Here are some more recognizable ones !! Please add more ...... ! Victoria Cross (VC) The Victoria Cross was instituted on 29 January 1856. It is the highest award for valour. It was awarded to any rank of the British and Commonwealth armed forces and civilians under military command. It was only awarded for bravery "in the face of the enemy". Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) The Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry and was instituted on 18 May 1725. There are three classes of members; Knight or Dame Grand Cross, Knight or Dame Commander and Companion. The Order of the Bath is the fourth most senior in the British honours system. The motto for military members of the Order is Ich dien from the German meaning 'I serve'. Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) The Order of St Michael and St George is a British order of chivalry and was instituted on 28 April 1818. There are three classes of members; Knight or Dame Grand Cross, Knight or Dame Commander and Companion. The Order of the St Michael and St George is the sixth most senior in the British honours system. The Order's motto is Auspicium melioris aevi from the Latin meaning 'Token of a better age'. Knight of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) The Order of the British Empire is a British Order of Chivalry and was instituted on 4 June 1917. There are five classes of members; Knight or Dame Grand Cross, Knight or Dame Commander, Commander, Officer and Member. The Order of the British Empire is the most junior of the orders of chivalry. Its motto is For God and the Empire. Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) The Order of the British Empire is a British Order of Chivalry and was instituted on 4 June 1917. There are five classes of members; Knight or Dame Grand Cross, Knight or Dame Commander, Commander, Officer and Member. The Order of the British Empire is the most junior of the orders of chivalry. Its motto is For God and the Empire. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) The Order of the British Empire is a British Order of Chivalry and was instituted on 4 June 1917. There are five classes of members; Knight or Dame Grand Cross, Knight or Dame Commander, Commander, Officer and Member. The Order of the British Empire is the most junior of the orders of chivalry. Its motto is For God and the Empire. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) The Order of the British Empire is a British Order of Chivalry and was instituted on 4 June 1917. There are five classes of members; Knight or Dame Grand Cross, Knight or Dame Commander, Commander, Officer and Member. The Order of the British Empire is the most junior of the orders of chivalry. Its motto is For God and the Empire. Distinguished Service Order (DSO) The Distinguished Service Order was instituted in 1886. It was awarded to officers of the rank of Major or higher for services in actual combat and was occasionally awarded to particularly heroic junior officers. Between 1914 and 1916, however, it was awarded in circumstances that did not constitute actual combat. A bar was added to the ribbon for holders of the DSO who received a second award. Military Cross (MC) The Military Cross was instituted on 28th December 1915. It was awarded to commissioned officers of the rank of Captain and below for distinguished and meritorious service in battle on land. Bars are added to the ribbon for holders who receive additional awards of the MC. ( Around 37,000 MCs were awarded in the First World War, 3,000 with a bar, 170 with two bars and four with three bars) Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) The Distinguished Flying Cross was instituted on 3rd June 1918. It was awarded to personnel of the British and Commonwealth air forces. It was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy". A bar was added to the ribbon for holders of the DFC who received a second award. Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) The Distinguished Conduct Medal was instituted on 4th December 1854. It was awarded to personnel of the British and Commonwealth Army below the rank of Warrant Officer for conspicuous bravery in the battlefield. In the First World War it was also awarded to men of the Royal Naval Division serving under Army Command. The DCM was the equivalent of the Distinguished Service Order, which was awarded to Warrant Officers and commissioned officers. Military Medal (MM) The Military Medal was instituted on 25th March 1916. It was awarded to personnel of the British and Commonwealth armed forces below the rank of Warrant Officer for bravery in the battlefield. It is equivalent to the Military Cross, which was awarded to Warrant Officers and commissioned officers of the rank of Captain and below. Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) The Meritorious Service Medal was awarded to men of senior rank to denote acts of non-combat meritorious service worthy of recognition. French Croix de Guerre The French Croix de Guerre was instituted in 1915. It was awarded to individual members or units of forces allied to France for acts of heroism involving combat with enemy forces. It could also be awarded to those who were mentioned in dispatches. The basic Croix de Guerre medal was awarded with a gold palm. The French Croix de guerre was issued with a bronze star for those who had been cited by the regiment or brigade, a silver star for those cited by a Division Commander and a silver gilt star for those cited at the Corps level. French Chevalier Légion d'Honneur The Légion d'Honneur is a French Order of Chivalry and was instituted on 19th May 1802. It is one of the most prestigious French awards and the country's highest civilian honour. There are five classes of members; Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Chevalier. In 1998 all surviving veterans of the First World War from any country who had fought on French soil were made Chevaliers of the Legion if they were not so already, as part of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the war's end. French Médaille Militaire The French Médaille Militaire was first instituted in 1852. It was issued to non-commissioned officers or enlisted personnel who distinguished themselves by acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. Commissioned officers are normally not elligible. The Médaille Militaire is one of rarest French decorations to be bestowed upon foreigners. Belgian Croix de Guerre The Belgian Croix de Guerre was instituted in 1915. It was awarded to individuals of forces allied to France for acts of heroism involving combat with enemy forces. It could also be awarded to those who were mentioned in dispatches. The basic Croix de Guerre medal was awarded with a gold palm. The Belgian Croix de guerre was awarded with a bronze lion for citations by a regiment and a gold lion for citations by the commander of land forces.
Italian Silver Medal The Italian Silver Medal was instituted in 1833. It was awarded to military personnel for exceptional valour in combat. A bar in the corresponding class was awarded to holders who received a second award. Order of the Nile The Egyptian Order of the Nile was instituted in 1915. It was awarded for services to the nation. The order has five classes; Grand Cordon, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Knight. Portugese Order of Aviz The Portugese Order of Aviz is believed to originate from sometime after 1166. The Order had been abolished by the Portugese Republic but was re-established in 1918 to reward military service. The Order has five classes. Greek Order of the Redeemer The Greek Order of the Redeemer was instituted on 1st June 1833. It was awarded to Greek citizens for rendering exceptional social services or for defending the interests of the country in times of war. It could also be awarded eminent personalities who were not Greek citizens. There are five classes of the award. Russian Order of St Anne The Russian Order of St Anne was instituted on 14th Febrary 1735. It was awarded for a distinguished career in civil service or valour and distinguished service in the military. There are four classes to the order. The Order is highly prized as first class recipients were entitled to hereditary nobility while recipients of the second, third and fourth classes gained personal nobility. For military recipients, it was awarded with swords. Russian Order of St Stanislaus The Order of St Stanislaus was instituted in 1765. It was originally a Polish order but was recognised in the award system of the Russian Empire. It was awarded for service to the King. The order has four classes. Serbian Order of the White Eagle The Order of the White Eagle was instituted on 23rd January 1883. It was awarded to prominent foreigners as well as Serbian citizens for distinguished civil or military service. There are five classes of the order. Serbian Order of St Sava The Serbain Order of St Sava was instituted on 23rd January 1883. It was awarded to Serbian citizens and foreign nationals, for merit in the field of culture, public instruction, science, civil service and divinity, as well as for service to the King, State and Nation, by civilians or the military. There are five classes of the order. Serbian Cross of Charity The Serbian Cross of Charity was instituted on 7th May 1913. It was awarded to Serbain men and women or foreign nationals for easing the suffering of the sick and wounded. Rumanian Order of the Crown The Rumanian Order of the Crown was instituted in 1881. It is Rumania's highest order. Mentioned in Despatches (MID) Mentioned in Despatches is a military award for gallantry or commendable service. Officers would submit reports on operations to their superiors which would include mention of soldiers who performed notworthy actions or showed gallantry. These reports would be published in the London Gazette, meaning that any named soldier would be mentioned in despatches. Soldiers receive a certificate and are entitled to wear a bronze oak leaf.
