Distinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom)

For other uses, see Distinguished Service Medal (disambiguation).

Distinguished Service Medal
Obverse of the medal and ribbon bar
Awarded by UK and Commonwealth
Type	Military decoration.
Eligibility	other ranks of the British and (formerly) Commonwealth forces
Awarded for	set an example of bravery and resource under fire
Status	Discontinued in 1993
Statistics
Established	14 October 1914
First awarded	1914
Order of Wear
Next (higher)	Union of South Africa Queen’s Silver Medal for Bravery (de jure)^[1] George Medal (de facto)^[2]
Next (lower)	Military Medal^[1]^[2]
Related	Distinguished Service Cross

Until 1993, the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Navy and members of the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, up to and including the rank of Chief Petty Officer, for bravery and resourcefulness on active service at sea.

The medal was established on 14 October 1914. It was the Other Ranks' equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross, which was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers, although it ranked below that decoration in order of precedence, between the George Medal and the Military Medal after those medals' respective establishments in 1940 and 1916. Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "DSM". In 1993, the DSM was discontinued, and since then the Distinguished Service Cross has been available for award to personnel of all ranks.

Description

A circular silver medal, 36mm in diameter. The obverse bears the crowned effigy of the reigning monarch.
The reverse has the inscription 'FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE' in three lines, within a laurel wreath surmounted by an Imperial crown.
The suspender is plain and straight.
The ribbon is 1.25 inches wide and consists of three equal stripes: dark blue, white, and dark blue, with a thin dark blue stripe down the centre of the white.
Bars were authorised for subsequent awards. Bars issued during the First World War were dated on the reverse, while those awarded during the Second World War were undated.

Ribbon bars of the Distinguished Service Medal
DSM	DSM and Bar

References

1 2 The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56878. p. 3352. 17 March 2003.
1 2 "JSP 761 Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces" (PDF). p. 12A-1. Retrieved 7 November 2014.

Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom

Current awards

Level 1	Victoria Cross (VC) George Cross (GC)

Level 2A	Distinguished Service Order (DSO) Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) Royal Red Cross Class I (RRC)

Level 2B	George Medal (GM) Queen's Police Medal, for Gallantry (QPM) Queen's Fire Service Medal, for Gallantry (QFSM)

Level 3A	Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) Military Cross (MC) Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) Air Force Cross (AFC) Royal Red Cross Class II (ARRC)

Level 3B	Constabulary Medal (Ireland) Sea Gallantry Medal (SGM) Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM) Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) British Empire Medal (BEM) Queen's Police Medal, for Distinguished Service (QPM) Queen's Fire Service Medal, for Distinguished Service (QFSM) Queen's Ambulance Service Medal Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM) Queen's Medal for Chiefs Polar Medal Imperial Service Medal Overseas Territories Police Medal Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service

Level 4	Mentioned in Despatches Queen's Commendation for Bravery Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service

Other awards	Badge of Honour

Obsolete awards

Level 1	Indian Order of Merit (First Class) (IOM) Albert Medal (1st class) (AM) Edward Medal (1st class) (EM) Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM)

Level 2A	Indian Order of Merit (Second Class) (IOM) Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM) Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) (CGM)

Level 2B	Albert Medal (2nd class) (AM) Edward Medal (2nd class) (EM) Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold

Level 3A	Order of British India (First Class) (OBI) Order of British India (Second Class) (OBI) Indian Order of Merit (Third Class) (IOM) Royal West African Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medal King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM) Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) Military Medal (MM) Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) Air Force Medal (AFM) Burma Gallantry Medal (BGM)

Level 3B	Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery (Silver) Kaisar-i-Hind Medal (Gold, Silver, Bronze) Indian Police Medal, for Gallantry Ceylon Police Medal, for Gallantry Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Gallantry Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Gallantry Colonial Police Medal, for Gallantry (CPM) Canada Medal (CM) Indian Police Medal, for Meritorious Service Ceylon Police Medal, for Merit Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Meritorious Service Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Meritorious Service

Level 4	King's/Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct King's/Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

See also: British campaign medals

Former decorations of Australia

Australian Honours Order of Precedence prior to 6 October 1992

Orders of chivalry

Most Honourable Order of the Bath	Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) • Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB/DCB) • Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)

Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) • Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG/DCMG) • Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

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

Imperial Service Order	Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO)

Order of the Companions of Honour	Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH)

Miscellaneous	Hereditary peer • Life peer • Baronet • Knight Bachelor

Military
gallantry/bravery
decorations

In the face of the enemy	Victoria Cross (VC) • Distinguished Service Order (DSO) • Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) • Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM) • Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) (CGM) • Military Cross (MC) • Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) • Military Medal (MM) • Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) • Mentioned in dispatches

Not the face of the enemy	Air Force Cross (AFC) • Air Force Medal (AFM) • Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct

Distinguished
service
decorations

In the face of the enemy	Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) • Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)

Not the face of the enemy	Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service (QPM) • Queen's Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service (QFSM)

