The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration,
post-nominal letters VD, was established in 1899 as recognition for long and meritorious service as a part-time commissioned officer in any of the organized military forces of the British Colonies, Dependencies and Protectorates. It superseded the
Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended to commissioned officers of Voluntee ...
in all these territories, but not in the
Indian Empire
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himse ...
.
In 1930, the decoration, along with the
Volunteer Officers' Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the decoration was discontinued in the United Kingdom ...
and the
Territorial Decoration
__NOTOC__
The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the T ...
, were superseded by the
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration, post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces, was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twe ...
in an effort to standardise recognition across the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading post ...
.
Origin
In 1892, the
Volunteer Officers' Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the decoration was discontinued in the United Kingdom ...
was instituted as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's
Volunteer Force
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated ...
. In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended by Royal Warrant to commissioned officers of volunteer forces throughout the British Empire, defined as being
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
, the
Dominion of Canada
While a variety of theories have been postulated for the name of Canada, its origin is now accepted as coming from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word , meaning 'village' or 'settlement'. In 1535, indigenous inhabitants of the present-day Quebec Ci ...
, the
Crown Colonies and the
Crown Dependencies. A separate new decoration was instituted, the
Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended to commissioned officers of Voluntee ...
.
Institution
The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration was established by Queen Victoria's Royal Warrant on 18 May 1899. This decoration could be awarded to part-time commissioned officers in recognition of long and meritorious service in any of the organized military forces of the Dominion of Canada and the British Colonies, Dependencies and
Protectorates, whether designated as militia or volunteers or otherwise. The decoration superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies in all these territories, but not in the Indian Empire, where the Indian Volunteer Forces Officers' Decoration would subsequently be instituted.
[Classical Numismatic Gallery - Medals, Badges, Decorations - Indian Volunteer Forces (1902), Edward VII, Silver Miniature Medal](_blank)
(Accessed 3 July 2015)
The use of the
post-nominal letters VD by recipients of this decoration was approved by Royal Warrant on 9 May 1925.
Award criteria
The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration could be awarded for twenty years of service as a part-time commissioned officer in any of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces. Qualifying service could be had by serving in the forces of more than one Colony or Protectorate. Service in the Militia and Volunteer Forces of the United Kingdom was also reckonable, so long as at least half of all qualifying service was rendered in the forces of the Colonies or Protectorates. Service on the West Coast of Africa counted as double time, while half the time served in the ranks prior to being commissioned was also reckonable. Service on the permanent staff was not reckonable.
Order of wear
In the order of wear prescribed by the British
Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain’s department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of o ...
, the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration takes precedence after the
Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
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. In 1896, the grant of the medal was extended to other ranks and officers who had serv ...
and before the
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal. The same ribbon was used for all three awards, except during the period from 1921 to 1927, when the decoration was suspended from a wider green ribbon.

* Preceded by the
Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
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. In 1896, the grant of the medal was extended to other ranks and officers who had serv ...
.
* Succeeded by the
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal.
Description
The decoration is an oval skeletal design and was struck in silver, with parts of the obverse in silver-gilt. The oval is high and wide and is suspended by a thin silver wire suspension bar which is attached to a small ring at the top on the reverse.
[Veterans Affairs Canada - Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration - VD](_blank)
(Accessed 3 July 2015)
File:Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (Victoria).jpg, Queen Victoria version, narrow 32 mm ribbon
File:Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (Edward VII).jpg, King Edward VII version, narrow 32 mm ribbon
File:Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (George V) v2.jpg, Second King George V version, wider 38 mm ribbon
File:Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (George V) v3.jpg, Third King George V version miniature, wider ribbon
;Obverse
The obverse is an oval silver band, inscribed "COLONIAL AUXILIARY FORCES" and with the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch in skeletal form and in silver-gilt in the centre. The oval is surmounted by a silver-gilt Imperial Crown. Five versions of the decoration are known.
* The centre of the decoration's original version of 1899 has the Royal Cypher "VRI" of Queen Victoria, for "Victoria Regina Imperatrix".
* The King Edward VII version, with his Royal Cypher "ERI VII" for "Edwardvs Rex Imperator VII", was introduced after his succession to the throne in 1901.
* The first King George V version, with his Royal Cypher "GRI" for "Georgivs Rex Imperator" as illustrated at the top of the page, was introduced after his succession to the throne in 1910.
* A second King George V version exists, with his Royal Cypher "GRI V" for "Georgivs Rex Imperator V", with the Roman numeral "V" below the cypher "GRI". On this and the third King George V version the crown has two cut-out sections at the top.
* The third King George V version, of which a miniature is illustrated, has the Roman numeral "V" to the right of the cypher "GRI".
;Reverse
The reverse is plain. The recipient's name was usually engraved at either the top on the back of the crown or around the circumference of the decoration.
;Ribbon
The ribbon, as described in the regulations accompanying the original Royal Warrant of Queen Victoria, is the same as that of the
Volunteer Long Service Medal, dark green and wide, and suspended from a silver bar-brooch decorated with an oak leaf pattern. In an amendment to the rules and ordinances pertaining to the decoration, published in the Royal Warrant of King George V on 9 June 1921, the ribbon was described as green and wide. This wider ribbon and brooch was revoked by the Royal Warrant of King George V on 22 June 1927.
Discontinuation
The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration, along with the
Volunteer Officers' Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the decoration was discontinued in the United Kingdom ...
and the
Territorial Decoration
__NOTOC__
The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the T ...
, were superseded by the
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration, post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces, was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twe ...
on 23 September 1930, as one decoration to reward long and meritorious service of part-time officers of the Territorial Army in Great Britain and of the Auxiliary Military Forces of the Empire and the Protectorates, to recognize the Imperial character of such service.
References
{{South African military decorations and medals
Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth
Military awards and decorations of Australia
Military awards and decorations of Canada
New Zealand Meritorious & Long Service Awards
Military decorations and medals of South Africa
Military decorations and medals of South Africa pre-1952
Awards established in 1899