A medal isn't always a medal

Strange thing to say you're thinking. Well,it's true. Amedal isn't always a medal. Rather the term 'medal' is commonly used to refer to one of three awards - an order, a decoration or (you guessed it) a medal.

The first type of order - a great British institution

The first type oforder is as British as HP sauce or a red telephone box. It's an honour awarded by the British monarchy or government toindividuals (civilianand military)in recognition of their contribution to the nation or humanity as a whole.

There are two parts to an order. First, the recipient is given an often elaborate insignia (the 'medal') which is typically worn with a sash. Secondly, the recipient is provided with the privilege of signaling their honour through the use ofa title such as 'Sir' or a series of letters which can be placed after their name such as OBE or CBE.

Which brings us to the other important point about an order - the hierarchy. There are five orders which can be awarded. In descending order of hierarchical importance these are:

• Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE)
• Knight or Dame Commander (KBE/DBE)
• Commander of the British Empire (CBE)
• Officer of the British Empire (OBE)
• Member of the British Empire (MBE)

The highest two of these ranks - GBE and KBE/DBE - are members of the knighthood which entitles them to use the title 'Sir' or 'Dame' provided they are a citizen of a territory where the British monarch is Head of State. If the recipient doesn't meet these criteria they can use the letters GBE, KBE or DBE after their name but not the title.So that'swhy Richard Branson and Rudy Giuliani, two well known holders of the KBE Order, are known asSir Richard Branson and Rudy Giuliani KBE.

Although orders of this type were awarded to military officers throughout history, it was not until theCrimean War that separate awards were created to recognise the individual acts of gallantry being performed by the soldiers of the British Army. Which brings us to the second type of order.

The second type of order- a military affair

Whilst the orders described above are perhaps best known, there are other orders such as the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) which are exclusively for award to military personnel. These awards confer similar benefits to theirpredominantly civilian counterparts. A 'medal' with ribbon (but no sash) is received, membership of an exclusive organisationgiven (such as Companions of the Distinguished Service Order) and the privilege of using letters after one's name provided (for example, DSO). Unlike a civilian order however, a military order such as the DSO is usually given in recognition of a particular action such as meritorious service during wartime rather than a lifetime of service.

A decoration - the highest military honour

When most people think of British military medals they think of the Victoria Cross. But this is not a medal. It's actually a decoration.

A decoration is often a very simple, unassuming metalcross or starsuspended on a colourful ribbon which is worn on the left chest. This simplicity however is very modest when one considers why a decoration such as the Victoria Cross is awarded - for particular actionssuch asextreme bravery or self sacrifice.

And finally, the medal

In contrast to a decoration, a medal is typically awarded for participation in acampaign, battle or conflict rather than specific actions. It is a recognition of having served in a particular event rather than having taken a particular actionand is often referred to as a 'campaign medal' or 'service medal'. For example, the British War Medal was awarded to army personnel and civilians that either entered a theatre of war or servedoverseas between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918.

Medal enthusiasts will note that there are however, exceptions to this use of the word 'medal' for general service. TheGeorgeMedal for exampleis awarded for gallant actions not in the presence of the enemy.

To the bar

A finalpoint to note about decorations and medals is the 'bar'. The bar is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a medal or decoration. In the case of campaign or service medals, a bar can be used toindicate the campaign/s or operation/s the award was received for (multiple bars mean the medal was received for participation in multiple actions) or the length of service in the case of a long service medal.When a bar isused with a decoration it means that the award has been bestowed multiple times.