Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)

Distinguished Service Cross
Obverse of the medal. Ribbon: 36mm, three equal parts of dark blue, white, and dark blue.
Awarded by United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Type	Military decoration.
Eligibility	British, (formerly) Commonwealth, and allied forces.
Awarded for	... gallantry during active operations against the enemy.[1]
Status	Currently awarded.
Description	43mm max height and width; plain silver cross with rounded ends. (Obverse) Royal Cypher in centre, surrounded by a ring; (reverse) plain.
Statistics
Established	15 June 1901 (as Conspicuous Service Cross), renamed October 1914.
Total awarded	During World War I: 1,983. Since 1945: fewer than 100.
Precedence
Next (higher)	Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
Equivalent	Military Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross
Next (lower)	Mention in Despatches
Related	Distinguished Service Medal

The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and (since 1993) other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.

The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is granted in recognition of "... gallantry during active operations against the enemy at sea."^[2]

History

The award was originally created in 1901 as the Conspicuous Service Cross, for award to warrant and junior officers ineligible for the DSO. It was renamed the Distinguished Service Cross in October 1914, eligibility being extended to all naval officers (commissioned and warrant) below the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In 1931, the award was made available to members of the Merchant Navy and in 1940 eligibility was further extended to non-naval personnel (British Army and Royal Air Force) serving aboard a British vessel. Since the 1993 review of the honours system, as part of the drive to remove distinctions of rank in awards for bravery, the Distinguished Service Medal, formerly the third level decoration for ratings, has been discontinued. The DSC now serves as the third level award for gallantry at sea for all ranks.

Since 1916, bars have been awarded to the DSC in recognition of the performance of further acts of gallantry meriting the award. Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters DSC.

Robert Peverell Hichens, the most highly decorated member of the RNVR in the Second World War, was awarded the DSC and two Bars.

Description

• This DSC is a plain silver cross with rounded edges. The obverse has a circular centre within which can be seen the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch at the time of award. From 1940 year of issue has been engraved on lower limb of cross.
• The reverse is plain apart from the hallmark and the ribbon is attached via a metal ring.
• The ribbon has three equal stripes of dark blue, white and dark blue.

Ribbon bars of the Distinguished Service Cross
DSC	DSC and Bar	DSC and Two Bars

Notes

1. ^ Defence FactSheet Accessed 28 June 2007.
2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56693. p. 11146. 17 October 2002. Retrieved 30 April 2009.

References

• Mackay, J. and Mussel, J. (eds). Medals Yearbook - 2005, 2004, Token Publishing.

See also

• Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations