The Order of the Garter—Its date and origin—Gentlemen of the Blood—The three Reproaches—St. George’s Chapel—The Garter of blue and gold—The Robes and Star—The Order of the Thistle—Its ancient origin—The Mantle and Riband—An expensive Order—The Order of St. Patrick—“Quis separabit”—The Mantle, Collar, and Star—The Order of Merit—Its origin—Very select—Confers no precedence—The Order of the Bath—The Most Honorable Order—Its great age and origin—To every knight a bath—Originally one, now three grades—Civil Knights—The Star of India—Cause of its creation—The three grades—The insignia—St. Michael and St. George—Curious origin of the Order—Its growth and expansion—“Auspicium Melioris”—The Badge—Order of the Indian Empire—Date and reason for its institution—The Mantle, Collar, Star, and Badge—The Royal Victorian Order—Five grades and grand chain—The Order of the British Empire—Had its origin in the Great War—Open to Ladies as well as Gentlemen—Five grades—The Badge and ribbon—The Crown of India—The Ladies’ Order—Very select indeed—The Badge of diamonds, pearls, and turquoises—The Victoria Cross—“For Valour”—Costs threepence—The most highly prized decoration—Its precedence—The Distinguished Service Order—Its chequered career—The good effect of the Great War—The Military Cross and Distinguished Service Cross—A product of the Great War—The D.F.C. and A.F.C.—The D.C.M. and C.G.M.—The M.M. and D.S.M.—The increase of Orders and decorations during the past century.
TOGETHER with the King’s Treasure in the Jewel House are kept the insignia of the Orders of Chivalry as well as decorations for bravery in battle.
The oldest of these is the Order of the Garter, which was created by Edward III as far back as the year 1348. It is rather English that so ancient and highly esteemed an honour should owe its origin to quite a trivial incident. A lady, the Countess of Salisbury, who was dancing with the King at a Court Ball, dropped her garter. In this less emotional age nobody would be greatly amused if a lady dropped her garter; probably few would even notice it, unless perchance it happened to be set with diamonds. But in 1348 very small jokes apparently went a long way, and the dropping of this particular lady’s garter caused vast amusement amongst the gallants. A garter is a garter, and there is evidently nothing either indecent or improper or even amusing about it; it is merely an article used by a few people now, and most people of both sexes in those days, to keep their stockings from slipping down.
However, there was the garter on the floor, and the fine gentlemen sniggering at it, whilst the poor lady who owned this harmless article was covered with confusion. In this tremendous crisis the King with a courtesy lacking amongst his courtiers stepped forward, picked up the garter, tied it round his own knee, and uttered the well-known rebuke, “Honi soit qui mal y pense.” For English Kings spoke French in those days.
Edward III. was a gentleman, and it is not a little interesting to find that the oldest Order, not only in England but in the world, owes its origin to a little act of courtesy. In ancient days the Order was termed a Fraternity of Knights, and these were chosen by the King from amongst the most noble of those about the Royal person. They were not necessarily warriors of the sword, but must be Gentlemen of the Blood, such as the King thought fit to wear the same emblem as himself. A Gentleman of the Blood, it is explained, was one who could claim three descents in the noblesse, both on his father’s and also his mother’s side.
In bestowing the Garter the exhortation used was: “Sir, the loving Company of the Order of the Garter hath received you their Brother, Lover, and Fellow, and in token and knowledge of this, they give you and present you with this present Garter, the which God will that you receive and wear henceforth to his praise and pleasure and to the exaltation and honour of the said Most Noble Order and of yourself.”
No person who had been convicted of error against the Christian faith, or of high treason, or of cowardice in face of the enemy could become a Knight of the Garter. And if being already a Knight he was guilty of either of these three “Reproaches,” his spurs were cut off, his banner removed, and he was summarily expelled from the Order. The only other grave offence mentioned is for appearing without his Garter, the penalty for which was a fine of one mark! Evidently, however, it was found that the Garter could not conveniently be worn with long boots, so by special enactment a Knight so booted might wear a blue silk riband instead.
