The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. Since 1993 it has been awarded specifically for 'highly successful command and leadership during active operations', with all ranks being eligible.[5]
Major Marie-Edmond Paul Garneau, of the Royal 22e Régiment, with the DSO he received for "gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe" after his investiture at Buckingham Palace in October 1942[6]
The order was established to reward individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war. It was a military order, until recently for officers only and typically awarded to officers ranked major (or equivalent) or higher, with awards to ranks below this usually for a high degree of gallantry, just short of deserving the Victoria Cross.[9]
Whilst normally given for service under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy, a number of awards made between 1914 and 1916 were under circumstances not under fire, often to staff officers, causing resentment among front-line officers. After 1 January 1917, commanders in the field were instructed to recommend this award only for those serving under fire.[10]
From 1916, ribbon bars could be authorised for subsequent awards of the DSO, worn on the ribbon of the original award.[10]
In 1942, the award was extended to officers of the Merchant Navy who had performed acts of gallantry whilst under enemy attack.[11] A requirement that the order could be given only to someone mentioned in despatches was removed in 1943.[10]
Modern era
Since 1993, reflecting the review of the British honours system which recommended removing distinctions of rank in respect of operational awards, the DSO has been open to all ranks, with the award criteria redefined as 'highly successful command and leadership during active operations'.[5] At the same time, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross was introduced as the second-highest award for gallantry.[12] Despite some very fierce campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, the DSO has yet to be awarded to a non-commissioned rank.[citation needed]
The DSO had also been awarded by Commonwealth countries but by the 1990s most, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, were establishing their own honours systems and no longer recommended British honours.[13]
Nomenclature
Recipients of the order are officially known as Companions of the Distinguished Service Order, and are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "DSO". All awards are announced in The London Gazette.[14]
In the centre of the obverse, within a green enamelled laurel wreath, is the imperial crown in gold upon a red enamelled background. The reverse has the royal cypher of the reigning monarch in gold within a similar wreath and background.[14]
A ring at the top of the medal attaches to a ring at the bottom of a gilt suspension bar, ornamented with laurel. Since 1938 the year of award engraved on the back of the suspension bar.[14] At the top of the ribbon is a second gilt bar ornamented with laurel.[9]
The medals are issued unnamed but some recipients have had their names engraved on the reverse of the suspension bar.[9]
The red ribbon is 1.125 in (2.86 cm) wide with narrow blue edges.[12]
The bar for an additional award is plain gold with an Imperial Crown in the centre. Since about 1938, the year of the award has been engraved on the back of the bar.[14] A rosette is worn on the ribbon in undress uniform to signify the award of each bar.[15]
Recipients
Numbers awarded
From 1918 to 2017 the insignia of the Distinguished Service Order has been awarded approximately 16,935 times, in addition to 1,910 bars. The figures to 1979 are laid out in the table below,[16] the dates reflecting the relevant entries in the London Gazette:
Period
Crosses
1st bar
2nd bar
3rd bar
Pre World War I
1886–1913
1,732
–
–
–
World War I
1914–1919
9,881
768
76
7
Inter–War
1919–1939
148
16
–
–
World War II
1939–1946
4,880
947
59
8
Post–War
1947–1979
204
20
5
1
Total
1886–1979
16,845
1,751
140
16
In addition, between 1980 and 2017 approximately 90 DSOs have been earned, including awards for the Falklands and the wars in the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to three second-award bars.[17]
The above figures include awards to the Commonwealth. In all, 1,220 DSOs have gone to Canadians, plus 119 first bars and 20 second bars.[9] From 1901 to 1972, when the last Australian to receive the DSO was announced, 1,018 awards were made to Australians, plus 70 first bars and one second bar.[18] The DSO was awarded to over 300 New Zealanders during the two World Wars.[11]
Honorary awards to members of allied foreign forces include at least 1,329 for World War I,[16] with further awards for World War II.[citation needed]
Arnold Jackson, First World War British Army officer and 1500 metres Olympic gold medal winner in 1912
Douglas Kendrew, served as a brigade commander in Italy, Greece and the Middle East between 1944 and 1946. Subsequently appointed Governor of Western Australia.
^ ab"British Commonwealth Gallantry, Meritorious and Distinguished Service Awards – Companion of the Distinguished Service Order". New Zealand defence force. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
^ abDuckers, Peter (2001). British gallantry awards: 1855-2000. Oxford: Shire Publications. pp. 18–23. ISBN978-0-7478-0516-8.
^Post 1979 DSOs include 19 for the Falklands (London Gazette Supplement, 8 October 1982); 1 for Sierra Leone (London Gazette Supplement, 30 September 2003); 8 for Gulf War (London Gazette Supplement, 29 June 1991Late award: 21 November 1994); 18 bars for Iraq and 43+3 second award bar for Afghanistan, plus awards for smaller conflicts.
