Military Medal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Military Medal
Obverse of medal and ribbon
Awarded by UK and Commonwealth
Type	Military decoration.
Eligibility	British and (formerly) Commonwealth forces
Awarded for	acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire
Status	Discontinued in 1993
Statistics
Established	25 March 1916 (back dated to 1914)
First awarded	1914
Precedence
Next (higher)	Distinguished Conduct Medal
Same	Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Flying Medal Air Force Medal
Next (lower)	Mention in Despatches

The Military Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land.

The medal was established on 25 March 1916. It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Military Cross, which was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers (although WOs could also be awarded the MM), although it took precedence below that decoration as well as the Distinguished Conduct Medal, also awarded to non-commissioned members of the Army. Recipients of the Military Medal were entitled to use the post-nominal letters "MM". In 1993, the Military Medal was discontinued, and since then the Military Cross has been awarded to personnel of all ranks.

1 Description
2 Notable Recipients of the Military Medal
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Description

A circular silver medal of 36 mm diameter. The obverse bears the effigy of the reigning monarch.
The reverse has the inscription 'FOR BRAVERY IN THE FIELD' in four lines, surrounded by a laurel wreath, surmounted by the Royal Cypher and Imperial Crown
The suspender is of an ornate scroll type.
The ribbon is dark blue, 1.25 inches wide, with five equal centre stripes of white, red, white, red, and white (0.125 inches each).
Silver, laurelled bars are authorised for subsequent awards.

[edit] Notable Recipients of the Military Medal

There have been over 135,000 people awarded the Military Medal. Among the notable recipients are:

Billy Bennett, English comedian
Geoffrey Bingham, Australian theologian and author
Sadie Bonnell, the first woman to win the MM
Douglas Clark, British rugby league footballer and wrestler
Jack Cock, English footballer
William Coltman, who also received the Victoria Cross and was the most highly decorated NCO of the First World War
Ernest Albert Corey, the only person to be awarded the MM and three Bars
William Hutt, Canadian actor
Fred 'Buck' Kite, the only person to be awarded the MM and two Bars in the Second World War
Andy McNab, SAS Sergeant and writer
Tommy Prince, Devil's Brigade, Canadian Aboriginal Veteran, Canada's most decorated aboriginal soldier of the Second World War, also received the American Silver Star
Bob Quinn, leading Australian rules footballer
Chris Ryan, SAS Corporal and writer
Wilfred Sénéchal, New Brunswick, Canada lawyer, politician
Randall Swingler, English poet
Arthur Wesley Wheen, translator of All Quiet on the Western Front (MM and two Bars)