23-804: The Medal of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Gallantry , known as the Empire Gallantry Medal ( EGM ), was a British medal awarded for acts of gallantry. Unlike the then existing Sea Gallantry Medal (SGM) (1854), the Albert Medal (AM) (1866) and the Edward Medal (EM) (1907) which each had two classes with restricted eligibility criteria, the EGM was a single class award with wide eligibility. It
46-460: A diameter of 1.78 inches (45 mm) and was not intended for wear. In 1854 the size was reduced to 1.3 inches (33 mm) and a suspension bar added, the medal worn on the left breast. The ribbon was plain crimson until 1922, when that of the SGM for British citizens was adopted. The design of both the large and small medals is the same, with the obverse bearing the effigy of the reigning monarch with
69-414: A shipwrecked group, one of whom beckons to a distant lifeboat. The name of the recipient and date of the rescue are inscribed on the medal's edge. A total of 1,237 larger medals were awarded up to 1903, 479 silver, 749 bronze, with nine where the class is not known. From 1903 to 1979, 957 of the smaller type were issued, 480 silver (including one second award clasp) and 477 bronze. After the wearable medal
92-480: A straight suspender augmented with laurel leaves. The recipient's name was impressed on the rim. Except for the ribbon, the design of the civil and military divisions was the same. The obverse showed Britannia facing right, her left and resting on a shield and right hand holding a trident, with a sun in the upper right corner. The wording "For God and the Empire" was inscribed round the upper side, and "For Gallantry" in
115-446: A suitable inscription. The reverse has a crowned wreath surrounding the words PRESENTED BY [or FROM] THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT with, around the edge, an inscription indicating the nature of the rescue – for example: saving the life of a British subject or assisting a British vessel in distress. Early issues had a separate reverse die prepared for each medal; a practice dropped from 1849 due to cost. The name of recipient and, in most cases,
138-463: Is the same. The obverse bears the effigy of the reigning sovereign, with the Royal Cypher below, surrounded by the words AWARDED BY THE BOARD OF TRADE FOR GALLANTRY IN SAVING LIFE , (or AWARDED BY THE BOARD OF TRADE FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA for 'humanity' awards), changing to FOR GALLANTRY IN SAVING LIFE AT SEA on the smaller post 1903 medals. The reverse, which has no inscription, depicts
161-750: The British Empire Medal . The EGM had been ranked after the SGM, AM and EM on the Order of Wear but was superseded by the George Cross in 1940 . On 24 September 1940 King George VI created the George Cross, to rank immediately after the Victoria Cross , to recognize gallantry not in the presence of the enemy. The EGM ceased the same day. In April 1941, it was announced that, except for honorary recipients, all living recipients and
184-495: The George Cross , George Medal , King's Gallantry Medal and the King's Commendation for Bravery . The original medal had a diameter of 2.3 inches (58 mm) and was not intended for wear. In 1903 the size was reduced to 1.3 inches (33 mm) and a suspension bar added, with the medal worn on the left breast from a 1.25 inches (32 mm) wide red ribbon with a white stripe towards each edge. The design of both sizes of medal
207-473: The exergue . The first reverse had the Royal Cypher surrounded by six lions. The 2nd type, adopted after the accession of George VI in 1937, had the Royal Cypher with four lions, two on either side with, below, the wording "Instituted by George V". The original ribbon was plain purple, with the addition of a thin vertical red stripe for military awards. A silver laurel branch was added diagonally to
230-474: The 'Medal for Saving Life at Sea', and originally the ' Board of Trade Medal for Saving Life at Sea' ), is a United Kingdom award for civil gallantry at sea. The Merchant Shipping Act 1854 provided for rewards to lifesavers, leading to the creation of the Sea Gallantry Medal, first struck in 1855. These were to be in gold, silver or bronze, although there is no evidence that the gold version
253-501: The British Empire and like the Order itself, was divided into civil and military divisions, but unlike the British Empire Medal (BEM), officers were eligible for the medal. In 1922, the original Medal of the Order of the British Empire was discontinued and replaced by two separate awards, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry (EGM), and the Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service , known as
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#1732772476099276-518: The George Cross. On 24 September 1940, 107 of the other 126 recipients were living and all exchanged awards. The next of kin of five deceased recipients, Herbert John (Bertie) Mahoney whose EGM award was gazetted on 23 December 1927 and the four Military Division posthumous awards gazetted after the start of World War II also exchanged awards. Awards of the EGM that were not exchanged for the George Cross are marked below with (*). Sea Gallantry Medal The Sea Gallantry Medal ( SGM ) (officially
