Medal, British Empire (Military and Civil) (BEM)

Context: The Medal of the Order of the British Empire is for Meritorious Service. This medal replaced the Medal of the Order of the British Empire (1917-1922) and had a military and a civil division.

Medal, British Empire (Military and Civil) (BEM) - image1Eligibility and Criteria: The medal was awarded for commendable service which warranted such a mark of royal appreciation.

Description: It is a thin, circular, silver medal, 1.42 inch in diameter. On the obverse Britannia is shown seated, the sun to her right and the legend around the edge:

FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE and below: FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE.

On reverse, The Royal Cypher is surmounted by a crown with the words: INSTITUTED BY/KING GEORGE V at the bottom within a border of four heraldic lions.

For mounting the laurel leaves on the underside of a straight bar attached to the medal by a single-toed claw.

Medal, British Empire (Military and Civil) (BEM) - image2Originally: The civil ribbon was purple and 1.25 inch in wide. The military ribbon had a narrow central red stripe added, (after 1937). The civil ribbon is rose-pink with pear-grey edges and 1.25 inch wide. The military ribbon has a narrow, pearl-grey central stripe added.

Historical notes: The medal was created by Royal Warrant on 29 December 1922. The first award of the BEM to a Canadian was on 26 January 1935. A total of 1,368 awards went to Canadians: 120 civil and 1,248 military. This was awarded for the first time to a Canadian on 26 January 1935.

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