The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal is a long service medal awarded in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

to members of the Special Constabulary who have completed a specified period of service. Established in 1919 by King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother ...

, the medal was initially created to reward members of the Special Constabulary for their service during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

History

Established on 30 August 1919 by Royal Warrant, the medal was initially known as the Special Constabulary Medal. The intent of the original warrant was to recognise the service of the members of the Special Constabulary during World War I, with further regulations to recognise nine years of service as a member of the Special Constabulary. A new Royal Warrant was promulgated in 1920 changing the name of the medal to the Special Constabulary Long Service Medal. In 1929, subsequent awards could be recognised by a clasp inscribed ''Long Service''. The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal was also awarded to members of the

British South Africa Police The British South Africa Police (BSAP) was, for most of its existence, the police force of Rhodesia (renamed Zimbabwe in 1980). It was formed as a paramilitary force of mounted infantrymen in 1889 by Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company, fro ...

Reserve for service in

Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked self-governing colony, self-governing British Crown colony in southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The reg ...

after 1939, with recommendations made by the

Governor of Southern Rhodesia The Governor of Southern Rhodesia was the representative of the British monarch in the self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia from 1923 to 1980. The Governor was appointed by The Crown and acted as the local head of state, receiving instruct ...

to the

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in London. By 1965, when the last awards were made, a total of 559 medals, 71 first clasps and six second clasps had been received by members of the Reserve.

Criteria

The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal may be awarded under one of four different sets of criteria:

Great War service

Special Constables who served during World War I from 1914 to 1918 for three years, and performed at least 150 police duties were eligible to be awarded the medal. Recipients who received the medal under these conditions were entitled to a clasp inscribed ''The Great War 1914 - 18'' to denote their World War I service.

Special Constabulary

The medal may be awarded to Special Constables who are recommended by the Chief Officer of Police of the department in which they serve so long as they have served for at least nine years, and willingly and competently discharged their duty as a Special Constable. Years of service during World War I from 1914 to 1918 and service during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

from 3 September 1939 to 31 December 1945 are counted as triple.

Bar Eligibility

Special Constables who completed an additional period of ten years service were eligible for a clasp to the medal, upon the recommendation of the Chief Officer of Police. On 11 March 2022, the Queen approved amendments to the medal's Royal Warrant reducing the service threshold for eligibility for the awarding of clasp from 10 years to 5 years additional period of service.

Ulster Special Constabulary

Members of the

Ulster Special Constabulary The Ulster Special Constabulary (USC; commonly called the "B-Specials" or "B Men") was a quasi-military reserve special constable police force in what would later become Northern Ireland. It was set up in October 1920, shortly before the part ...

were eligible for award of the medal after fifteen years of service where they willingly and competently discharged their duty. Members who were serving their fifteenth year on 30 April 1970, the date the Ulster Special Constabulary was disbanded, were also eligible for award of the medal. Eligible individuals must have been recommended for award by the Chief Officer of Police,

Royal Ulster Constabulary The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. It was founded on 1 June 1922 as a successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)Richard Doherty, ''The Thin Green Line – The History of the Roya ...

. Special Constables who completed an additional period of ten years service were eligible for a clasp to the medal, upon the recommendation of the Chief Officer of Police. Members of the Ulster Special Constabulary who were in at least the ninth year of a subsequent ten-year period of service on 30 April 1970 were eligible for award of a clasp.

Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve

The medal was awarded to members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve upon the recommendation of the Chief Constable, Royal Ulster Constabulary, who served fifteen years and willingly and competently discharged their duty as a member of the RUC Reserve. Service in the Ulster Special Constabulary which was not counted for the award of the medal or bar, could be counted with service as a member of the RUC Reserve. Special Constables who completed an additional period of ten years service were eligible for a clasp to the medal, upon the recommendation of the Chief Officer of Police.

Appearance

The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal is a circular

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids suc ...

medal.
The obverse bears the effigy of the reigning sovereign, surrounded by a suitable inscription.
The reverse bears the inscription in six lines ''FOR / FAITHFUL / SERVICE / IN THE / SPECIAL / CONSTABULARY'', with a wreath below and to the right of the inscription. In 1956, a separate reverse was created for the Ulster Special Constabulary. The only difference was in the inscription which read in seven lines: ''FOR / FAITHFUL / SERVICE / IN THE / ULSTER / SPECIAL / CONSTABULARY''. In 1982, the reverse was modified again to recognise service in the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve. Each issued medal has the name of the recipient impressed on the rim. Rank is shown for recipients above the rank of Constable. The medal hangs from a ribbon 1 3/8 inches wide with a red centre stripe, at the edges are a white stripes bisected by an equal black stripe.

Clasps

The first clasp to the medal was created upon the establishment of the medal which denoted that the medal was awarded for service during World War I. This bronze clasp bears the inscription ''The Great War 1914 - 18''. For subsequent awards of the medal, recipients are entitled to wear a bronze clasp with the words ''Long Service'' followed by the year the clasp was awarded. Since 1953, recipients entitled to a clasp to the medal for long service may wear a silver rosette on the

service ribbon A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...

References

{{Efficiency and long service decorations and medals Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth Law enforcement awards and honors Awards established in 1919 1919 establishments in the United Kingdom Long Service Medal