The African Distinguished Conduct Medal was a military decoration awarded to native soldiers of the

Royal West African Frontier Force The West African Frontier Force (WAFF) was a multi-battalion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia. In 1928, it received royal recognition ...

and the

King's African Rifles The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions withi ...

for gallantry in action. Sometimes known as the Royal West African Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medal or King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, it could also be awarded to the

Somaliland Camel Corps The Somaliland Camel Corps (SCC) was a Rayid unit of the British Army based in British Somaliland. It lasted from the early 20th century until 1944. Beginnings and the Dervish rebellion In 1888, after signing successive treaties with the then r ...

and the Nyasaland Regiment. The medal was awarded until 1942 when it was replaced by the Imperial

Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military decoration, ranki ...

Recipients

King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal 2

From, the 1870s, a number of awards of the Imperial

were made to soldiers of native African regiments, before the creation of the African Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1903. At least 412 medals were awarded: * King's African Rifles: Edward VII: 2; George V: 190. * West Africa Frontier Force: Edward VII: 55; George V: 165. * An unnamed George VI King's African Rifles version of the medal is known. Awards of the medal were normally

gazetted A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper. In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...

in the appropriate colonial gazette, with pre-1914 awards appearing in the ''

London Gazette London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

''.For example:

Appearance

The African Distinguished Conduct Medal was a circular silver disc, in diameter, with the following design:

Obverse Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''o ...

: the effigy of the reigning sovereign.
Reverse: the inscription in four lines ''FOR DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT IN THE FIELD''. Around the top edge was inscribed either ''KING'S AFRICAN RIFLES'', ''WEST AFRICAN FRONTIER FORCE'', or ''ROYAL WEST AFRICAN FRONTIER FORCE'' (after 1928).
Ribbon: wide, it is dark blue with a central green stripe, flanked by crimson stripes.
Naming: the recipient's name and details were engraved or impressed on the rim.

References

External links

West African Frontier Force DCM, awarded in 1915

National Army Museum The National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The museum is a non-departmental public body. ...

.
King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal
Medals of the World website.

Medals of the World website. {{Decorations of the United Kingdom Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom Courage awards

Recipients

Appearance

See also

References

External links