Editing Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies

{{short description|UK volunteer long service medal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox military award
| name             = Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
| image            = Volunteer Long Service Medal (Colonial) Victoria.jpg
| image_size       = 300px
| caption          = Queen Victoria version
| presenter       = [[Queen Victoria|the Monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Empress of India]]
| country          = [[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] [[United Kingdom]]
| type             = Military long service medal
| eligibility      = Other ranks and Officers who have served in the ranks of the Volunteer Forces throughout the British Empire
| awarded_for              = Twenty years service<br>Eighteen years service in India
| campaign         =
| status           = Discontinued in 1930
| description      =
| motto            =
| clasps           =
| post-nominals    =
| established      = 1896
| firstawarded      = 
| lastawarded       = 1930
| total_awarded            =
| total_awarded_posthumously       =
| total_recipients       =
| precedence_label = Order of Wear
| individual       =
| higher           = [[Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies]]
| same             =
| lower            = [[Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration]]
| related          = [[Volunteer Long Service Medal]]
| image2           = [[File:Ribbon - Volunteer Long Service Medal.png|x29px]]
| caption2         = Ribbon bar
}}

The [[Volunteer Long Service Medal]] was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks and some officers of the United Kingdom's [[Volunteer Force (Great Britain)|Volunteer Force]]. In 1896, the grant of the medal was extended to other ranks and officers who had served in the ranks of the Volunteer Forces throughout the [[British Empire]]. A separate new medal was instituted, the '''Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies'''. Awarding of this medal was discontinued in stages when it was superseded in most territories by the [[Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal]] in 1899 and in the remainder by the [[Efficiency Medal]] in 1930.<ref name="Mayo495">{{cite book|last=Mayo|first=John Horsley|title=Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy, Vol. II, 1897 (No. 224. Volunteer Long Service, 1894.)|url=https://archive.org/stream/medalsdecoration02mayouoft#page/494/mode/2up|year=1897|publisher=A. Constable|page=495|location=London}}</ref><ref name="Mayo499">{{cite book|last=Mayo|first=John Horsley|title=Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy, Vol. II, 1897 (No. 225. Volunteer Long Service Medal for Indian and Colonial Forces, 1896.)|url=https://archive.org/stream/medalsdecoration02mayouoft#page/498/mode/2up|year=1897|publisher=A. Constable|page=499|location=London}}</ref>

==Origin==
The Volunteer Long Service Medal was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks in the part-time Volunteer Force of the United Kingdom, as well as to officers who had served in the ranks but who had not qualified for the award of the [[Volunteer Officers' Decoration]]. The qualifying period of service was twenty years.<ref name="Mayo495"/><ref name="Fitzwilliam">{{cite web|url=http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/coins/collection/watson/page203.html |work=The Fitzwilliam Museum: Watson Medals Catalogue Home |title=Volunteer Force Long Service Medal, awarded to Col. Sgt. R. Bransom between 1894 & 1901 |publisher=[[The Fitzwilliam Museum]]|date=31 July 2006 |access-date=7 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="Archive">[http://www.militaryarchive.co.uk/the-rolls/volunteer-long-service-medal.html The Military Archive – Volunteer Long Service Medal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628172606/http://www.militaryarchive.co.uk/the-rolls/volunteer-long-service-medal.html |date=28 June 2015 }} (Accessed 30 June 2015)</ref>

==Institution==
On 13 June 1896, the grant of the Volunteer Long Service Medal was extended by [[Queen Victoria]] to members of Volunteer Forces throughout the British Empire, defined as being [[India]], the [[Canada|Dominion of Canada]], the [[Crown colony|Crown Colonies]] and the [[Protectorate#British protectorates|British Protectorates]]. A separate new medal was instituted, the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies. Institution of this medal was not, as usual, by Royal Warrant, but in terms of a special Army Order. This medal was similar in design to the Volunteer Long Service Medal, but bore different inscriptions on the obverse of each monarch's version.<ref name="Mayo499"/><ref name="Birkenhead">[http://www.birkenheadrsa.com/medals-details.php?MedalNumber=675 Birkenhead Returned Services Association – Military Medals – The Volunteer Long Service Medal] (Accessed 1 July 2015)</ref>

==Award criteria==
The qualifying period of service was also twenty years, except in India, where it was eighteen years. The medal could be awarded upon the recommendation by an individual's present or, if retired, former commanding officer. Service had to have been consecutive, with allowance being made for special circumstances. Officer recipients had to surrender the medal if they were subsequently awarded either the Volunteer Officers' Decoration or the [[Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies]].<ref name="Mayo495"/><ref name="Mayo499"/><ref name="Fitzwilliam"/>

==Order of wear==
In the order of wear prescribed by the British [[Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood]], the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies takes precedence after the [[Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies]] and before the [[Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration]].<ref name="London Gazette">{{London Gazette|issue=56878|supp=y|page=3353|date=17 March 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Ribbon - Volunteer Officers' Decoration.png|x37px|Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies]] [[File:Ribbon - Volunteer Long Service Medal.png|x37px|Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies]] [[File:Ribbon - Volunteer Long Service Medal.png|x37px|Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration]]
* Preceded by the [[Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies]] (VD).
* Succeeded by the [[Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration]] (VD).

