TheAir Force Medal (AFM) was a military decoration, awarded to personnel of theRoyal Air Force and otherBritish Armed Forces, and formerly to personnel of otherCommonwealth countries, belowcommissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy". The award was discontinued in 1993 when all ranks became eligible for theAir Force Cross (AFC) as part ofthe reform of the British honours system.[4]
Although the new award was announced in the London Gazette on 3 June 1918,[5] the actual Royal Warrants were not published in the London Gazette until 5 December 1919.[6]
A bar, worn on the ribbon, could be awarded to recognise a second award of the Air Force Medal.[4]
The first two awards appeared in the London Gazette on 3 June 1918, to:[8]
11680 Serjeant Samuel James Mitchell (of Handsworth, Birmingham).
106100 Serjeant Frederick Charles Tucker (of Birtley, Durham).
Twenty-nine awards appeared in a supplement to the London Gazette of 8 February 1919.[9][10]
The first awards of a bar to the Air Force Medal were announced on 26 December 1919, to two sergeants in theAustralian Flying Corps, for providing support to a pioneering flight from London to Australia:[11]
In 1979 eligibility for a number of British awards, including the AFM, was extended to permit posthumous awards.[14] Until that time, only theVictoria Cross and amention in dispatches could be awarded posthumously.
In 1993, the AFM was discontinued, as part of the review of the British honours system, which recommended removing distinctions of rank in respect of awards for bravery. Since then, the Air Force Cross, previously only open to Commissioned and Warrant Officers, has been awarded to personnel of all ranks.[4]
The AFM had also been awarded by Commonwealth countries but by the 1990s most, includingCanada,Australia andNew Zealand, had established their own honours systems and no longer recommended British honours.[15]
Awards include several to theRoyal Navy and theArmy Air Corps. Fifteen honorary awards were made to aircrew from foreign countries, one in 1919 and 14 for service during the Second World War. Civilians were eligible for the AFM from 1919 to 1932, three awards being made.[7]
The AFM is an oval silver medal,1+3⁄8 inches (35 millimetres) wide with a height of1+5⁄8 inches (41 millimetres), with the following design:[7]
The obverse shows the effigy and titles of the reigning sovereign:
King George V bare headed (1918-29)
King George V in crown and robes (1930–1937)
King George VI with 'IND: IMP:' (Indian Emperor) in the inscription (1938–1949)
King George VI without 'IND: IMP:' in the inscription (1949–1953)
Queen Elizabeth II (1953–1993)
The three most common obverse designs were:
George V 1918-30
George VI 1938-49
Elizabeth II 1953-93
The reverse showsHermes (facing right), mounted on ahawk in flight and bestowing a wreath, all contained within a narrowlaurel wreath band. The date "1918" appears behind Hermes on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II versions of the medal.
The suspension consists of two outstretched wings.
Further awards are signified by a straight slip-on silver bar with an eagle in the centre.
All awards have the name and service details of the recipient engraved or impressed on the rim.
The ribbon is1+1⁄4 inches (32 millimetres) wide, and consists of alternate red and white stripes,1⁄16 inch (2 millimetres) wide, leaning 45 degrees to the left. A red stripe is to appear in the bottom left and upper right corners when viewed on the wearer's chest. Until 1919, the stripes were horizontal.
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