRSM) is a medal which may be awarded to members of the Volunteer Reserves of all branches of the British Armed Forces - the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Royal Auxil ...
on 1 April 1999.


References

{{Efficiency and long service decorations and medals Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth Awards established in 1930