==Description==
[[File:Volunteer Long Service Medal (Colonial) Edward VII v1.jpg|thumb|King Edward VII double-toe claw version]]
[[File:Volunteer Long Service Medal (Colonial) Edward VII v2.jpg|thumb|King Edward VII single-toe claw version]]
[[File:Volunteer Long Service Medal (Colonial) George V.jpg|thumb|King George V version]]
The medal was struck in silver and is a disk, {{convert|1.45|in|0|abbr=off}} in diameter, with a raised rim on each side. It is suspended from a straight swivelling silver bar, affixed to the medal by means of a claw and a pin through the upper edge of the medal.<ref name="Mayo495"/><ref name="Mayo499"/>

;Obverse
The obverse of the medal depicts the reigning monarch. Three obverse versions of the medal were struck.<ref name="Archive"/>
* The original version of 1896, created by [[George William de Saulles]], shows the effigy of Queen Victoria wearing the Crown, a veil and the Star of the [[Order of the Garter]]. The effigy is circumscribed "VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX" (Victoria, Queen and Empress). This version's suspender is affixed to the medal by means of a double-toe claw. Some Queen Victoria medals were awarded up to July 1902, post-dating her death.<ref name="Archive"/><ref name="LatinVRI">[http://www.latin-dictionary.org/Latin-English-Dictionary/Victoria_Regina_et_Imperatrix_(VRI) Latin Dictionary – Victoria Regina et Imperatrix (VRI)] (Accessed 1 July 2015)</ref>
* The [[Edward VII|King Edward VII]] version, introduced after his succession to the throne in 1901, displays his effigy in Field Marshal's uniform. The effigy, also created by De Saulles, is circumscribed "EDWARDVS VII KAISAR-I-HIND" (Edward VII, Emperor of India) in the [[Hindustani language]]. On this version the suspender is affixed to the medal by means of either the older double-toe or the later single-toe claw. Some King Edward VII medals were awarded up to April 1911, post-dating his death.<ref name="Archive"/><ref name="Naval">[http://www.medal-medaille.com/royal-naval-reserve-long-service-good-conduct-medal-edward-issue-1908-1910-attributed-p-7665.html Medal-Medaille Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Edward VII issue, 1908–1910, attributed] (Accessed 1 July 2015)</ref>
* The [[George V|King George V]] version, introduced after his succession to the throne in 1910, shows the King in Field Marshal's uniform and is circumscribed "GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:" (George V, King of Great Britain, Emperor of India). This version's suspender is affixed to the medal by means of the older double-toe claw.<ref name="Medaille">{{cite web|url=http://www.medal-medaille.com/product_info.php?products_id=11175 |title=Volunteer Force Long Service Medal (Colonies), King George V issue, 1911–1930, miniature |publisher=Medal-Medaille |date=6 February 2006 |access-date=7 April 2022}}</ref>

;Reverse
The reverse shows a palm and laurel wreath which supports a scrolled banner, bearing the inscription "FOR LONG SERVICE IN THE VOLUNTEER FORCE" in four lines.<ref name="Mayo495"/><ref name="Mayo499"/>

;Ribbon
The ribbon is the same as that of the Volunteer Long Service Medal, plain dark green and {{convert|1+1/4|in|0|abbr=off}} wide.<ref name="Mayo495"/><ref name="Mayo499"/>

==Discontinuation==
Between 1899 and 1902, the medal was superseded by the [[Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal]] in the Dominion, the Crown Colonies, the British Protectorates and most [[British Overseas Territories|Crown Dependencies]].<ref name="Birkenhead"/><ref name="Colonial">[http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/mil94.htm South African Medal Website – Colonial Military Forces] (Accessed 6 May 2015)</ref>

It continued to be awarded to the [[Isle of Man Volunteers]] until the 7th (Isle of Man) Volunteer Battalion was disbanded on 3 March 1920, and in [[Bermuda]] and [[India]] until 1930, when it was finally superseded by the [[Efficiency Medal]].<ref name="Medaille"/><ref name="MillsIoM">{{Cite web |url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-no/iom.htm |title=Isle of Man Volunteers &#91;UK&#93; |access-date=22 March 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101120951/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-no/iom.htm |archive-date=1 January 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="Mackay">Mackay, J., Mussell, J.W., Editorial Team of Medal News, (2005), ''The Medal Yearbook'', page 225, (Token Publishing Limited)</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Efficiency and long service decorations and medals}}
{{South African military decorations and medals}}

[[Category:Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth]]
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of Australia]]
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of Canada]]
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of India]]
[[Category:New Zealand Meritorious & Long Service Awards]]
[[Category:Military decorations and medals of South Africa]]
[[Category:Military decorations and medals of South Africa pre-1952]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1896]]