Later on the Order somewhat changed its character, for it came to be bestowed not only on persons of high lineage as such, but also on those who had reached places of eminence in the public service, like Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, whose father was a shearer. As we come still further down in the ages we find it established, as at present, that though a number of vacancies in the Order are reserved for peers of the realm, yet it is also conferred as the very highest distinction attainable on soldiers, sailors, and statesmen who have done very conspicuous service to the State, whatever their lineage.
Exclusive of Royal personages, there are only twenty-five Knights of the Garter. The King is Sovereign of the Order, and some fourteen foreign Kings, English and foreign Princes, are amongst the Royal Knights. These include the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Duke of Connaught, Prince Arthur of Connaught, the King of Spain, the King of Norway, the King of Italy, and the King of Denmark.
Until recently the German Emperor figured amongst the Knights, but his banner was taken down and his name removed from the Order in knightly disapproval of the unknightly manner in which the Germans were held to have waged war on land and sea. The name of the Emperor of Russia has also disappeared from the roll, through his tragic death. Amongst the great soldiers who won their spurs in the field were the Duke of Marlborough, the Duke of Wellington, Earl Roberts, and Earl Kitchener. The only two Ladies of the Order are Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra.
The Chapel of the Knights of the Garter is St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, and there may be seen the stalls of the Knights with their banners suspended over them. When a Knight dies or is degraded, his banner is removed and that of his successor is hoisted in its place, whilst a small brass plate is left as a lasting record of each succeeding Knight in each of the stalls.
The Garter itself is of blue ribbon edged with gold, and has a buckle and pendent of gold richly chased. Round the Garter in gold is the motto of the Order, “Honi soit qui mal y pense.” The Garter is worn below the left knee by a Knight, and round the left arm above the elbow by a Lady.
The Mantle or Robe is of blue velvet, of a shade which has come to be known as garter blue, on the left breast of which the Star is embroidered. It is lined with white taffeta, and has a crimson velvet hood. The surcoat is also of crimson velvet, lined with white taffeta.
The Hat is a very imposing affair made of black velvet and of a curious shape. The plume is of white ostrich feathers with a tuft of black heron’s feathers in the centre. It is fastened to the hat by a band of diamonds.
The Collar consists of a string of gold and enamelled red roses, from which hangs a presentment of St. George attacking the dragon. Across his breast the Knight wears the broad riband of the Order, from which is pendent a lesser presentiment of the same incident, which is known as the Badge.
The Star is eight-pointed and made of silver, though it is not unusual for a Knight, or his generous friends, to substitute a diamond star. Such a diamond Star was presented by his friends to Lord Roberts, and the Mary’s of the Empire gave a similar token of their regard to Queen Mary.
A Knight of the Garter is the only Knight who wears his Star in evening dress at a private dinner party. All other Knights only wear their stars on such special occasions as are laid down, but always when asked to meet royalties. In this connection it may be interesting to mention that though a Knight may belong to many Orders, he only wears the Star of the senior one at these parties. If he were in uniform he would, of course, wear all he possessed, as may be gathered from the photographs of celebrated admirals and field-marshals which are to be seen in the illustrated papers.
The Order of the Thistle claims a very ancient origin, for though it was only organised as a knightly fraternity by James II in 1687, the Royal Warrant issued by that monarch mentions that “His Majesty’s royal predecessor, Achaius King of Scots, did institute the most ancient and the most noble Order of the Thistle, under the protection of St. Andrew, Patron of Scotland: in commemoration of a signal Victory obtained by the said Achaius over Athelstan, King of the Saxons, after a bloody battle, in the time of which there appeared in the heavens a White Cross in the form of that upon which the Apostle Saint Andrew suffered martyrdom.” When James II abdicated, the Order fell into desuetude, but was again revived by Queen Anne in 1703.
The Mantle is of green velvet, with the Badge of the Order embroidered on the left side. The Riband of the Order is green. The Star of this Order consists of a St. Andrew’s Cross laid on a silver star. In the centre of this combination is a Thistle of green and gold upon a field of gold, surrounded by a circle of green, bearing the motto of the Order, “Nemo me impune lacessit.” The Collar is formed of thistles intermingled with sprigs of rue, and from it pendent is the Badge or Jewel, representing St. Andrew wearing a green gown and purple surcoat, and bearing before him a white enamelled cross.