Civil bravery
decorations

George Cross (GC) • Albert Medal, First Class (AM) • Albert Medal, First Class (Sea) (AM) • Albert Medal, Second Class (AM) • Albert Medal, Second Class (Sea) (AM) • George Medal (GM) • Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry (QPM) • Queen's Fire Service Medal for Gallantry (QFSM) • Sea Gallantry Medal (SGM) • Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM) • Edward Medal (EM) • Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct

Nursing service

Member of the Royal Red Cross (RRC) • Associate of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC)

Meritorious service

/ British Empire Medal (BEM) • Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service

South African military decorations and medals

Sorted in order of wear per era or 1994 constituent force

Pre-Union until 6 April 1952	Victoria Cross Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Service Cross Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross Distinguished Conduct Medal Distinguished Conduct Medal (Natal) Conspicuous Gallantry Medal Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) Distinguished Service Medal Military Medal Distinguished Flying Medal Air Force Medal British Empire Medal (Military) South Africa Medal (1854) South Africa Medal (1880) Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal Queen's South Africa Medal Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog Lint voor Verwonding King's South Africa Medal Natal Native Rebellion Medal 1914–15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal (South Africa) Mercantile Marine War Medal 1939–1945 Star Atlantic Star Arctic Star Air Crew Europe Star Africa Star Pacific Star Burma Star Italy Star France and Germany Star Defence Medal War Medal Africa Service Medal King George V Coronation Medal King George V Silver Jubilee Medal King George VI Coronation Medal Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom) Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Meritorious Service Medal (Natal) Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal) Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa) Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal Efficiency Decoration (South Africa) Efficiency Medal (South Africa) Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Air Efficiency Award King's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces Union of South Africa Commemoration Medal South African Medal for War Services Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry (Unofficial) Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps Medal (Unofficial) Kimberley Star (Unofficial) Cape Copper Company Medal for the Defence of O'okiep (Unofficial)

1952–1994	Honoris Crux Gold Star of South Africa, Gold Star of South Africa, Silver Star of South Africa (1952) Louw Wepener Decoration Honoris Crux (1952) Honoris Crux Silver Van Riebeeck Decoration Honoris Crux (1975) Pro Virtute Decoration Southern Cross Decoration Pro Merito Decoration Van Riebeeck Medal Louw Wepener Medal Ad Astra Decoration Army Cross Air Force Cross Navy Cross Medical Service Cross Southern Cross Medal (1952) Pro Merito Medal (1967) Southern Cross Medal (1975) Pro Merito Medal (1975) Danie Theron Medal Jack Hindon Medal Military Merit Medal Korea Medal Pro Patria Medal Southern Africa Medal General Service Medal (South Africa) Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service Good Service Medal, Gold John Chard Decoration De Wet Decoration Cadet Corps Medal Good Service Medal, Silver Union Medal Permanent Force Good Service Medal John Chard Medal Good Service Medal, Bronze De Wet Medal Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces Commandant General's Medal SADF Champion Shot Medal National Cadet Bisley Grand Champion Medal

Transkei	Cross for Bravery Transkei Defence Force Medal Independence Medal (Transkei) Military Rule Medal Faithful Service Medal

Bophuthatswana	Order of the Leopard, Military Division, Commander Distinguished Gallantry Cross Defence Force Merit Decoration Distinguished Gallantry Medal Defence Force Merit Medal Marumo Medal, Class I Defence Force Commendation Medal Marumo Medal, Class II Nkwe Medal General Service Medal (Bophuthatswana) Independence Medal (Bophuthatswana) Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Silver Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Bronze State President's Medal for Shooting

Venda	Gallantry Cross, Gold Gallantry Cross, Silver Distinguished Service Medal, Gold Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Venda Defence Force Medal General Service Medal (Venda) Independence Medal (Venda) Long Service Medal, Gold Long Service Medal, Silver Long Service Medal, Bronze

Ciskei	Sandile Decoration Sandile Medal Chief C.D.F. Commendation Medal Ciskei Defence Medal Independence Medal (Ciskei) Medal for Long Service, Bronze President's Medal for Shooting

Umkhonto we Sizwe	Star for Bravery in Gold Star for Bravery in Silver Conspicuous Leadership Star Decoration for Merit in Gold Merit Medal in Silver Merit Medal in Bronze Operational Medal for Southern Africa South Africa Service Medal Service Medal in Gold Service Medal in Silver Service Medal in Bronze

Azanian People's Liberation Army	Gold Star for Bravery Bravery Star in Silver Star for Conspicuous Leadership Gold Decoration for Merit Silver Medal for Merit Bronze Medal for Merit Operational Medal for Southern Africa South Africa Service Medal Gold Service Medal Silver Service Medal Bronze Service Medal

From 1994	Nkwe ya Gauta Nkwe ya Selefera iPhrothiya yeGolide Nkwe ya Boronse iPhrothiya yeSiliva iPhrothiya yeBhronzi Tshumelo Ikatelaho Unitas Medal Closure Commemoration Medal Medalje vir Troue Diens

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