^. It's an Honour. Australian Government. Archived from the original on 23 June 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
^Bourne, John. "Edward Allan Wood". Centre for First World War Studies. Birmingham, UK: University of Birmingham. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
Abbott, P. E.; Tamplin, J. M. A. (1981). British Gallantry Awards. London: Nimrod Dix. ISBN0-902633-74-0.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Distinguished Service Order.
Search recommendations for the DSO on the UK National Archives' website
January 02, 2023
distinguished, service, order, other, uses, disambiguation, military, decoration, united, kingdom, well, formerly, other, parts, commonwealth, awarded, meritorious, distinguished, service, officers, armed, forces, during, wartime, typically, actual, combat, si. For other uses see Distinguished Service Order disambiguation The Distinguished Service Order DSO is a military decoration of the United Kingdom as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime typically in actual combat Since 1993 it has been awarded specifically for highly successful command and leadership during active operations with all ranks being eligible 5 Distinguished Service OrderObverse and reverse reign of George VAwarded by United Kingdom and CommonwealthTypeOrder with one degreeEstablished6 September 1886EligibilityMembers of the armed forcesAwarded for Distinguished services during active operations against the enemy 1 StatusCurrently awardedSovereignCharles IIIGradesCompanionStatisticsTotal inducteesVictoria 1 646 2 Edward VII 78George V 9 900George VI 4 943 3 PrecedenceNext higher Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire 4 Next lower Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian OrderRibbon bar of the order Contents 1 History 2 Modern era 3 Nomenclature 4 Description 5 Recipients 5 1 Numbers awarded 5 2 Notable recipients 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory Edit Ribbon bar for 2nd award Major Marie Edmond Paul Garneau of the Royal 22e Regiment with the DSO he received for gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe after his investiture at Buckingham Palace in October 1942 6 Instituted on 6 September 1886 by Queen Victoria in a royal warrant published in The London Gazette on 9 November 7 the first DSOs awarded were dated 25 November 1886 8 The order was established to reward individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war It was a military order until recently for officers only and typically awarded to officers ranked major or equivalent or higher with awards to ranks below this usually for a high degree of gallantry just short of deserving the Victoria Cross 9 Whilst normally given for service under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy a number of awards made between 1914 and 1916 were under circumstances not under fire often to staff officers causing resentment among front line officers After 1 January 1917 commanders in the field were instructed to recommend this award only for those serving under fire 10 From 1916 ribbon bars could be authorised for subsequent awards of the DSO worn on the ribbon of the original award 10 In 1942 the award was extended to officers of the Merchant Navy who had performed acts of gallantry whilst under enemy attack 11 A requirement that the order could be given only to someone mentioned in despatches was removed in 1943 10 Modern era EditSince 1993 reflecting the review of the British honours system which recommended removing distinctions of rank in respect of operational awards the DSO has been open to all ranks with the award criteria redefined as highly successful command and leadership during active operations 5 At the same time the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross was introduced as the second highest award for gallantry 12 Despite some very fierce campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan the DSO has yet to be awarded to a non commissioned rank citation needed The DSO had also been awarded by Commonwealth countries but by the 1990s most including Canada Australia and New Zealand were establishing their own honours systems and no longer recommended British honours 13 Nomenclature EditRecipients of the order are officially known as Companions of the Distinguished Service Order and are entitled to use the post nominal letters DSO All awards are announced in The London Gazette 14 Description EditThe medal signifying the award of the DSO is a silver gilt gold until 1889 cross with curved ends 1 6 in 4 1 cm wide enamelled white and edged in gilt 3 It is manufactured by Messrs Garrard amp Co the Crown Jewellers 14 In the centre of the obverse within a green enamelled laurel wreath is the imperial crown in gold upon a red enamelled background The reverse has the royal cypher of the reigning monarch in gold within a similar wreath and background 14 A ring at the top of the medal attaches to a ring at the bottom of a gilt suspension bar ornamented with laurel Since 1938 the year of award engraved on the back of the suspension bar 14 At the top of the ribbon is a second gilt bar ornamented with laurel 9 The medals are issued unnamed but some recipients have had their names engraved on the reverse of the suspension bar 9 The red ribbon is 1 125 in 2 86 cm wide with narrow blue edges 12 The bar for an additional award is plain gold with an Imperial Crown in the centre Since about 1938 the year of the award has been engraved on the back of the bar 14 A rosette is worn on the ribbon in undress uniform to signify the award of each bar 15 Recipients EditNumbers awarded Edit From 1918 to 2017 the insignia of the