The Order consists of the Sovereign and sixteen Knights, one of the most recent of whom, it may be remembered, is Field-Marshal Earl Haig.
The Thistle was a most expensive Order in ancient days, the fees on admission amounting to £347, a very considerable sum at that time. Edward VII reduced this to £50, which is the sum now paid by a Knight to the Treasury on admission to the Order.
The Order of St. Patrick is of more recent origin, and owes its inception to George III in 1783. It is an Irish Order modelled on the Fraternity of the Knights of the Garter, and was intended to emphasise the unity of the United Kingdom. To further which idea the new Order was given the motto, “Quis separabit?” A pertinent inquiry to which Sinn Feiners and other extraordinary persons have since made constant endeavours to return a disloyal reply.
The Mantle is of Irish tabbinet of a very beautiful shade of light blue, and is lined with white silk. On the right shoulder is a blue hood of the same material lined also with white silk. On the left side is embroidered the Star of the Order. The Collar is of gold composed of roses and harps alternately, and at the bottom is a harp surmounted by an Imperial Crown. The Badge is of gold of an oval form, in the centre of which is a trefoil with three crowns, standing on the cross of St. Patrick and surrounded with a wreath of shamrock. Round the wreath is the motto of the Order.
The Star consists of the Cross of St. Patrick gules, on a field argent, surmounted by a trefoil vert, charged with three Imperial Crowns with a circle of azure containing the motto, “Quis separabit?” and the date “MDCCLXXXIII” in letters of gold. The whole is encircled by four greater and four lesser rays of silver. This Star also can at the expense of the Knight or his friends be fashioned in diamonds. The Riband is light blue and is worn across the breast from left to right, the Badge being worn at the tie over the left thigh.
The Order of Merit has a somewhat curious origin. There were, and are, certain Englishmen of the very highest eminence who are averse to being other than plain “Mr.” to the end of their days. Peerages, baronetcies, and knighthoods have no attraction for them. Such men were Mr. Joseph Chamberlain and Mr. Gladstone, and such to-day is Mr. Arthur Balfour. The feeling is a noble one and quite in accordance with the best traditions of the English character. King Edward VII, in the hope of finding an acceptable road, therefore instituted the Order of Merit, which carries no title with it and no precedence. To make the Order exceedingly select and highly prized the number of members may not exceed twenty-four, and it is open only to those who have performed exceptional meritorious services in the navy, army, art, literature, and science. The King may also bestow the honour as extra members on foreigners of distinction.
The Badge of the Order consists of a Cross of red and blue enamel of eight points, with the addition of cross swords in the case of a naval or military officer. On it is a laurel wreath upon a centre of blue enamel, and the motto of the Order “For Merit,” in letters of gold. On the reverse, within laurel leaves on blue enamel, is the cipher of King Edward in gold. Above is the Imperial Crown enamelled in proper colours. The riband of the Order is parti-coloured, garter blue and crimson.
One of the latest recipients of the Order is Mr. Lloyd George, and other distinguished members are Field-Marshal Viscount French, Viscount Morley, Sir William Crookes, Thomas Hardy, Sir Archibald Geikie, Mr. Arthur Balfour, and Field-Marshal Earl Haig.
The Order confers no precedence, but the initials O.M. are authorised to be placed after the G.C.B. and before all other initials. What happens when the wife of an O.M. meets at a dinner party the wife of a G.C.S.I. opens up a vista of precedental problems which the Lord Chamberlain’s office could alone solve.
Next to the Garter the Order of the Bath is the most ancient and most honourable. Indeed, the Bath is entitled “The Most Honourable Order,” and though it has precedence below the Garter, Thistle, and St. Patrick, it is in some respects superior to these, for it can only be earned in reward for services rendered. It is also older than any other Order in the world except the Garter, being some fifty years older than the Order of the Golden Fleece. It was said by a foreigner, that any English title or decoration could be bought except the Order of the Bath. That is a somewhat sweeping assertion, though we ourselves allow that one of the blots on English public life is that peerages, baronetcies, and knighthoods can be, and are, bought from the political party in power. Happily it is still, as from the beginning, impossible to buy the Order of the Bath. Probably this fact, as well as its ancient and knightly origin, gives the Order its high standing, and we may venture to hope that it will never be otherwise.