299-810: The SGM for British citizens, it appears that awards are no longer made, although it has not been formally abolished. Merchant Shipping Act 1854 The Merchant Shipping Act 1854 ( 17 & 18 Vict. c. 104), also known as the Imperial Shipping Act 1854 , is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It was passed on 10 August 1854, together with the Merchant Shipping Repeal Act 1854 ( 17 & 18 Vict. c. 120), which together repealed several centuries of preceding maritime legislation. It introduced
322-674: The keeping of official numbers for registered ships, and revised calculations of tonnage . It also changed the management of lighthouses in Scotland and neighbouring islands, vesting it in the Northern Lighthouse Board which was one of the general lighthouse authorities the act created. It also (indirectly) created the Sea Gallantry Medal , the only UK state honour created by act of Parliament , rather than royal warrant . As with many older acts, it
345-417: The next-of-kin of those posthumously awarded the EGM after 3 September 1939, were to exchange their insignia for the George Cross. In 1971, all living recipients of the Albert Medal and Edward Medal were deemed George Cross holders but unlike EGM recipients the exchange of their original insignia for the George Cross was optional. It is a circular silver medal, 36 millimetres (1.4 in) in diameter, with
368-415: The place and date of the service rendered is inscribed on the medal's edge. Up to 1854, 228 large medals were awarded, 96 gold, 118 silver and 14 bronze. Since then at least 2,074 small medals have been earned, 285 gold, 1,783 silver and six bronze. Two recipients have received both gold and silver medals, and one second silver award clasp has been issued. No medals have been bestowed since 1968 and, like
391-481: The ribbon for both types of the award in 1933, and was worn on the ribbon bar when ribbons alone were worn. The ribbon changed to rose pink with pearl grey edges in July 1937, with an addition pearl grey vertical stripe for military awards, and stayed in this version until the medal's revocation. There were a total of 130 awards, including eight made posthumously: The four honorary awards were not able to be exchanged for
414-588: The right to use the post-nominal "SGM" in 1936. The most recent grant of the SGM was a bronze award in 1989. Although not formally abolished, it appears that the award has now fallen into disuse. This is confirmed by the UK Government website relating to nominations for bravery awards, which (in February 2021) only included four bravery awards that the Honours and Appointments Secretariat will consider:
437-429: Was awarded only to seafarers serving with British registered merchant ships. It could be given for both individual gallantry and for collective cases of heroism, for example to each member of a boat's crew. Awards could be made posthumously. Previously worn after campaign and polar medals, since 1929 the Sea Gallantry Medal has been worn with other medals for gallantry and before campaign medals. Recipients received
460-406: Was ever awarded. Early awards were either for 'humanity' (where there was little risk to the life of the recipient, for example a captain directing a rescue from his own ship), or for 'gallantry' (where there was significant risk to the recipient). Few 'humanity' awards were made, and from 1893 such service was recognised by the award of plate or monetary sums. The 1854 Act indicated that the award
483-461: Was instituted by King George V on 29 December 1922. In July 1937, recipients were granted the right to use the post-nominal letters "EGM". The EGM was superseded in 1940 by the George Cross which was also a single class award with wide eligibility but unlike the low placed EGM on the Order of Wear, the George Cross was listed immediately after the Victoria Cross . The EGM was a medal of the Order of
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#1732772476099506-438: Was introduced, those who had received a larger medal after the accession of Edward VII were permitted to exchange, a number of recipients doing so. This award, which pre-dates the Sea Gallantry Medal, was instituted in 1841 for foreigners who saved live from British vessels, although some early awards were for service on land. It was awarded in both gold and silver, with a small number of bronze awards. The original medal had
529-462: Was to be conferred on those 'affording assistance towards the preservation of life and property in cases of shipwreck and distress at sea.' In 1887 the Board of Trade further defined the award as 'for the rescue of life from shipwreck on the coasts of the United Kingdom, whether the ship is British or foreign', as well as for the 'rescue of life from British vessels' in more distant seas. In practice, it
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