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Mentioned in Despatches (MID) is a military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service.
A despatch is an official report from a senior commander, usually of an army, to his superiors, detailing the conduct of military operations.
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Britain and Commonwealth
In the British Armed Forces, this report is published in the London Gazette. If a subordinate officer or soldier performs a noteworthy action included in the report, he/she is said to have been "mentioned in despatches".
In the nations of the British Commonwealth, soldiers who are mentioned in despatches whilst not awarded a medal, receive a certificate and are entitled to wear a silver oak leaf (from 1920–1994, it was bronze, in the Canadian Forces it still is) on the ribbon of the service medal issued to soldiers who served in a conflict. If no campaign medal is awarded, the oak leaf is worn on the left breast of dress uniform.
Soldiers can be mentioned multiple times. The British World War I Victoria Cross recipient John Vereker, later Field Marshal Viscount Gort, was mentioned in despatches nine times. The Australian general H.G. Bennett was mentioned in despatches a total of eight times during the First World War, as was John Dill.
Canada
Mention in Dispatches is an award to recognize a mention in dispatches from a senior commander for brave or meritorious service, normally in the field. Mentions in Dispatches are among the List of awards presented by the Governor General of Canada.[1]
France
1 bronze palm
1 silver gilt star
1 silver star
1 bronze star
In the French military, mentions in Despatches—or more precisely, mention in Orders (citation dans les ordres)—are made by senior commanders, from the position of regimental commanding officer to General-in-Chief, in the Orders they give to their unit, recognizing the gallantry of an action performed some time before. The mentions are awarded for gallantry to any member of the French military or its allies and are, depending on the degree, roughly the equivalent for U.S. Bronze Star and Silver Star or UK Military Cross and Military Medal.
Mentions made during World War I, World War II or colonial conflicts were accompanied with awards of a Croix de guerre or a Croix de la valeur militaire, with attachments on the ribbon depending on the mention's degree : the lowest degree is represented by a bronze star while the highest degree is represented by a bronze palm
- a bronze star for those who had been mentioned at the regiment or brigade level.
- a silver star, for those who had been mentioned at the division level.
- a silver gilt star for those who had been mentioned at the corps level.
- a bronze palm for those who had been mentioned at the army level.
- a silver palm represents five bronze ones.
- a silver gilt palm for those who had been mentioned at the Free French Forces level (World War II only).
Nowadays, a mention with award of the Croix de la valeur militaire (the Croix de guerre is no longer awarded) is rare, and most mentions are awarded with a gold Médaille de la Défense nationale and the same attachments as the Croix de guerre.
A unit can be mentioned in Despatches. Its flag is then decorated with the corresponding Croix. After two mentions, the men of the unit are entitled to wear a fourragère.
United States
During the American Civil War, the Confederate Army offered no awards or medals. However, General Lee would sometimes mention individual soldiers and units in his dispatches, and this was considered to be the highest honor among Confederate soldiers.
References
- ^ http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/018-04_e.asp Canadian Forces Administrative Order 18-4 Recommendations for Canadian Orders, Decorations and Military Honours
External links
- History of the MID
- Primary Documents: Sir Douglas Haig's Despatches as British Commander-in-Chief, 1916–19
- Stephen Stratford Medals page
- Canadian Forces Administrative Order 18-4 Recommendations for Canadian Orders, Decorations and Military Honours
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- This page was last modified on 4 August 2008, at 11:25.
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