It is not perhaps generally known that the Order of the Bath literally came from the common or domestic hip-bath. Long before this Order was instituted it was customary for warriors, who led in those times very strenuous days and nights, fighting, eating and drinking, and making love, to take a warm bath the night before they were knighted. This ablution had partly a temporal and partly a spiritual significance. It was not, however, till 1399 that Henry IV determined to make a permanent institution of an Order for Knights of the Sword, and named it the Order of the Bath.
Space does not allow of giving the full ritual, which may be read elsewhere,[22] but the actual taking of a warm bath was one of the leading features. This bath was taken in the large hall adjoining St. John’s Chapel in the White Tower, Tower of London. Whilst the Knight was in his bath the King came in accompanied by prelates and noblemen, and dipping his finger in the water made a cross on the Knight’s back.
A curious complication arose in this connection when a Queen, in the person of Mary I, came to the throne, for naturally she could not go about making crosses on the backs of naked young Knights. But both in Queen Mary’s reign and in that of Queen Elizabeth the difficulty was tided over by delegating a nobleman of high rank to act for the Queen.
On the King’s departure the Knight was put into a bed to dry and warm, bath towels apparently being little known in those days. Having thus become dry and warm the Knight put on a monk’s frock and then proceeded into St. John’s Chapel, where he watched his arms all night. On the morrow he rode in procession with other Knights of the Bath before the King to Westminster. This custom has long been discontinued; the Knight takes his bath at home as usual, and then proceeds to Buckingham Palace and is there Knighted by the King.
Originally there was one grade in the Order, that of Knight, but now there are three grades: Grand Cross, Knight Commander, and Companion. Up to 1847 only soldiers and sailors distinguished in war could be appointed, thus keeping up the knightly heritage; moreover they must have been mentioned in despatches, and must be field officers or of corresponding rank in the navy. In 1847 the Order was made more elastic so as to include civilians who had done eminent service to the State, and also it was opened to distinguished foreigners. The insignia, however, for a civilian member is different from that of a military member, though the ribands are the same. Here has resulted a very curious anomaly. After the Waterloo campaign the Order of the Bath was swept and garnished, so to speak, and amongst other innovations the insignia was remade in the shape of an eight-pointed cross, much on the lines of the Legion of Honour, inaugurated by Napoleon I. When the civil division was introduced in 1847 the insignia assigned was an oval gold medallion, having a trefoil in open work in the centre. This insignia, thus revived, must have been the old and original emblem worn by Knights of the Bath from very ancient days. An old engraving for instance of the Black Prince shows this very form of medallion round his neck.
A Grand Cross of the Bath wears a robe of red silk with the badge of the Order embroidered on the left side, and the collar of the Order. He also alone wears the broad riband across his chest with the badge at the tie, and a special Star. A Knight Commander wears a smaller star on the left side of his coat, and the insignia of the Order round his neck. A Companion wears only the insignia, of a smaller size, round his neck. Members of the three grades carry after their names the initials G.C.B., K.C.B., and C.B.
Next in precedence to the Bath comes the Star of India, though it dates only from 1861, an interval of nearly 500 years. The precedence thus given was probably a matter of policy after the Indian Mutiny, the Order having, it is expressly stated, been inaugurated for the purpose of rendering high honour to conspicuous loyalty and merit amongst the princes, chiefs, and people of the Indian Empire. The Order is, however, open not only to Indians, but to Englishmen who have performed distinguished service in, or connected with, India.
As in the case of the Bath, this Order is divided into three grades: Grand Commander, Knight Commander, and Companion. It will be noticed that the word “Commander” is used instead of “Cross” in the highest grade. This was out of deference to the Mahomedan subjects of the sovereign, for to a Mahomedan the cross is a Christian symbol, and as such, like ham and bacon, a thing to be avoided.
