The Civil Defence Medal (CDM) was a long service award in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and associated territories, instituted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in March 1961 and awarded for 15 years continuous sparetime voluntary service in a variety of different organizations including the Auxiliary Fire Service

Auxiliary Fire Service

The Auxiliary Fire Service was first formed in 1938 in Great Britain as part of Civil Defence Air raid precautions. Its role was to supplement the work of brigades at local level. In this job it was hampered severely by the incompatibility of equipment used by these different brigades - most...

, National Hospital Service Reserve, United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation

United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation

The United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation was a British civilian organisation operating between 1957 and 1992 to provide the authorities with data about nuclear explosions and forecasts of likely fallout profiles across the country in the event of war.The UKWMO was established and...

 and the Civil Defence Corps

Civil Defence Corps

The Civil Defence Corps was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain in 1949 to take control in the aftermath of a nuclear attack. It was stood down in Great Britain in 1968...

. Qualification was extended in 1965 to Civil Defence personnel in Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

, Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, Malta

Malta

Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

, Channel Islands

Channel Islands

The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...

 and the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

.

No Civil Defence Medals have been awarded since 2007 and none on the mainland UK since 1992. Two members of the Isle of Man Civil Defence Corps were presented with clasps to the Civil Defence Long Service Medal in 2011 at a ceremony at Government House Isle of Man by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Paul Haddacks KCB KStJ.

Description

An oval medallion measuring 38mm high by 32mm wide in a silver coloured cupro nickel metal

Cupronickel

Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater...

. On the obverse is the crowned head of Queen Elizabeth II and the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF. The reverse of the medal depicts three shields bearing the initials of the three main services "CD", "AFS" and "NHSR" with an oak branch in the background. A separate Northern Ireland version existed with the lower shields bearing "AFRS" and "HRS".

A bar clasp bearing the words "LONG SERVICE" was issued for each further period of 12 years service. The medal ribbon was dark blue with three stripes of yellow red and green. (the yellow being worn farthest from the left shoulder.)

Miniature medals for wear at black tie events remain available from several commercial sources.

Disestablishment of the recipient organisations

With the disbandment of the Auxiliary Fire Service, National Hospital Service Reserve, and the Civil Defence Corps in 1968 only members of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation continued to receive the medal on the UK mainland. Since the disestablishment of the UKWMO as well, the CDM has not been awarded on the UK mainland since 1992, although it was retained and awarded to volunteers of certain voluntary organisations on the Isle of Man (ongoing) and the Warning and Monitoring Organisation on the Channel Islands until June 2007.

Should any of the former voluntary organisations be reformed in the future or similar organisations established, the Civil Defence Medal remains extant and awards would recommence.