Editing Distinguished Conduct Medal (section)

==Institution==
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was instituted by Royal Warrant on 4 December 1854, during the [[Crimean War]], as an award to warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the [[British Army]] for "distinguished, gallant and good conduct in the field". For all ranks below commissioned officer, it was the second highest award for gallantry in action after the [[Victoria Cross]], and the other ranks equivalent of the [[Distinguished Service Order]], which was awarded only to commissioned officers.

Before its institution, there had been no official medal awarded by the British Crown in recognition of individual acts of gallantry in the Army.<ref name="Lancaster"/><ref name="Canada"/><ref name="NewZealand"/><ref name="WW2awards">[https://www.tracesofwar.com/awards/26 TracesOfWar.com – Distinguished Conduct Medal] (Access date 19 May 2015)</ref><ref name="Australia">[https://www.pmc.gov.au/resource-centre/government/imperial-medals Australian Government – It's an Honour – Imperial Awards – Distinguished Conduct Medal]{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024328/https://www.pmc.gov.au/resource-centre/government/imperial-medals |date=15 August 2018}} (Access date 7 January 2023)</ref> The [[Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)|Meritorious Service Medal]], established in 1845 to reward long serving warrant officers and sergeants, was awarded several times up to 1854 for gallantry in action, although this was not the medal's main purpose.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|pp=62–63}}{{sfn|Mussell|2014|p=91}} One earlier award specifically for acts of gallantry by other ranks was the unofficial [[Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry]], instituted by Major General [[Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet|Sir Harry Smith]] in 1851. Although the British government initially disapproved of Sir Harry's institution of the medal, it subsequently paid for it and thereby gave it recognition, but not official status.<ref name="OnlineMedals">[http://www.onlinemedals.co.uk/medal-encyclopaedia/pre-ww1-medals/sir-harry-smith%E2%80%99s-medal-gallantry Online Medals – Medal Encyclopedia – Sir Harry Smith’s Medal For Gallantry] (Access date 27 April 2015)</ref><ref name="ArmyMuseum">[http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1986-12-31-1%20 National Army Museum – Sir Harry Smith Medal for Gallantry 1851, awarded to Paul Arendt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233356/http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1986-12-31-1%20 |date=3 March 2016 }} (Access date 27 April 2015)</ref><ref name="Unofficial">[http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/un52.htm South African Medal Website – Unofficial Military Awards] (Access date 27 April 2015)</ref>

The Distinguished Conduct Medal was awarded with a gratuity, that varied in amount depending on rank, and given on the recipient's discharge from the Army.{{sfn|Duckers|2001|p=36}}

Since January 1918 recipients have been entitled to the [[post-nominal letters]] DCM.{{sfn|Duckers|2001|p=36}}

A [[Medal bar|bar]] to the medal, introduced in 1881, could be awarded in recognition of each subsequent act of distinguished conduct for which the medal would have been awarded.<ref name="Lancaster"/><ref name="Firstworldwar">[http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/dcm.htm Firstworldwar.com Encyclopedia – Distinguished Conduct Medal] (Access date 19 May 2015)</ref><ref name="Worcestershire">[http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/awards_dcm.php The Worcestershire Regiment – Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)] (Access date 19 May 2015)</ref>

During the First World War, concern arose that the high number of medals being awarded would devalue the medal's prestige. The [[Military Medal]] was therefore instituted on 25 March 1916 as an alternative and lower award, with the Distinguished Conduct Medal reserved for more exceptional acts of bravery.<ref name="WW2awards"/><ref name="Firstworldwar"/><ref name="Worcestershire"/> Around 25,000 Distinguished Conduct Medals were awarded during the First World War, with approximately 1,900 during the Second World War.<ref name="Lancaster"/>