The Robe of the Grand Commander is of light blue silk with the Badge of the Order embroidered on the left side. The riband, stars, and insignia are worn by the three grades as described for the Order of the Bath.
The insignia is a very beautiful and valuable jewel. It consists of an onyx cameo, having in the centre the effigy of Queen Victoria. This is set in an oval gold band which contains the motto, “Heaven’s Light our Guide,” in diamonds. The three grades are distinguished by the initials G.C.S.I., K.C.S.I., and C.S.I. On the death of a member of the Order, his insignia have to be returned, unless his heirs consent to purchase them.
After the Napoleonic wars, for some reason which seems now somewhat obscure, the King, or the Government, or both, appear to have been at their wits’ end to discover an appropriate medium by which marks of the royal favour might be suitably conferred upon the natives of Malta and the Ionian Islands. Out of the travail thus begotten emerged the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. Indeed, so pronouncedly foreign was it intended to be that instead of Companions the members were termed Cavalieri of the Order. After struggling along for fifty years in Malta and the Ionian Islands, an Order of little repute or standing, Queen Victoria decided to give it a wider scope and to throw it open to the whole Empire. After this happy inspiration the Order grew and prospered, first as a purely civil and colonial decoration, but latterly chiefly as a military Order, second only in value and public estimation to the Order of the Bath.
The mantle or robe of a Grand Cross is of Saxon blue satin, lined with scarlet, having on the left side embroidered the Star of the Order. The Collar is suitably formed of a chain of Lions of England and Maltese Crosses, alternately. The Star has seven rays of silver, between each of which is a small ray of gold; over all the Cross of St. George, gules. In the centre of the said star is a circle azure whereon is inscribed in letters of gold the motto of the Order, “Auspicium Melioris,” and the figure of St. Michael with flaming sword trampling on Satan. “Auspicium Melioris” may freely be translated, “There is a good time coming,” or perhaps more sedately, “The promise of a better age.”
On one side of the Badge may be seen St. George slaying the Dragon, and on the other St. Michael trampling on Satan. The members of the three grades wear their insignia as laid down for the Bath, and are styled G.C.M.G., K.C.M.G., and C.M.G.
The Order of the Indian Empire was instituted by Queen Victoria on January 1st, 1878, to commemorate the proclamation of Her Majesty as Empress of India, a title then first added to the British Crown. It was to be bestowed as a reward to those who from time to time were held to have rendered important services to the Indian Empire. At first it was bestowed mostly on civilians, but latterly its scope has been broadened, and it is now given for military services as well.
It may be noticed that whereas the Order of the Bath, which was a purely military Order, was after nearly five hundred years opened to civilians, Orders like the Star of India, St. Michael and St. George, and the Indian Empire, started on exactly opposite lines; they were intended for civilians only. But happily now all these Orders are open alike to soldiers, sailors, and civilians who have done in their own lines good service to their King and Empire, and that is really all that matters.
The robe or mantle of a Grand Cross is of purple satin lined with white silk, having on the left side embroidered the Star of the Order. The Collar is Oriental in treatment forming a chain of elephants, lotus flowers, peacocks in their pride, and Indian roses, all in gold. The elephants nearly caused an upheaval in a later reign, and the story shows how easily insurrections are caused amongst so seemingly a docile people as the Indians. When the design for the coinage of George V was being decided upon it seemed not inappropriate that the King should be shown crowned, and wearing the mantle of the Order of the Indian Empire with the Collar round his neck. Rupees to the number of many hundred thousands were consequently struck with this presentiment of the King on them. Hardly were these in circulation when some lynx-eyed political agitator discovered that the King was wearing the effigy of a pig round his neck, and as a pig, even in silver, is anathema to a Mahomedan it was put about by pernicious persons that a calculated insult had thus been thrust in the most blatant and enduring form on the whole Mahomedan population. It was quite useless for the Government to assert and vow that the animal portrayed was not a pig but an elephant, and that if they looked at the original chain there could be no possible doubt about it. The Mahomedan agitators were impervious to persuasion, nothing in the wide world would persuade them that it was not a pig, probably secretly inserted by some subtle Bengali employed at the mint. Their co-religionists refused to accept or use this rupee in trade, and so the Government had to recall the whole issue from circulation and had it melted down and recoined with the obnoxious chain eliminated.
