History
The Efficiency Decoration was instituted by Royal Warrant in 1930 alongside the Efficiency Medal, as the officers' award of the unified scheme for the part-time forces of the Empire. It superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Territorial Decoration, and was awarded to part-time officers assessed as efficient and thoroughly capable. Australian awards are identified by AUSTRALIA on the mount, and recipients are entitled to the post-nominal ED.
The George VI issue spans 1937 to 1952: the company commanders and adjutants of the mobilised Militia, the officers who led citizen soldiers through the Second World War and rebuilt the Citizen Military Forces after it. Because the original qualifying period was twenty years of commissioned service, a George VI decoration usually marks an officer whose commission reached back into the interwar years; the reduction to twelve years came only in 1949. Two cypher types exist within the reign, the royal style changing after India's independence.
Design & ribbon
The medal
The Efficiency Decoration is an oval skeletal badge: a wreath of oak leaves struck in silver and tied at the base, enclosing the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch beneath the Royal Crown in gilt. The reverse is plain within the wreath, with the year of the award at its base, and the decoration hangs by a silver ring from the crown, with AUSTRALIA identifying the Australian issue.
On this issue the centre carries the cypher of King George VI, in the earlier and later forms of his royal style.
The ribbon
Dark green with a central yellow stripe, the officers' arrangement of the family colours.
The ribbon is dark green with a central stripe of yellow: the reverse arrangement of the Efficiency Medal's ribbon, marking the officers' award of the same family.
Clasps
A clasp was instituted in 1949, awarded for each further period of six years of qualifying service.
Six Year Clasp
From 1949 a clasp could be awarded on completion of each further period of six years of qualifying service: a bar carrying the Royal Cypher surmounted by the crown, with the year of the award on its reverse. When ribbons alone are worn, each clasp is denoted by a rosette.
Eligibility
The decoration was awarded to commissioned officers of the part-time and auxiliary military forces who were efficient and thoroughly capable.
- The qualifying period was originally twenty years of commissioned service; from 1949 it was reduced to a minimum of twelve years, with twenty retained for officers whose service ended before 3 September 1939. War service counted double and previous service in the ranks counted half;
- An officer who already held a long service medal or the Efficiency Medal for service in the ranks could not wear both awards until the full periods for each had been separately completed;
- In Australia the decoration was replaced by the Reserve Force Decoration in 1982. Fine detail should be confirmed against the recipient's documentation.
Order of wear
The Imperial long service awards are worn together in the long service group, after the Australian long service medals and the Champion Shots Medal, in order of the date of the award, with the Service Medal of the Order of St John worn after all of them. The precise arrangement should be confirmed against the current Australian Order of Wear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Efficiency Decoration?
The officers' counterpart of the Efficiency Medal: the long service award for efficient and thoroughly capable commissioned officers of the part-time forces, carrying the post-nominal ED.
What years does the George VI issue cover?
Awards made between 1937 and 1952, the reign of King George VI, spanning the Second World War mobilisation of the Militia and the rebuilding of the CMF.
How long did it take to earn?
Originally twenty years of commissioned service, reduced to twelve years from 1949, with war service counting double and previous service in the ranks counting half.
Why do two cypher types exist for this reign?
The royal style changed after India's independence, so earlier and later strikes of the reign carry different forms of the King's cypher.
How does the ribbon differ from the Efficiency Medal's?
The colours are the same family: the medal wears yellow at the edges of the green, the decoration a single yellow stripe at the centre.
What replaced it in Australia?
The Reserve Force Decoration, introduced in 1982 for officers of the Reserve Forces.