Volunteer Force: In recognition of the valuable service
rendered to their country by officers of the Volunteer Forces,
Queen Victoria in 1892 instituted the Volunteer Officers' Decoration
to be granted to 'efficient and capable' officers who had served
with the Force for twenty years. In 1894, a Volunteer Long Service
Medal was instituted to reward others who had completed the same
terms of service, but did not have twenty years of commissioned
The Territorial Force: On the disbandment of
the Volunteer Force and the establishment of the Territorial Force
in 1908 both the Decoration and the Medal were superseded. In
there place were substituted the Territorial Decoration for officers
and the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal for soldiers.
The Territorial Army: In 1921, the Territorial
Force became the Territorial Army. There was on change in the
Territorial Decoration for officers, but the soldiers' Territorial
Force Efficiency Medal changed its name to the Territorial Efficiency
Medal. For officers, the terms of entitlement for the Decoration
were reduced in 1949 from twenty years service to twelve years
'continuous efficient commissioned service' in the Force, now
entitled the Territorial Army, with war service to count as double.
In the case of the Medal, the terms remained the same, twelve
years service, provided men had undergone at least twelve trainings
The Territorial Decoration of 1908: The badge
of the Decoration consists of an oval oak wreath in silver, tied
with gold, and having in the centre the Royal Cypher, surmounted
by the crown, both in gold. It is suspended from its ribbon by
a silver ring. At the top of the ribbon there is a bar brooch.
The ribbon is coloured dark green, with a yellow stripe running
down the centre. Recipients were entitled to use the letters TD
after their name.
In 1930, the word 'Territorial' was dropped from the title and
the Decoration became known as the Efficiency Decoration. Holders
in the United Kingdom were still entitled to put TD after their
name. This Decoration has a suspender bar brooch with 'Territorial'
on it. The ribbon remained the same.
The Medals of 1908 and 1930: The Medal, which
is oval; bears on its obverse the head of the reigning sovereign,
with the usual legend. The inscription 'Territorial Force Efficiency
Medal' appears on the reverse, but from 1921-1922 the word 'Force'
is omitted. In 1930, the medal was superseded by the Efficiency
Medal, the only change in its design being, instead of a ring
suspender, a bar bearing the work 'Territorial' was substituted.
The ribbon was originally the same as that of the Territorial
Decoration, but in 1919 was changed to green with narrow yellow
edges. Other Rank members of the Territorial Army who were serving
on the outbreak of the Second World War could count their war
service as double. As the War lasted nearly six years, practically
everyone serving in the ranks of the Territorial Army on 2nd September
1939 became eligible for the Medal.
Women members became eligible in 1946 for the Medal under the
same conditions as the men. Needless to say, in both World Wars
soldiers were eligible for the Campaign and Service medals issued
at the end of both conflicts. A great many earned gallantry decorations,
including the Victoria Cross.
The Territorial Force War Medal: An indication
of the spirit that prevailed among the Territorials before the
outbreak of the First World War was recognised by the issue in
1920 of the Territorial Force War Medal. This medal was awarded
to those members of the Force, including the Nursing Service,
who had volunteered for service overseas before 30th September
1914 and who had rendered such service during the War, but did
not qualify for the 1914 Star or the 1914-15 Star. The medal is
in, bronze with a straight bar suspender, and the effigy of King
George V on the obverse. On the reverse is the inscription 'The
Territorial War Medal for Voluntary Service Overseas 1914-19'.
The ribbon is ye1low with green stripes.
The Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve: In
1967, the name Territorial Army was changed to Territorial and
Army Volunteer Reserve, the resultant change to both Decoration
and Medal being that the initials on the suspender bar in both
cases were changed to read 'T & AVR'. The ribbon for the Decoration
was, changed to dark blue and green, with a central stripe of
yellow. An officer on whom the Decoration is conferred is entitled
to the post nominal letters TD. For the Medal the ribbon was half
blue and half green, edged with yellow.
In 1982, the T &A VR reverted to the old title 'Territorial
Army' and the suspender bar for Decoration and Medal changed once
more to read 'Territorial', but the ribbons introduced in 1967
for the T&A VR were retained. The Decoration and Medal are
still today being conferred on eligible officers and soldiers
of the Territorial Army.
When one considers the amount of training, often under very spartan
conditions and inclement weather, together with the great deal
of spare time that is willingly given by members of the Territorial
Army, it is no wonder that they, both men and women, prize their
medals and rightly wear them with pride.