The Star is of silver, ten pointed, and has in the centre a medallion of Queen Victoria, around which is a dark blue garter surmounted by an imperial crown. In gold on the garter is the motto of the Order, “Imperatricis Auspicus,” which being broadly interpreted is “Honored by the Empress.”
The Badge is heraldically described as a Rose enamelled gules barbed vert, having in the centre the effigy of Queen Victoria. The subaltern who knows nothing of heraldry, and describes things bluntly as they strike him, wavers between likening it to a jam tart or a squashed tomato, when suddenly faced with this emblem on the broad chest of his general. Many, however, think this a very effective decoration emblematic of the Victorian era.
There are, as in the case of the Bath, three grades of this Order, the hall marks of which are G.C.I.E., K.C.I.E., and C.I.E., and each of these in their degree wear stars and insignia in diminishing degree as with other Orders.
The Royal Victorian Order was created by Queen Victoria in 1896 for bestowal by the sovereign upon those whose personal services it might be desired to recognise. There are five classes in this Order ranging from Knights Grand Cross to Members of the Fifth Class, so that all social grades can receive a suitable decoration. The Prince of Wales may be at one end and a Highland gillie at the other. King Edward added a Royal Victorian Chain to the Order which is only bestowed on very special occasions. There is no mantle or robe to this Order. The Badge is in the form of a cross of white enamel, in the centre of which is a medallion having Queen Victoria’s cipher in the middle, and the word Victoria on a blue enamel garter round the cipher. Above is an imperial crown in enamel proper. The Stars of the Grand Cross and Knight Commander of the Order are of silver and of different patterns and sizes.
The Order of the British Empire was instituted by George V during the Great War, for the purpose of rewarding those engaged in war work away from the fighting line. Men and women are equally eligible for all the five classes of this Order. It is understood that after the services rendered in the late war have received recognition the Order may fall into abeyance and no further addition made to its members. The Star is of silver with a medallion in the centre in red enamel on which is the figure in gold of Britannia seated. Around is the motto of the Order, “For God and the Empire.” The Badge is in the form of a cross of grey enamel and in the centre is the same medallion as on the Star. The ribbon of civil members is purple, and that for military members the same, but with a red line down the centre.
The only Order reserved entirely for Ladies is the Crown of India. It was inaugurated at the same time as the Order of the Indian Empire, and to commemorate the same event, the assumption of the title of Empress of India by Queen Victoria. The Ladies eligible for this Order are princesses of the Royal House, the wives or female relatives of Indian Princes, and other Indian ladies of high degree. Amongst Englishwomen eligibility is restricted to the wives, or in the case of a bachelor the sister, of the Viceroy of India, the Governors of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, and the Secretary of State for India. The Order is therefore very select indeed, and one may make a long night’s march through the ballrooms and dining-rooms of the world without seeing one. The decoration itself is a beautiful one and worthy to be worn by any lady, however great. The Badge consists of an oval buckle set round with pearls closely touching. In the centre is the cipher of Queen Victoria, the “V” being set with diamonds, the “R” with pearls, and the “I” with turquoises. Above the oval buckle is an Imperial Crown enamelled proper. The Badge hangs pendant from a light blue silk bow. The Order is worn on the left breast.
A quiet-looking and quietly dressed lady was one day looking at the Crown Jewels, and especially the Orders. When she came to the Crown of India the official showing her round made the time-honoured joke that to obtain this beautiful jewel she had only to marry a Viceroy. “I have already done so,” remarked the quiet lady, and passed on. She was the wife of a late Viceroy.
