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Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
TERMS
The order was established for rewarding individual instances of
meritorious or distinguished service in war. This is a military
order for officers only, and while normally given for service
under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual
combat with the enemy, it was awarded between 1914 and 1916 under
circumstances which could not be regarded as under fire. After
01 January 1917, commanders in the field were instructed to recommend
this award only for those serving under fire. Prior to 1943, the
order could be given only to someone Mentioned-in-Dispatches.
The order is generally given to officers in command, above the
rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and awards to ranks below this are
usually for a high degree of gallantry just short of deserving
the Victoria Cross.
BARS
A bar is awarded for an act which would have earned the order
in the first place. The bar is plain gold with an Imperial Crown
in the centre. The year of the award is engraved on the reverse.
DESCRIPTION
A gold cross, enamelled gold and edged in gold.
OBVERSE
In the centre, within a wreath of laurel, enamelled green, the
Imperial Crown in gold upon a red enamelled ground.
REVERSE
Within a wreath of laurel, enamelled green, the Royal Cypher in
gold upon a red enamelled ground.
MOUNTING
A ring at the top of the medal attaches to a ring at the bottom
of a gold bar, ornamented with laurel. At the top of the ribbon
is a second gold bar ornamented with laurel.
RIBBON
The red ribbon is 1.125 inches wide with narrow blue edges. A
rosette is worn on the ribbon in undress to signify the award
of a bar.
DATES
The Royal Warrant was published in the London Gazette on 09 November
1886.
NAMING
Officially unnamed, some recipients have privately had their names
engraved on the back of the suspension bar.
ISSUED
There have been 1,220 Distinguished Service Orders, 119 first
bars and 20 second bars awarded to Canadians.
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