Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Army)
The LS&GC Army medal was authorised in 1830 by Army Circular 685 during the reign of William IV. The first issue of the medal was designed by Benedetto Pistrucci and was the first officially issued medal which recognised long service.
After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 the obverse of the medal changed to the ruling monarchs head. The first issue of this type was during King Edward VII’s reign and then King George V. Both medals kept the original reverse but with the smaller letters as used in the later Victorian issues. In 1920 (approx) the scroll suspender was altered to a non-swivelling type. By 1930 the medal was discontinued and replaced by the Military Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
The ribbon was 1” wide and plain crimson until 1917, when due to its similarity to the Victoria Cross it was replaced to a 1.25” crimson ribbon with white stripe at the edges.
The basic requirement to receive the Long service medal was that the recipient had to have served 21 years in the ranks in the infantry or 24 years in the cavalry with a high standard of conduct. In 1870 the requirement was later reduced to 18 years for both infantry and cavalry. During the Second World War, Officers who had come through the ranks could be awarded the medal so long as they had served 18 years and provided they had served at least 12 years in the ranks. In 1977 this qualification period was reduced further to 15 years.
In 1837, with the coronation of Queen Victoria, the House of Hanover shield was removed, however due to the new dies being unavailable; the old ones were used up to 1839. The reverse remained the same, although smaller letters were used during the latter period of Victoria’s rule.
William IV 1830-1831 - This medal had an obverse depicting the royal arms and small shield of the House of Hanover surrounded by a trophy of arms. The reverse bore the inscription “FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT” in large letters. It had a small ring and steel clip suspender.
William IV 1831-1837 - Similar to the first medal but it had a large ring or rectangular suspender.
Victoria 1837 – 1855 - Large letters on reverse and ring or rectangular suspender, showing a young head of Victoria.
Victoria 1855 – 1874 - Large letters on reverse and a scroll suspender, showing a veiled head of Victoria.
Victoria 1874 – 1901 - Small letters on reverse and a scroll suspender, showing the Jubilee head by Sir Joseph E Boehm.
Victoria 1893 – 1901 - Small letters on reverse and a scroll suspender, showing an old head by Sir Thomas Brock.
Edward VII 1902 - 1910 - Bareheaded bust in Field Marshal's uniform.
George V 1911 - 1920 - Bareheaded bust in Field Marshal's uniform.
George V 1920 - 1930 - Bareheaded bust in Field Marshal's uniform with fixed suspender bearing the words REGULAR ARMY or the name of the dominion (India, Canada etc).
George V 1930 - 1936 - Crowned bust in Coronation robe.
George VI 1937 -1948 - Coinage profile INDIAE: IMP 1937-48
George VI 1949 - 1952 - Coinage profile FID: DEF 1949-52
Elizabeth II 1953 - Tudor Crown BR:OMN 1953-54 or with BR: OMN omitted.
Elizabeth II 1953 – 1954 - Coinage bust BRITT:OMN 1953-54
Elizabeth II 1955 - - Coinage bust BRITT:OMN omitted 1955 -
In 1930 the medal was discontinued and replaced by the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Military). This medal which started with the King George V second issue medal, had a suspender bar on which various titles appear. The British issue had “Regular Army”, other bars such as “India” and “Canada” are also found. This standardised all awards to regular forces of the British Empire and replaced the Permanent Forces of the Empire Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.