The most highly prized decoration in the Army or Navy is the Victoria Cross. This was instituted by Queen Victoria after the Crimean War for the purpose of rewarding individual cases of conspicuous gallantry in presence of the enemy. Hitherto the only war decoration that could be won by an individual soldier or sailor was the Order of the Bath, and by the rules of that order no officer below the rank of major, or of equivalent rank in the Navy, could be recommended for it. Queen Victoria’s intention was that the Victoria Cross should be open to all from admiral or general to bugler boy or sailor boy. “Neither rank, nor long service, nor wounds, nor any other circumstance or condition whatsoever save the merit of conspicuous bravery (in the presence of the enemy) shall be held to establish a sufficient claim to the honour.”[23]
The Victoria Cross, like all decorations, has had its ups and downs, but there is not the least doubt that during the Great War it has upheld its highest traditions. During its middle history the decoration was perhaps more popular with the public than with the military, for soldiers in action saw how often it was a pure matter of luck that one should get the Cross and another not. The interpretation of the Warrant also varied, for whereas some generals in the field were very chary about recommending anyone, others were most liberal. In the South African War a sumptuary law was passed that no one above the rank of captain should be recommended, and thus several well-known officers of higher rank were ruled out and given the Bath instead. This probably came from reading the first part of the Warrant which emphasises the eligibility of the junior ranks for the Bath, without reading the context above quoted.
Again at one period nobody could hope to get the Victoria Cross unless he had assisted a wounded man under fire; it came for a time at any rate to take the position of a life-saving medal on land, as is the Humane Society’s medal for saving life from the water. Indeed so obsessed did some become with this strange doctrine that Lord Roberts himself had the greatest difficulty in obtaining the Victoria Cross for two very gallant officers at Kabul in 1879, because their gallantry had no connection with carrying wounded men out of action.
With these vagaries before them it is not to be wondered at that the Victoria Cross for some years lost its value amongst officers, indeed it was openly discussed whether it would not be wiser to reserve the Cross for the N.C.O.’s and men in the ranks only, and to make all officers ineligible. This on the grounds that all, or anyway the majority of British officers, are brave and that it was a pity to draw invidious distinctions. The Great War has, however, as we have seen, thoroughly rehabilitated the Victoria Cross, for though there certainly are hundreds who with better luck would have received it, yet those who have obtained it have set a very high standard of gallantry in face of the enemy.
The Cross itself is familiar to all. It is a plain bronze Maltese Cross, with a Lion standing on a Crown in the centre, and the words “For Valour” inscribed beneath. The actual cost of the Cross is threepence. The ribbon is red for all branches of His Majesty’s Service whether on sea, or land, or the air. When the ribbon is worn in undress a miniature V.C. is placed on it, and should there be clasps to the V.C. for each one a miniature is added. Until recently the Navy had a blue ribbon, but when the Air Force came into being the King thought it better to have one and the same ribbon for all.
In precedence the Victoria Cross ranks before all decorations and medals and is worn on the right of all. Thus in addressing a letter to one who has the Victoria Cross the letters V.C. precede all others, even if the addressee is a Knight of the Garter or a Grand Cross of the Bath. All those not of commissioned rank who are decorated with the Victoria Cross are given a special pension of £10 a year, and for each bar £5 extra per annum.[24]
The Distinguished Service Order was inaugurated in 1886 by Queen Victoria, and at the time the general impression in the services was that it was intended to be in the nature of a second grade of the Victoria Cross. This was a mistake, for the Order was really instituted as a second grade to the Bath. Experience in our numberless small wars had shown that many junior officers performed distinguished service, but being ineligible for the Bath got nothing. The new Order was to be granted to officers irrespective of rank for “meritorious and distinguished service in war.”
From the very beginning, in the Burmah War of 1886-87, a very wide interpretation of these words was used, and though the D.S.O. was given for deeds of gallantry and devotion in action it was also given to those who had done meritorious service far far away from the sound of guns. With this precedent the Order ran downhill at a great pace till it got to be known as the “Doing Something-or-Other Order.” All sorts and conditions of people got it, sometimes with but the faintest glimmer of merit or distinction. The Great War has, however, to a great extent improved the status of the Order, and if only the present high standard is maintained it will undoubtedly rise to the position it was originally intended to occupy.
