Navy lists > Quarterly > 1915 > January

934
GOOD CONDUCT MEDALS.
GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND GRATUITY.
Extracts from the King's Kegulations and Admiralty Instructions.
SEAMEN.
750. Men holding any of the Eatings specified as
eligible for these awards in Appendix XV., Part I.
who entered the Service prior to 1st January, 1885,
and to whom they are still applicable, may be recom-
mended for the Good Conduct Medal and Gratuity,
under the following special rules. Pensioners coming
under these conditions who return to the Service
within five years of their being pensioned may be
recommended for the Medal, but not for the
Gratuity.
2. To entitle a man to a Medal-
la.) He must have served for 10 years with con-
tinuous " Very Good " character, and must
never previously have been awarded a
character below "Very Good," unless for a
period not exceeding one year in his first five
years reckoning for pension ;
(b.) He must have been recommended for it on his
Service Certificate for the three consecutive
years immediately preceding his application.
(c.) He must be recommended for it by the Captain
under whom he is serving when he becomes
eligible.
3. After a man has been awarded seven years of
such continuous "Very Good" character as will
under these Regulations count towards the Medal,
and should his character continue to be " Very Good,
the Captain will add to the character of "Very
Good " given on his Service Certificate, whenever he
is required to record it, the letters R.M. (Recom-
mended for Medal), if he should consider him
deserving thereof from his invariable very good
conduct and exemplary manner of performing his
duties. After 12 years of such Very Good"
character, the Captain will in like manner add the
letters G.R. (Gratuity Recommended).
4. Desertion, reduction to the Second Class for
conduct, imprisonment, detention, or the award of
character less than "Good" during any poition of
the time which reckons for pension, shall render a
man absolutely ineligible tor Medal or Gratuity,
except as provided for in clauses 6 and 6 of this
Article, and Clause 4 of Art. 751.
5. Exceptional cases. In order not entirely to
exclude from the honour of a Medal a man who may
have committed himself in the early years of his
service reckoning for Pension, but who may have
Hir.ce become a "Very Good" character, the
Admiralty will consider, with reference to the grant
of a Medal without Gratuity the case of any man
who can show 15 years of continuous "Very Good"
character, and who has been recommended as pre-
scribed in Clause 2, Sub-Clause (6), of this Article,
notwithstanding anything he may have done or any
character which may have been awarded to him,
except "Bad" or "Indifferent," in his previous
service.
6. The Admiralty will also consider the case of any
man who would he excluded under the foregoing
Regulations, but who may be specially recommended
on account qf his having shown highly exemplary
conduct inaction, or otherwise ; in such cases, how-
ever, a Gratuity will not be awarded.
7. It must be distinctly understood that Medals are
only granted on the condition that the recipients con-
tinue to serve for Long-Service Pension, unless in-
valided and that, in the event of a man who has been
granted a Medal declining to go on serving to com-
plete such time, he shall surrender the Medal on his
discharge, unless he has completed fifteen years of
service, reckoning for pension, in which case he may
retain it.
8. To entitle a man to a Gratuity:—
(a.) He must have served for 15 years with con-
tinuous "Very Good" character, and must
never previously have been awarded a
character below Very Good," unless for a
period not exceeding one year in his first five
years reckoning for pension.
(b.) He must have been awarded the Medal and
have never forfeited it.
(c.) He must have been recommended for the
Gratuity on his Service Certificate for the
three consecutive years immediately preced-
ing his application.
id.) He must have been continuously awarded the
character " Very Good " since he received the
Medal.
(e.) He must have completed time for Long Service
Pension unless previously invalided, and
must be recommended for the Gratuity by the i
Captain under whom he is serving at the time
of application.
9. The scale for Gratuities shall be as follows:—
Chief Petty Officers, having served as £
Chief and First Clf.'s Petty Officers
(OS) or Petty Office™ (NS) for not less
than 10 years 20