Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal
Encyclopedia
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal was established by royal warrant on 6 March 1934 by King George V
. It is the oldest continually awarded honour within the Canadian honours system
, and the first created specifically for Canadian service within Canada. Initially proposed by the Royal North West Mounted Police Veterans’ Association, it took more than ten years for the proposal to be realized. The determination of the veterans was aided by the interest of Commissioner Cortlandt Starnes
and Prime Minister
R.B. Bennett.
were presented to both Canadian and British personnel. The timing of the process to create of this honour came in the wake of the Nickel Resolution
. The Nickel Resolution grew out of the discontent with the manner in which honours were awarded immediately after World War I. The immediate result of the resolution created a policy of Canadians not being appointed to peerages and titular honours, and the government of Canada only making recommendation for a handful of non-titular honours. After the Statute of Westminster
in 1931, which affirmed the equality of the self-governing dominions of the British Empire, there was no process for creating a new honour specifically for one of the dominions. The Canadian government passed the recommendation for creating the honour on to the Dominions Office, who had experience with drafting Royal Warrants. Finally, on 6 March 1934, King George V
signed the Royal Warrant creating the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal. Prime Minister R.B. Bennett countersigned the Royal Warrant 15 December 1934 signifying that the King was acting on the advice of his Canadian Ministry.
s for the ribbon of the RCMP Long Service Medal were approved to signify additional years of service.
of Elizabeth II with the inscription around the edge "Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina" (Elizabeth II by the Grace of God Queen). The reverse depicts the heraldic badge
of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with the inscription "For Long Service and Good Conduct". To denote further service a series of clasps may be awarded. To denote twenty-five years of service the clasp is a bronze bar with a single five pointed star. For thirty years of service the clasp is silver with two stars. At thirty five years the clasp is gold with three stars. The final clasp, approved in 2004, is for forty years of service. It is a gold and silver bar with four stars.
George V
George V was king of the United Kingdom and its dominions from 1910 to 1936.George V or similar terms may also refer to:-People:* George V of Georgia * George V of Imereti * George V of Hanover...
. It is the oldest continually awarded honour within the Canadian honours system
Canadian honours system
The orders, decorations, and medals of Canada comprise a complex system by which Canadians are honoured by the country's sovereign for actions or deeds that benefit their community or the country at large...
, and the first created specifically for Canadian service within Canada. Initially proposed by the Royal North West Mounted Police Veterans’ Association, it took more than ten years for the proposal to be realized. The determination of the veterans was aided by the interest of Commissioner Cortlandt Starnes
Cortlandt Starnes
Cortlandt Starnes was the 7th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from April 1, 1923 to July 31, 1931.He died in St. Hilaire, Quebec on May 28, 1934 and is buried in Cote des Neiges Cemetery, Montreal....
and Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
R.B. Bennett.
History
The RCMP Long Service Medal was unique in the history of the Canadian honours system. For the first time an honour was created to reward the service of Canadians serving within Canada. Previous awards for service in Canada, like the Canada General Service MedalCanada General Service Medal
The Canada General Service Medal was a Canadian campaign medal awarded to both Imperial and Canadian forces for duties related to the Fenian raids between 1866 and 1871...
were presented to both Canadian and British personnel. The timing of the process to create of this honour came in the wake of the Nickel Resolution
Canadian titles debate
The Canadian titles debate has been ongoing since the adoption of the Nickle Resolution in 1919. This resolution marked the earliest attempt to establish a Canadian government policy requesting the Sovereign not to grant knighthoods, baronetcies, and peerages to Canadians, and set the precedent for...
. The Nickel Resolution grew out of the discontent with the manner in which honours were awarded immediately after World War I. The immediate result of the resolution created a policy of Canadians not being appointed to peerages and titular honours, and the government of Canada only making recommendation for a handful of non-titular honours. After the Statute of Westminster
Statute of Westminster 1931
The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Passed on 11 December 1931, the Act established legislative equality for the self-governing dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom...
in 1931, which affirmed the equality of the self-governing dominions of the British Empire, there was no process for creating a new honour specifically for one of the dominions. The Canadian government passed the recommendation for creating the honour on to the Dominions Office, who had experience with drafting Royal Warrants. Finally, on 6 March 1934, King George V
George V
George V was king of the United Kingdom and its dominions from 1910 to 1936.George V or similar terms may also refer to:-People:* George V of Georgia * George V of Imereti * George V of Hanover...
signed the Royal Warrant creating the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal. Prime Minister R.B. Bennett countersigned the Royal Warrant 15 December 1934 signifying that the King was acting on the advice of his Canadian Ministry.
Criteria
The RCMP Long Service Medal is awarded to Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers or Constables who are of an irreproachable character and have completed a minimum of twenty years of service. In 1954, claspMedal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
s for the ribbon of the RCMP Long Service Medal were approved to signify additional years of service.
Appearance
The medal is round and made of sterling silver. It is suspended from a ribbon of royal blue, with two yellow stripes. The obverse of the medal depicts an effigyEffigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of Elizabeth II with the inscription around the edge "Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina" (Elizabeth II by the Grace of God Queen). The reverse depicts the heraldic badge
Heraldic badges of the Canadian government
Heraldic Badges of the Canadian GovernmentThe following table depicts heraldic badges used by various departments and agencies within the Canadian Government, and provides a brief description of each...
of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with the inscription "For Long Service and Good Conduct". To denote further service a series of clasps may be awarded. To denote twenty-five years of service the clasp is a bronze bar with a single five pointed star. For thirty years of service the clasp is silver with two stars. At thirty five years the clasp is gold with three stars. The final clasp, approved in 2004, is for forty years of service. It is a gold and silver bar with four stars.