The decoration is in the form of an eight-pointed gold cross the wings of which are covered with white enamel. In the centre is the Imperial Crown in gold on a red enamel background round which is a wreath of green enamel laurels. The ribbon is crimson with narrow borders of blue. If an officer gets a clasp to his D.S.O. a small silver rose is placed on the ribbon when worn in undress uniform and an additional rose is added for each subsequent clasp. The decoration is open to officers of all ranks both in the Army and the Navy.
A decoration which came into being during the Great War is that of Companions of Honour. This decoration, like the Order of Merit, is bestowed on those who for various reasons are averse to receiving any reward from the Sovereign which carries a title.
The Military Cross and its naval equivalent, the Distinguished Service Cross, were products of the Great War. In former wars we had engaged a few tens of thousands of fighting men, but in the Great War we had seven million soldiers and sailors engaged all over the world.[25] In the great battles that took place during four and a half years of this gigantic conflict thousands of officers distinguished themselves, yet all could not be given the Victoria Cross or the Distinguished Service Order. A third decoration for gallantry thus became imperative. The Military Cross for the Army and the Distinguished Service Cross for the Navy were the outcome of this demand, and all officers and warrant officers are eligible for them; they are both of silver, but differ somewhat in design. The ribbons are somewhat similar, but in the case of the Military Cross the centre stripe is purple and the two outside ones white; whilst with the Distinguished Service Cross, the white stripe is in the middle and the two outer ones are purple. When an officer or warrant officer earns one or more clasps, a small silver rose is placed on the ribbon for each clasp.
During the Great War the gallantry and achievements of the Air Force called imperatively for special recognition. This was met by instituting two decorations open only to the Air Force. These are the Distinguished Flying Cross, for bestowal upon officers in the Royal Air Force for acts of gallantry when flying in active operations against the enemy; and the Air Force Cross, for bestowal on officers of the Royal Air Force for acts of courage or devotion to duty when flying, although not in active operations, against the enemy.
We now come to those decorations which are reserved for warrant and non-commissioned officers and the rank and file, and for which no officer as such is eligible. Naturally any soldier or sailor who had won one of these decorations when in the ranks or the lower deck would carry it on with him and wear it on all occasions if he subsequently received a commission. The first of these is for the Army, the Distinguished Conduct Medal, familiar to all as the D.C.M.; and for the Navy the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, generally known as the C.G.M. The second pair under the category are the Military Medal for the soldiers, and the Distinguished Service Medal for the sailors. These are known as the M.M. and D.S.M.
All these four medals are round silver insignia of the familiar size and shape of a war medal. On one side they have the King’s head and shoulders, in a Field-Marshal’s uniform, for the Army, and in that of an Admiral of the Fleet for the Navy. On the other side is the designation of the medal. Should a soldier or a sailor be granted one of these medals a second time the fact would be marked by the addition of a silver clasp.
The ribbons of these decorations are: For the D.C.M. red and blue. The D.S.M. (Naval) has blue and white. The ribbon for the Military Medal is red white and blue, and that of the C.G.M. (Naval) blue and white.
It will be noticed that since 1856 the number of British Orders and decorations has very greatly increased. At that date there were only the Garter, the Thistle, St. Patrick, the Bath, and the Michael and George, and only the last two of these was open to ordinary persons. Now there are upwards of twenty Orders and decorations open to those who do good and valiant service for the Empire in peace and war. As is only natural, opinions are divided on the subject. Several millions of His Majesty’s subjects who have not received one of these insignia of honour decry the whole system, and say it is debasing to wear decorations for doing one’s duty. Several millions more hope, given the opportunity, to earn one of them; whilst the few thousands who have received them feel, in a greater or less degree, a certain warm sense of gratification in that their King and country have discovered what fine fellows they are.
The increase in the number of Orders and decorations is mainly due to the great extension of the Empire, the wars both great and small that have been waged during the past seventy years, and the impossibility of rewarding the greatly increased numbers of those whom the King delighteth to honour with practically only one Order open for a restricted distribution, the Order of the Bath. After so great a war as the Great War, wherein many millions of men of British blood were engaged, naturally all the now existing Orders are full to overflowing with members and supernumerary members, but as the river runs low after the heavy rains are over, so will the flow of honours decrease to the small stream which in peace time can alone keep up their value.