Distinguished Service Order has been awarded approximately 16 935 times in addition to 1 910 bars The figures to 1979 are laid out in the table below 16 the dates reflecting the relevant entries in the London Gazette Period Crosses 1st bar 2nd bar 3rd barPre World War I 1886 1913 1 732 World War I 1914 1919 9 881 768 76 7Inter War 1919 1939 148 16 World War II 1939 1946 4 880 947 59 8Post War 1947 1979 204 20 5 1Total 1886 1979 16 845 1 751 140 16In addition between 1980 and 2017 approximately 90 DSOs have been earned including awards for the Falklands and the wars in the Gulf Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to three second award bars 17 The above figures include awards to the Commonwealth In all 1 220 DSOs have gone to Canadians plus 119 first bars and 20 second bars 9 From 1901 to 1972 when the last Australian to receive the DSO was announced 1 018 awards were made to Australians plus 70 first bars and one second bar 18 The DSO was awarded to over 300 New Zealanders during the two World Wars 11 Honorary awards to members of allied foreign forces include at least 1 329 for World War I 16 with further awards for World War II citation needed Notable recipients Edit See also Category Companions of the Distinguished Service Order This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Distinguished Service Order news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The following received the DSO and three bars i e were awarded the DSO four times Archibald Walter Buckle rose from naval rating in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve to command the Anson Battalion of the Royal Naval Division during the First World War 19 William Denman Croft 20 First World War army officer William Robert Aufrere Dawson Queen s Own Royal West Kent Regiment during the First World War wounded nine times and mentioned in despatches four times 19 Basil Embry Second World War Royal Air Force officer Bernard Freyberg also awarded the Victoria Cross Edward Albert Gibbs Second World War destroyer captain 21 Arnold Jackson First World War British Army officer and 1500 metres Olympic gold medal winner in 1912 Douglas Kendrew served as a brigade commander in Italy Greece and the Middle East between 1944 and 1946 Subsequently appointed Governor of Western Australia Robert Sinclair Knox First World War British Army officer 19 Frederick William Lumsden British First World War Royal Marines officer also awarded the Victoria Cross Paddy Mayne Special Air Service commander in the Second World War and Irish rugby player Sir Richard George Onslow Second World War destroyer captain and later admiral 22 Alastair Pearson a British Army officer who received his four awards within the space of two years during the Second World War James Brian Tait RAF pilot also awarded the DFC and bar completed 101 bombing missions in the Second World War Frederic John Walker Second World War British Navy captain and U boat hunter Edward Allan Wood 23 First World War army officerSee also EditMilitary awards and decorations of the United Kingdom British and Commonwealth orders and decorationsReferences Edit Defence Internet Fact Sheets Guide to Honours Archived from the original on 27 September 2007 Abbott amp Tamplin 1981 p 124 125 Confirms 1 732 prior to World War I 1 646 to 1902 78 to 1910 and 8 to 1914 a b Medal Yearbook 2015 Honiton Devon Token Publishing 2015 p 83 ISBN 978 1 908 828 16 3 No 56878 The London Gazette Supplement 17 March 2003 p 3351 a b Distinguished Service Order Ministry of Defence Retrieved 17 February 2010 No 35729 The London Gazette Supplement 2 October 1942 p 4328 No 25641 The London Gazette 9 November 1886 pp 5385 5386 No 25650 The London Gazette 9 November 1886 pp 5975 5976 a b c d Veterans Affairs Canada Distinguished Service Order Retrieved 8 December 2018 a b c Abbott amp Tamplin 1981 p 119 121 a b British Commonwealth Gallantry Meritorious and Distinguished Service Awards Companion of the Distinguished Service Order New Zealand defence force Retrieved 17 February 2010 a b Duckers Peter 2001 British gallantry awards 1855 2000 Oxford Shire Publications pp 18 23 ISBN 978 0 7478 0516 8 Medal Yearbook 2015 Honiton Devon Token Publishing 2015 pp 90 429 459 ISBN 978 1 908 828 16 3 a b c d e Abbott amp Tamplin 1981 p 122 124 The British Imperial Distinguished Service Order Vietnam veterans association of Australia Retrieved 17 February 2010 a b Abbott amp Tamplin 1981 p 124 129 Post 1979 DSOs include 19 for the Falklands London Gazette Supplement 8 October 1982 1 for Sierra Leone London Gazette Supplement 30 September 2003 8 for Gulf War London Gazette Supplement 29 June 1991Late award 21 November 1994 18 bars for Iraq and 43 3 second award bar for Afghanistan plus awards for smaller conflicts Imperial Awards It s an Honour Australian Government Archived from the original on 23 June 2006 Retrieved 8 December 2018 a b c No 31583 The London Gazette Supplement 3 October 1919 p 12213 No 31183 The London Gazette Supplement 14 February 1919 p 2363 No 36081 The London Gazette 2 July 1943 p 3056 No 36771 The London Gazette Supplement 27 October 1944 p 4977 Bourne John Edward Allan Wood Centre for First World War Studies Birmingham UK University of Birmingham Retrieved 6 December 2018 Abbott P E Tamplin J M A 1981 British Gallantry Awards London Nimrod Dix ISBN 0 902633 74 0 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Distinguished Service Order UK Cabinet Office Honours System Orders of Chivalry Search recommendations for the DSO on the UK National Archives website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Distinguished Service Order amp oldid 1127836404, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
