Navy lists > Quarterly > 1913 > April

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. &c.
929
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER.
VICTORIA R. iSt I.
VICTORIA, by the Grace of God. of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen,
Defender of the Faith, Empress of India, to all to
whom these presents shall come greeting :
Whereas We have taken into Our Royal considera-
tion that the means of adequately rewarding the
distinguished services of Officers in ur Naval and
Military Services who have been honourably men-
tioned in Despatches are limited; now (or the pur-
pose of attaining an end so desirable as that of
rewarding individual instances of meritorious or
distinguished service in war. We have instituted and
created by these presents, for Us, Our Heirs and Suc-
cessors, do institute and create a new Naval and
Military Order of Distinction— -*,o be designated as
hereinafter deserined— which We are desirous should
be highly prized by the Officers of Our Naval and
Military Services, and We are graciously pleased to
make, ordain, and establish the following rules and
ordinances for the government of the same, which
shall henceforth lie inviolably observed and kept ;
Firstly. It is ordained, that this Order shall hence-
forth be styled and designated the "Distinguished
Service Order."
Secondly. It is ordained that the Order shall con
sist of the Sovereign, and of such members or Com-
panions as We, Our Heirs or Successors, shall appoint.
Thirdly. It is ordained ihat We, Our Heirs and
Successors, Kings and Queens Regnant of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Emperors
and Empresses of India, are and for ever shall be
Sovereigns of this Order.
Fourthly. It is ordained tha' no person shall be
eligible for this distinction who doth not actually
hold, at the time of his nomina ion, a Commission in
Our Navy, in Our Land Forces, or Marines, or Our
Indian or Colonial Naval or Military Forces, or a
Commission in one of the Departments of Our Navy
or Army, the holder of which is entitled to Honorary
or relative Navy or Army rank, nor shall any person
be nominated unless his services shall have been
marked by the especial mention of his name, by the
Admiral or Senior Naval Officer Commanding a
Squadron or detached Naval Force, or by the Com-
mander-in-Chief of the Forces in the Field, in Des
patches for meritorious or distinguished service in
the Field, or before the enemy.
Fifthly. It is ordained that Foreign Officers who
have been associated in Naval and Military opera-
tions with Our Forces shall be eligible to be Hono-
rary Members of this Order.
Sixthly. It is ordained t h at when We, Our Heirs
and Successors, shall be pleased to appoint any per-
son to he a Member of this Order, such appointment
shall be made by Warrant under our Sign Manual,
and countersigned by one of Our Principal Secre-
taries of State.
Seventhly. It is ordained that the decoration of
this Order shall be and shall be worn as is hereinafter
set forth.
Eighthly. It is ordained that an Officer shall be
appointed to this Order, that is to say, a Secretary
and Registrar.
Ninthly. It is ordained that the Secretary and
Registrar of this Order shall be appointed by Us, Our
Heirs and Successors, and shall have the custody of
the archives of the Order. He shall attend to the
Service of the Order, and shall execute such direc-
tions as he may receive from Our Principal Secretary
of State for War.
Tenthly. It is ordained that this Order shall rank
next to and immediately after Our Order of the In-
dian Empire, and that the Companions thereof shall
in all places and assemblies whatsoever have place
and precedence next to and immediately after the
Companions of Our said Order of the Indian Empire,
and shall rank among themselves according to the
dates of their respective denominations,
2 i
Eleventhly. It is ordained that the Badge of the
Order, which shall consist of a gold cross, enamelled
white, edged gold, having on one side thereof in the
centre, within a wreath of laurel enamelled green,
the Imperial Crown in gold, upon a red enamelled
ground, and on the reverse, within a similar wreath
and on a similar red ground, our Imperial and Royal
cypher V.R.I., shall lie suspended from the left breast
by a red riband edged blue, of one inch in width.
Twelfthly. It is ordained that the names of those
upon whom We mav he pleased to confer the decora-
tion shall lie published in the London Gazette, and a
registry thereof kept in the office of Our Secretary of
State for War.
Lastly. We reserve to Ourself, Our Heirs, and Suc-
cessors, full power of annulling, altering, abrogating,
augmenting, interpreting, or dispensing with these
Regulations or any part thereof by a notitleation
under i he Sign Manual of the Sovereign of the Order.
Given at Our Court at Balmoral, this sixth day of
September, inthellftiethyear of Our Reign, and
in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-six.
By Her Majesty's Command,
W. H. Smith.
EDWARD R.& I.
EDWARD, bv the Grace of God, of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the
British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender
of the Faith, Emperor of India, Sovereign of the
Distinguished Service Order, to all to whom these
presents shall come, greeting:
Whereas Her late Majesty, Our Beloved Mother,
Queen Victoria, by a Warrant under Her Royal Sign
Manual, countersigned by one of Her Principal Sec-
retaries of State, and bearing date at Her Court at
Balmoral the sixth day of September, on« thousand
eight hundred and eitthty-six, in the fiftieth year of
Her reign, did institute and create a new naval and
military order of distinction, to be styled and desig-
nated the " Distinguished Service Order."
And whereas by the said Royal Warrant it was,
among other things, ordained that the said Order
should rank next to, and immediately after, Our
Order of the Indian Empire, and that the badge of
the Order should have on the reverse Her late
Majesty's Imperial and Royal Cypher, V.R.I.
And whereas We have thought fit to signify Our
Royal Will and Pleasure that the said Order shall
rank next to, and immediately after. Our Royal Vic-
torian Order, and that the badge shall have on the
reverse Our Imperial and Royal Cypher, E.R.I.
Now, therefore, We do, by these presents for Us,
Our Heirs and Successors, ordain and appoint :
Firstly, that the Distinguished Service Order shall
rank next to, and immediately after. Our Royal Vic-
torian Order, and that the Companions thereof shall,
in all places and assemblies whatsoever, have place
and precedency next to, and immediately after, the
members of Our said Royal Victorian Order, and shall
rank among themselves according to the dates of
their respective nominations. Secondly, that the
badge of the Order, which shall consist of a gold cross,
enamelled white, edged gold, having on one side
thereof in the centre, within a wreath of laurel,
enamelled green, the Imperial Crown in gold, upon
a red enamelled ground, and on the reverse, within
a similar wreath, and on a similar red ground, Our
Imperial and Royal Cypher, E.R.I., shall be sus-
pended from the left breast by a red riband, edged
blue, of one inch in width.
Given at Our Court at St. James's this twenty-
fourth day of July, in thn second year of Our
reign, and in the year of Our Lord one thousand
nine hundred and two.
By His Majesty's Command,
St. John Brodeick.