Editing Distinguished Conduct Medal (section)

==Eligibility==
The Distinguished Conduct Medal could also be awarded to military personnel serving in any of the Sovereign's forces in the [[British Empire]], with the first awards to colonial troops made in 1872, to the [[West India Regiments#Nineteenth century|West India Regiment]].{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=71}} Members of the [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] remained ineligible since they could receive the [[Indian Order of Merit]] and, from 1907, the [[Indian Distinguished Service Medal]].{{sfn|Duckers|2001|p=36}}

From September 1916, members of the [[63rd (Royal Naval) Division|Royal Naval Division]] were made eligible for military decorations, including the Distinguished Conduct Medal, for the war's duration.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=74}} Otherwise, it remained an exclusively Army award until 1942, when other ranks of the [[Royal Navy]], [[Royal Air Force]] and the Navies and Air Forces of the Dominions and Colonies also became eligible for distinguished conduct in action on the ground.<ref name="Canada"/><ref name="Australia"/>

In 1979 eligibility for a number of British awards, including the DCM, was extended to permit posthumous awards.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=xx}} Until that time, only the [[Victoria Cross]] and a [[Mentioned in dispatches#United Kingdom, British Empire, and Commonwealth of Nations|mention in dispatches]] could be awarded posthumously.